After reading much discussion about Warm and Natural batting here, I was thrilled when our local Hancocks offered it at 50% off over the MLK holiday weekend. I went in and bought some to try, and I'm really shocked at how thin it is-- like a piece of felt! Is that really thick enough to make a warm quilt?

Also, I read that it will shrink from 2-3 percent. What does that do to your finished quilt? Would that work better with fabrics that you did not prewash, so they can all shrink along together?

Please help this cotton newbie understand this. So many people seem to love this batting!

It may be thinner but it is warm. If you like a crinkly look, don't prewash your batting or fabric, and it is okay to prewash your fabric and not the batting too :D:D:D

It is very warm. And it works with either pre-washed or unwashed fabrics. If you feel very very strongly about no shrinking warping your quilt design, you can even prewash your warm and natural batt. I've done that in the past, with no problems.

I now like the slightly crinkled look you get after washing, so I don't prewash anything unless I have reason to believe it is likely to run (reds and purples).

If you are accustomed to the higher loft poly batts, warm and natural may seem very light to you, and the finished look is going to be quite different. I'd suggest sewing something small (runner, placemats, small bag) with it to get a feel for how it will look quilted.

RST

Thanks, ya'll. More opinions welcome, too...

I use the 80/20 batting because I don't want any shrinkage. I have read of several people here using 2 layers of W & N for extra warmth.

I have used W&N for all but one of my quilts. I pre-wash my fabrics but usually do not pre-wash the batting. I did pre-wash it once when I wanted the quilt to be flat.

I love working with Warm and Natural. I prefer the flatter quilting over the puffy look anyway. And yes, they are warm. The one on my bed is a W&N quilt!
I did succumb to frugality once and bought a different brand, and will never touch it again! Every time I touched that batting it left finger marks in it, it was so thin and loosely put together.

I use it and find it warm and cuddely without being too bulky. It handles well in the machine and can be hand-quilted.

It allows for greater distance in quilting lines but I always quilt more than the bare minimum.

Some of my quilts start with prewashed fabric - some with unwashed fabric. I cannot really tell the difference once the quilt is washed. However, I love the look of the quilt after it is washed and a little puckered.

Only experience will tell you if YOU like it or not.

I use two layers in most of my quilts. I found a LA who does great job basting my quilts for me and I really like the two layer thickness.

Sometimes I'd like a puffier look (as for a tied quilt), I used a medium loft - Dream Orient, but would like even a fuller look.

What other good hi-lofts are there? And are they all Poly's?

Has anyone used a pre-quilted backing?

Me too!!! I have warm and natural in almost all my quilts at home and it is nice and warm. I have some that are backed with flannel and they are so warm and cozy. :)

i have always used poly batting, but i was thinking of trying the cotton, so i am also curious as to the replies you will get. As far as the poly goes, i have handquilted and machine quilted quite a few without problems and they are warm and wash beautifully. I think the reason i shyed away from cotton was because i was told you have to quilt 1"apart. That's a lot of quilting! Dont know if this is true, but it scared me off :(

It is very warm. It does shrink when washed but nothing outrageous that would distort the design of the quilt. It gives that antique look to the quilt.

I have made quilts with Warm and Natural and some with Poly. Everyone in my house prefers the Warm and Natural for warmth and the feel of the quilt.

If you want a batting that is slightly puffier than W&N, you might try Hobbs 80/20. It has the best of both cotton and poly. Also wool is more puffy but still light and very warm.

i have bought warm and natural from the warm company, from local quiltshops, from on line shops and yes recently from Joannes...i have to say...the (stuff) i got from Joannes is NOTHING like what i get from the quiltshops or the company. it is 1/2 the thickness of what i usually get...and it has some weird smell to it...i hated working with it. so, although i will continue to purchase warm and natural i will not buy what joannes offers ... it seems horribly sub-standard to me.
start with a small quilt (a baby quilt) make it, sandwich it, quilt it and bind it...throw it into the washer, -warm, normal cycle; toss it into the dryer...normal setting, take it out, hug it and see what you think...if you dont' like the soft-fluffiness of it and would prefer a -flatter' look you can pre-wash in the future or buy a batting with less shrinkage. the shrinkage is not actually (set in stone either) it depends on the amount of quilting how much shrinkage you will actually have

I PRESOAK my batting in the washer. No aggitation but spin dry and then toss into the drier.

Was it in the Warm and Natural brand box, just different? I wonder if that's what Hancock's sells. It's regularly $11.99 a yard and they had it on sale for $5.99. I bought about 6 yards. I hope they don't make a cheaper version for the big box stores... No weird smell, tho.
Can't wait to try it out. I'm nearly done with a baby quilt and will use it for that.

I bought 10 yards of it and so did my friend. I use it also for hot pads.

My local Hancock's ran out, in fact. my friend and I took the last roll of what they had. We split it between the two of us, and last night I went back and got a raincheck for more. I figured I need pretty close to 16 yards for projects I am working on. Each of my kids and my son-in-law and granddaughter are getting quilts for birthdays this year.

Julie,

do you have a frontload or a top load washer. I have a front load washer and I wondered how to presoak it with that. Also, what part of New Mexico are you in? My friend lives in Luna.

Have a top loading washer. Just fill will water and push and push and push the batting down...has a tendency to float. I soak it for about an hour...suggestion from someone here on the forum.

I live in Rio Rancho...just up the hill from Albuquerque.