Tuffs of batting
 

I am using Warm and White between cotton top and cotton backing. I'm doing a single echo around appliques. In a lot of places I'm getting small tuffs of batting mostly on the back. Can anyone tell me why this is happening? or is it normal and will come off in the first washing?

Sounds like you've got a bur on your needle and it's catching the batting and pulling it thru. Or could be a dull needle.

What Joyce said, my first thought was you need a new needle.

thanks so much for the quick responses. I will put in a new needle.

It's also possible that your batting is upside down. W&N should be needle-punch up.

I've found that using mediocre quality fabric will also lead to this.

The majority of these tufts will disappear after use/washing.

You may be experiencing bearding, where the batting migrates through the top and/or bottom layer of the quilt. Fabric with a low thread count and/or fabric that contains polyester can contribute to bearding. Washing should help, but may not eliminate the problem entirely.

It sounds like you have the batting upside down. The easiest way for me to remember how to load batting is BUMPY SIDE UP. I have found warm and natural products notorious to bearding if loaded wrong.

I agree. I put Warm and Natural with the wrong side up on a king size quilt that I quilted on my DSM. Believe me, I learned my lesson! I will always check that I have the correct side of the batting up.

This is a useful image for me!

WELL I learned something new today. I never knew that batting had a wrong and right side. However I do not usually use Warm and Natural batting. I prefer Quilters Dream.