With the cotton prices on the rise, I am starting to wonder if I should consider trying a good quality poly batting to try to save money. Before I discovered Warm & Natural, I had tried a couple of the poly battings...Joann's, Mountain Mist, and not been very happy with them. I noticed that the LQS uses Quilters Dream Poly unless requested otherwise. It felt nice, but I don't know anyone personally who's used it.

Any recommendations? Any thoughts as to where I could get small samples to check out?

Yes, I like it when using poly. The Dream Green is becoming more popular with my customers, too, but I don't use it in "white" quilts. And they'll send you samples.

I really like Hobbs Polydown. I first used it when quilting some of our Community Quilts for our guild. The batting was much more affordable, handled well, was very uniform, no thick or thin spots and quilted easily. It stands up to repeated washings and doesn't shift or bunch even when quilted every 6-8inches. I buy it by the roll (108" wide) and 30 yards long. This is the batting I now use in all my baby and kid quilts even for the big kids taking quilts to college. If you like a soft cuddly slightly puffy quilt, this is the batting for you.

debating this now within my shop..cotton batting has went thru the ROOF..to offer it to my clients..going to debate this thru the summer and then figure it out-
Diana
Tranquil Quilting

I use Quilters Dream Poly in all my baby quilts. It's actually quite a wonderful batting! I use it for babies because it takes a beating and holds up beautifully.

I also use it when someone requests a black batting, as the QD's black is poly.

There is nothing wrong with a GOOD quaslity poly batting. I used THERMORE (until they changed the 'recipe for making it) for many many years.

My 6'5" Grandson, his 6'2" brother and cousins (all guys0 HATE 80/20! Too heavy, can't scrunch it up 'good'. My grandd aughter also tends to like polys better. They are my test panel :-D . even used wool -- another no no no.

In fact, allof my family seems to prefer a think warm poly. I would think you should try it. MAke a tv watching lap quilt and see how you like the feel etc.

Let us know about how yo do.
Julie

For years I used Poly Cotton batting as we could not get Warm & Natural here in Ireland. I did all hand quilting then and it worked great.

Poly beards but I usually use poly. Cottons seems to be hard and thats what most people have said when I get finished. "This seems stiff".

I just got a quilt back from CharismaH which has poly down and I love it! You may want to ask her the brand. I can't remember.

My youngest daughter only wants Warm and Natural in her quilts and the oldest one loves poly. Both work well for me.

I use Warm & White. It's listed as 13% poly, 87% cotton. It has a lot of body to it yet it's still soft. I haven't bought any lately so I don't know if the price has increased (altho I'm sure it has!). I haven't had any problem with bearding and I use mostly black and dark colors in my quilts. It works well with hand quilting and machine quilting.

I am currently working on a handquilted project with Quilters Dream poly. It is a wonderful bat and no bearding! IMHO Mountain Mist Poly is one of the worst on the market. It is not uniform in thickness and will most likely beard. I used it once on a customer quilt where she supplied the batting. It quilted up ok on the LA but if given a preference I would not recommend it. While I saw no evidence of bearding while LAing it I suspect it will beard with use and washings. What I noticed most was the inconsistency in loft throughout the bat. I would go with Quilters Dream poly or Hobbs Polydown. Both are very nice poly bats. Quilter's dream has several lofts and yes they will send you samples but won't sell to you directly unless you have a resale certificate from your state.

When I first began quilting only Mountain Mist was available locally and I liked it. Sorry to say that over the years the quality has gone down, too thin and uneven.

I use Hobbs 80/20 a lot, soak and dry it first and it's nice and soft. Thermore is nice and thin but it annoys me as it sticks to my fingers. Latest favorite is Quilter's Dream Poly, a bit more expensive but it's so good. May in Jersey

I LOVE Quilters Dream poly. Just finished machine quilting my first quilt with the Dream Green, and I liked that too.

I like Fairfield Traditional poly batting of all the poly batting. It's soft and has a good drape. Not stiff and crackly. Walmart sells it in packages by bed sizes. Many show quilts use Fairfield traditional batting. I always ask the quiltmakers at Paducah what batting they used. The ones that have quilts juried and get to go to the show have special badges they wear. They love to talk about their quilt. I was very surprised at how many say Fairfield brand batting.

I always use Polydown, and I usually hand quilt

Those no doubt that some quilters will be going back to poly, due to the increase in cotton prices, and there isn't anything wrong with that. We sell Legacy poly by Roc-lon, and its very good quality.

Lanny

You can get samples from Quilter's Dream, I know - and probably from Hobbs etc too
I've used some of the blends in quilts but haven't used all poly in years now ... guess I need to check out some of the new ones. I have a stash of QD and W&N, glad I did ! :roll:

I haven't ever tried using poly, so I can't say. Hobbs will send you samples if you ask, or they have samples at quilt shows.

