I have always been a "Warm and Natural" kind of gal! Batting, I mean! I was at a fabric shop the other day and discovered Bamboo and also cotton and polyester. The price difference on the cotton/polyester is like night and day and understanding the width is only 45, I am wondering, is it a good thing for quilts? Why is it less expensive (other than my thought of the fact that it isn't 100% cotton). Is it used for quilting or other crafty stuff and shouldn't be used for quilting. Is it strong? Is it weak? What is the difference between the two. Explain the bamboo!

I am one of these "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I have never used anything else other than W&N since I started quilting over ten years ago. But, you can always teach an old dog new tricks.

Thanks so much!

Edie

Different quilters prefer different battings. Also, different uses call for different battings.

I make mostly quilts to be used; I stopped using Warm n Natural when I realized its drape is stiffer than other cotton batts. It would be my first choice for a wallhanging, though, because of its stability.

I like the look and longevity of antique quilts with cotton batting, so I use the very traditional Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon 100% cotton batting in almost all of my quilts now. The most I will go on the polyester side is Hobbs 80/20 (80% cotton/20% polyester) and only in that brand. In my experience, polyester is more prone to bearding and turning into little balls with heavy use, although this probably depends a lot on the specific brand of batting. One bad experience was enough to turn me off on polyester.

I am not tempted to use bamboo because I have read that the chemicals used to process the bamboo are very toxic, even though bamboo is touted as being an environmentally friendly and renewable resource.

I used the bamboo batting on a baby quilt once. It was very easy to quilt through but since it was a shower gift for my sister's friend, I have no idea how it's holding up.

I only use Warm and Natural for all my projects because I prefer natural fibers.

Here are some other threads that talk about bamboo.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-6441-1.htm
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-21734-1.htm
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-22303-1.htm
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-33882-1.htm this one talks about the toxic chemicals
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-35980-1.htm

I got all those links by doing a search for "bamboo". There are more threads than this.

Someone the other day was having issues with bearding on a quilt. Others who posted on that thread seemed to think that a cotton/poly blend was more prone to bearding. I personally don't know. I bought some of the bamboo the other day, but I haven't used it yet. After reading about the chemical issue, maybe I won't. It's for a baby quilt, and I don't want anything not safe for a baby. I may save it and use it for table toppers or something like that.

I don't think there are toxic chemicals in the bamboo batting. The toxic chemicals are used in the early stages of processing the bamboo. It is the workers who are exposed to those chemicals.

I am getting back into quilting after a "break" of about 20 years! My question: how is the cotton batting for hand quilting? Years ago it was considered to be okay for machine quilting but too difficult to hand quilt with. Any opinions?

I use Warm and Natural or Warm and White because I like how it feels. Maybe my drape is not an issue because so far it's only quilted SID. Unless the message comes across that a new batting is better than sliced bread, I won't be tempted to venture away from what I have. Sorry - not much help on the Bamboo question or the hand quilting.

When I am making my Trapunto quilts I like to use cotton/poly for the trapunto area. After I cut the excess away and make my sandwich, I use warm and natural for the all over quilting.

I have used both. I like warm and natural best but the quilts I have made with poly are holding up just fine. One was for my DGD and is washed often.

i LOVE quilting with dream poly...it has a wonderful drape, is strong, does not pull apart easily. the bamboo's are a little contraversial, some people say they are ecologically more friendly, some people claim the opposite, to work with them though...they are nice, and the quilt i used a bamboo batt in was for a child and has held up well so far with lots of wear & tear and washings. there is also
green batt...made from recycled plastic bottles...supposed to be the same material as micro-fleece...which is very warm...easy to quilt also (only downfall i know of is...its green) but by all means my new (i also used w&n for years) is wool batting...OMG!!! it is wonderful to work with, lofty, needles beautifully...only downfall...price. it is a bit of the high end...but for kids quilts, any quilts i expect to be used and washed alot...the poly's are the way to go, they are less expensive, hold up well. but as with everything not all are created equal. the poly's do not 'breath' like a natural fiber, like cotton or wool, i don't know about the bamboo...the jury is still out on that one...

I took a long arm class at Paducah and the instructor said that if you are making a quilt for "show" to use the cheapest poly batting! I was shocked, but she said it has no memory and will hang straight right out of the package, meanwhile the quilts with cotton batting have folds down the middle. Judges do NOT like fold marks, or so it seems. Just thought I would pass that little tidbit on where ever I can.

It's not just a matter of the fiber content of the batting; how the batt is prepared plays a role in whether it is suitable for hand quilting or not.

I definitely advise against using my favorite Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon 100% cotton batting for hand quilting! I hand quilted the first quilt I made with this batting, not knowing any better. Years ago this was all that was available; nowadays there are better options.

I no longer hand quilt, but the cotton batting that seems to get rave reviews from hand quilters is Dream Request. Like MMBR it is 100% cotton, but unlike MMBR it is needle-punched. This results in a soft, even, smooth batt that is easy to needle.

Many hand quilters also like thin polyester battings.

Before committing an entire hand quilting effort to a specific batting, I recommend buying small quantities of several and hand quilting some samples. Even as a complete novice, I think I would have noticed the difference if I had done that years ago.

I used the Hobbs 80/20 and I never had any problems with bearding. I love to hand quilt it and the drape is very soft. I also used 100% cotton several times and the brands I used quilted a little bit harder than the 80/20 - but I love the antique look after washing. I agree with Pam - fold marks come out easier with polyester, but I still prefer the cotton or cotton blends. For me Warm & Natural and Mountain Mist is not available here in Germany - but if I find it one day of course will give it try.

