Welcome to the QB, Ogle! Your curiosity is a breath of fresh air today in our hot, sticky weather. :)

I know that exposed W&N works very well for both wall quilts and art quilts, though I'm not at all sure it would stand up to the frequent washings of a bed/utility quilt. I'd love to see your experiments!!

It has been used frequently, dyed or painted, as an outer surface by some art quilters. A few examples:
http://judyperez.blogspot.com/2008/1...-with-rit.html
http://paintedthreadsprojects.blogsp...g-batting.html
http://approachable-art.blogspot.com...art-quilt.html

I know I've seen it just plain 'au naturel' as well, but can't seem to find any appropriate examples for you. Sorry.

I think exposed batting is best left to wallhangings and such that aren't going to have much handling or washing. If you like the look of the batting, I suggest that maybe you could use some fleece. Then you wouldn't have to use any batting if you chose to back it at all. Depending on how the appliqué stitching looks on the back, you might not even have to back it!

Besides wear, one must consider the "attraction" issue. IOW exposed batting attracts every stray thread, pet hair, human hair, dust bunny, cob web that is in the environment like a flame attracts a moth. So in addition to doing a wash test for durability, try sprinkling all the stray wispy type items that can be found in any given household over the exposed batting and then running a sticky tape roller over it. The results are not pretty, especially if repeated over time. So unless you (or your intended giftee) are impeccable housekeepers with no pets, I wouldn't even consider it for a wall hanging or art quilt.

I know I've already said it but wow - it's so lovely to have a place to ask questions to experienced quilters. I know part of the learning process is to make mistakes... but there are some I really would rather skip :thumbup:

As a wall quilt, they can easily and successfully be vacuumed (with a knee-high stocking over the nozzle) with little or no damage, especially if the scrim side faces out.

What an interesting concept. I'll be watching this thread. Thank you ghostrider for the interesting links. Goes to show that batting CAN be used outside the quilt. And thank you Ogle for the question.

I'm in agreement with others - for a wall hanging, I could see that working. But for a quilt that will be washed and handled a lot, I would worry that it would disintegrate over time.

Cheers, K

I think that statement means because it is white it will not dull your top if it has white in it ( first part of statement), and perhaps that it will not beard (second part). That is what I understand from that statement, but that is my interpretation of it.

If it's softness and touch that you're thinking of, perhaps you could try cream/ecru flannel on the face/outside of your quilt, leaving the wadding on the inside, for a similar effect with your applique.

Regardless, thinking outside the box as you're doing is a great way to start your quilting efforts!! It's the sign of a creative designer, perhaps one likely to be writing the next "new technique" book some day!!:D

Jan in VA

Olge, don't stop thinking outside the box! Almost anything can be done, you just have to research it like you are doing here. I love the links ghostrider provided.