Think of how you're going to baste your quilt. I usually spray baste and have always used cotton but tried poly on a small quilt. I discovered that the spray didn't stick to 100% poly batting. The quilt sandwich looked fine when I sprayed it but, as the quilting progressed, the spray disappeared and I ended up pinning the rest. I have used Joann's Warm & Natural(?) 80/20 blend without problems, the 80% cotton keeps the spray active. I mentioned this to my LQS instructor and she also said that spray basting doesn't work well with poly. Now, if you use a long-arm you won't have this problem and I like the poly because the extra loft will better define your quilting design.

Thermore is very thin poly batting if you like the flat look of cotton. it comes in a gray bag.

I have used the Fairfield poly quilt batting I get at Walmart for the last 27 years. I hand quilt and have not had any bearding problems with the batting either. All the quilts I have made have been washed and dried in the dryer many times. The batting has held up great. With 7 grands they really put them through their paces.

Good point...I do love my basting spray. It just kills me to pay 2-3x as much for the cotton batting.

Thanks Jomama!

Last summer I attended a trunk show that Lynette Jensen (from Thimbleberries) put on. One of the questions was what kind of batting did she use. Her answer was Hobbs polly down.

I am shocked! They were handing out little sample cards at the MQX show like crazy last month! I'm sorry, I just assumed if you contacted them they would simply send you one of the little cards that had samples of all their bats. It is only a 3" swatch. Maybe they only give the samples cards to retail stores or at shows?

I like Hobbs batting, too. I've been using it for the last few quilts I've made and I've found it to me consistent. No thin or thick places like some of the others. I've used it for hand quilting and machine quilting. It's reasonable, too. I just can't afford the cotton blends or the bamboo that so many are using now.

I used wool on a king-sized quilt that I did both machine quilting and FMQ on, and I loved it to work with, and I love using it on the bed. Some people might be allergic to it, I suppose. It is pretty pricey, however.

I use Quilter's Dream exclusively - I prefer the blend, especially if it's for a bed quilt but I use the Poly Select for wall hangings and bags - it FMQs lovely with no bearding in my experience. I wouldn't like to use pure poly on a bed quilt though, especially not for a baby - doesn't breathe like the cotton.

I have bought Soft and Bright from Joannes online. It is not available in my store. It is really really nice. I bought it during the Thanksgiving sale. I would buy a whole roll but they do not sell it that way. It is a poly that behaves like a cotton. Loved it. I bought 4 queen sized and should have gotten more.

I just tried Hobbs Polydown and did like it quite well. I usually use Warm and Natural. I am quite prolific and make lots of charity quilts.

I've been using "Soft & Bright" needled poly from the maker's of "Warm & Natural". It's very uniform in thickness, doesn't stretch, not heavy & washes nicely too. I bought it at JoAnn's from a roll and also in Pkg. Reasonably priced for an amateur like myself.

I used bamboo batting in a king sized quilt and I loved it. It is so soft. I tried to find it at my local Joanne's and they did not have it. I will try again at a larger Joanne's a little further from me.

Love polydown and bamboo
Brenda

Don't be surprised if you find the price of poly batting also takes a steep price leap. As poly is petroleum based, I believe

I picked up one the other day at Wal Mart by POLY-FIL it is a Traditional Needlepunched Polyester. I'm not sure what that means exactly but I do know the battting is kinda like a loose felt. Don't know if that will help but it like it better than the stuff I got at Joann's.

I love anything Quilters Dream,lol, love their cotton, their poly and their wool, and use them all depending on the project. I had no problem with Dream Poly bearding at all, and I have used the black, regular white and green, quilts beautifully too. PM your address and I can send you some leftover I have that you can maybe make little sandwiches and try them out.

I only use poly. I get it on a 70 yard roll from Wilson Sales in Boaz, Alabama. The last time I bought 2 rolls and it was $72.00 per roll. That is cheap. I have never had a problem with it and none of my customers have ever complained about it.

I only ever use poly batting as it is so much easier to manage for me!

I like Fairfields Traditional Poly batting as well and buy it by the roll. It handles very well and my customers like it too.

What is "bearding"? Thanks

Its when the batting pokes thru the backing.......... leaves little 'fuzzies' where the stitching went thru

I usually only use W&N or W&W. My DH has me buy it by the rolls. Shortly before cotton went up, we ordered a couple of rolls and several pkgs of the king-size so I should be good for awhile.

My LAQ prefers Quilters Dream. I have always used Quilters Dream poly and now, for warmer quilts, they have come out with a Dream Puff (by Quilters Dream) that is supposed to be warmer than down! Am doing my first quilt with Dream Puff to see how I like it.

mountainmammo

Thanks for all the wonderful replies---learned a lot about batting. :thumbup:

I love Hobbs Poly down batting. Very nice. I buy it by the roll from Quilted Memories LLC (online). She also had smaller sizes and all are very reasonable. She even mails it and only charges the mailing rate for her shipping.

That's one reason I only use cotton or wool don't like to touch the polys

i have used poly, but i like the 80/20 better because when you wash & dry it, it shrinks up a little & looks like an older quilt... that is the look i prefer, so worth the $ to me.

Even though I like things natural (and I do use all cotton bating for now) I have benn wondering about the bamboo recycled stuff for batting. Has anyone used it?? What do you like or dislike about it? Sophie

Love Quilter's Dream poly. I also like Quilter's Dream Green. Both quilt and wash beautifully.

What I have heard is that bamboo batting requires a *lot* of toxic chemicals for processing. I think that is the one that generates a lot of "fluff" in the room also when you handle it. It's supposed to be very soft, though. There is also a batting recycled from plastics, I think, which would be a different batting than the bamboo. In other words, the bamboo batting is not a recycled product.

where do you buy your Hobbs Poly-down as mentioned by Shelbie?

Connecting Threads has it:
http://www.connectingthreads.com/cft...tent=GOOGLE%20(Search)%20Batting