My DH and I both quilt, and we recently bought a 40 yd box of Warm & White when it was on sale 50% off at Joann here. Glad we did, as we do see prices going up.

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will see if I can get samples of the Quilters Dream Poly and Hobbs Polydown.

Any tips to prevent bearding, or is it just a given with poly? Would different needles make a difference in the outcome?

I use Hobbs poly or 80/20 blend.....like both.... the poly is less money, so tend to use the poly on baby or kids quilts and the 80/20 on larger quilts I do for lap or whatever.

I love warm and natural as a personal favorite..but use poly or a 80/20 blend for all my (11) Grandkids..because they use theirs and they get more washings..it holds up fine!!

I've used poly batting, but since I switched to cotton, there's no going back. To save money, save those Michael's coupons and if you can find a shop that still has it, grab it!

Quilter's Dream products are the best! I love them!

All the quilts my grandma use to make were all made with poly batting..and the quilt I still have is 40 years old. The actual stiching is letting go in some of the seams..but other then that..it has held up excellent. Many many washings. I see no bearding either.

Quilters Dream Poly is the only polyester I will use. Their battings are great.

I LOVE ALL OF THE BATTS FROM THE DREAM COMPANY!!! THE DREAM POLY IS...A DREAM TO WORK WITH!!!
and has the same properties as warm & natural.

I'm one of those people who believe you should try them all :thumbup:
when ever you enter a shop and there is a sale on a batt you have never tried before- buy it- try it---
keep a little journal (mine i include a 6" square of the batt)
in my batting journal i include :
a swatch of the batt- the name of it- where i purchased it and for how much...noting if a sale price/coupon...
the properties of the batt (what the packages says the shrinkage rate is-how far apart you have to quilt-laundry/care instructions)
the loft/weight of the batt
fiber content
and then...how i liked it---if it needled nicely-if it was hard to hand stitch-
anything about it i feel i may want to know for next time.

often when i am getting close to finishing a top and thinking about backing- and how i want to quilt it i also thumb through my batting journal and decide what the perfect batt will be for this particular project.
poly batts are great for kids quilts--beach/picnic quilts--quilts that will go through alot of use/washes.

Could you tell us why wool is a triple no for you? I recently splurged on a package of king sized wool batting and don't want to waste it or ruin a quilt. I would appreciate any info from anyone on their experience with wool. I have only heard good things.

On the last baby quilt I used a poly called Soft and Bright made by Warm and Natural. I got it from Joanne's and when I was in there the last time and looked for it I couldn't find it. I had forgotten the name but would have known what the pkg. looked like. Tried to ask the clerk and she didn't seem to know what I was talking about. Next time I go will take the wrapper with me. It was fine to machine quilt, but don't know how it holds up. Don't remember seeing any bearding. It advertises that it has no resins or glues, no pre-wash-no shrinkage, quilt up to 10" apart. It is needle punched.

The gal at wallmart who cuts the fabric gave me a tip that the tater bag batting is cheaper then warm and natural and is the same quilty as warm and natural. It is not as wide but she edge butts the batting and zig zags it together for the size of the quilt.

Ditto..I love Hobbs polydown batting...it's so soft!!!

I used cotton for 1 quilt and wasn't pleased really so went to the 80/20 I liked that a lot better. I use to use the Fairfield poly only but back then thats what was available. I will probaly go back to poly also & just buy the 80/20 when I get a 50% coupon maybe.

Sorry to sound silly, but what is bearding?

Bearding is the annoying behavior of cheap poly batting of releasing individual fibers that penetrate from within the fabric and gives a shabby look to the whole quilt...as if it were growing a beard.

I have found that since I am not much of a hand quilter but aspire to be a better one, the poly is so much easier to needle. No more struggling with cotton batting if I am going to hand quilt. I do prefer the low loft however.

Jane in NC

I have always used warm & natural. Tried poly and did not like it. Have since gone to Hobbs 80/20. Had to get black as I was making a dark brown quilt for my son. I could not find locally so ordered from Connecting Threads. It is warm, not as heavy as warm & natural and easy to quilt wether by hand or machine.

The poly is not as heavy. You might like that.

Was wondering about the bamboo batting? It feels so soft and nice, I am a hand quilter, so I havent used the Warm and Natural at all.

I like bamboo and bought a whole roll when I had the chance to get at 40%off




























5

I love the Dream Green. Used in quilts and wallhanings and it shows off the quilting beautifully :thumbup:

I asked about samples for Quilters Dream and they wouldn't send me any. :( Still waiting for a reply from Hobbs.