I use the Hobbs 80/20 for hand and machine if I want that old fashioned look and used to use W&N for machine if I wanted a wadding that wouldn't shrink, but I agree that it can be a bit stiff. I now use Quilters Dream Blend for machine work - its a 70/30 blend, lovely and soft even close quilted although you can leave up to 12" if you like, and it's very stable.

I like the Warm & Natural too. I was given a queen size Quilter's Dream and used it for a gift. I liked it too. I'd like to try the Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon cotton, but can't get it locally, so I'll have to start looking online.

Be sure whatever you use that you watch for how close to quilt it. I see in my search the Mountain Mist is every 2", and I think the Warm & Natural is every 8". It might make a difference which you choose based on how you like to quilt.

i loved w7n until i made a queen size & the weight catually hurt myfeet so don't use it.anyone else have this problem?

Yes, Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon is very traditional cotton batting so needs the close quilting. I have bought it on from JoAnn Fabrics online for a very reasonble price when it was on sale!

It's so subjective.

For bed quilts, I love Quilters Dream wool. it is lofty and yet lightweight, and I have arthritis and hate a heavy quilt on me. For kids or modern types who will throw it in the washer and dryer with the sheets, I like to use Hobbs 80/20. it takes a lot of laundering and looks great. I love Quilters Dream cotton select too. It is wonderful to work with on the longarm in Deluxe or Select weights, and I love hand quilting it in request weight.

I only use Warm & Natural. I am very , very happy with how it holds up to washing, and how it drapes. I don't find it stiff at all. I have never used polyester, because of the bearding issue, and also because I feel it is too stiff and too puffy.

I have seen the breakdown of costs on the bamboo batting. Some people say it's the Green Alternative...that's not really true. The chemicals used on it are toxic, the processing part negates any green advantages resulting from the fast growing bamboo. It's all a marketing ploy!!! Don't fall for it!!

I just received an e-mail from Fabric Depot with the warm and natural on sale for 50% off.

I am a Quilters Dream batting fan. Cotton for bed and lap quilts, Poly for baby and childrens quilts which withstand numerous washings.

years ago i made a queen quilt for my bed in a star log cabin pattern.it was my pride & joy !!!!........until i tried to sleep under it ! it was so heay it hurt my feet,so now it's folded up & i take it off the bed at night. anyone have that problem ,too? i was SO disappointed.icould have saved all that time AND money & just made a throw ! does w&n come in diff.weights?

what batting did you use?

w&n

Just as long as you are aware that poly batting is far more dangerous in a fire. When it burns, it melts and sticks to skin, staying hot. Cotton burns quickly, turns to ash and falls away. Just something to consider, especially for children's quilts.

Do you all soak the batting before using it as the package suggests? I looked at it for the first time at Joann's this past weekend and didn't buy it because I didn't want to have to soak and towel dry it before using it.

Which batting?

I have heard of soaking Warm n Natural to soften it for hand quilting, and have heard of soaking Fairfield cotton to remove sizing that makes hand quilting more difficult.

I don't think it's ever necessary to soak a batting that will be machine quilted unless you *really* do not any *any* shrinkage in a cotton batting. Most cotton battings have only minimal shrinking anyway. Poly batts don't shrink at all.

I would be hand quilting, so I guess I would want to soften it?

[/quote]
I would be hand quilting, so I guess I would want to soften it?[/quote]

I would buy a batting that is good for hand quilting without being soaked. Hobbs 80/20 and Quilter's Dream Request weight are two of the most highly recommended batts for hand quilting. I personally would not want to hand quilt Warm n Natural, even if it was soaked, because the scrim makes it more difficult to hand needle.

Thankyou for this info!
K

Thankyou for this info!
K

I have to add...
All of this is of great help to me. I have used mostly poly batting in my quilts. I used what was cheap when I started out on this adventure.
I hesitate now to find another batting...I machine quilt with a domestic machine (no long arm) and my quilts aren't any larger than a queen.
If I wash my fabric how will the batting (warm and Natural, etc) affect my quilt with shrinkage and such???
Will it make it all wrinkly? Should I wash the batting first as well? How do I do that????
Any advice would be appreciated.
Kirsten

I don't know anything about how toxic the processing of bamboo is, but I do know, from living in cotton growing country, that the defoliants that are sprayed on it before harvest are horrible, so if that is the reason you wouldn't use bamboo, you might want to rethink using cotton also. We also know that the making of polyester is a toxic process. I don't know what the conscientious consumer should do. Hobbs does make an organic cotton batting, I assume that means it is grown and processed safely. We probably need to check with the companies to see just how toxic the processing, etc.. really is.

I like my batting to shrink a little. This is what makes antique quilts look "antique" -- sort of soft and gentle.

I don't prewash fabrics, so the fabrics and batting shrink together. The effect will be much the same even if you prewash fabrics; there is so little shrinkage that any difference between the batting and the fabric won't matter.

I personally wouldn't try to preshrink a batting. Most shrinkage occurs in the dryer, and most battings cannot withstand being tumbled in a dryer by itself while wet. (Maybe WnN can because it's needlepunched through scrim; not sure about that one.) The reason to presoak a batting is usually to make it easier to hand quilt. Presoaking WnN makes it softer for hand quilting; presoaking some of the cotton battings that have resin binders removes the resins that can make needles stick.

If you are unsure about any batting, you can test it yourself. Quilt a piece and then wash it to see what the result is. You can try prewashing and drying the batting. I just wouldn't recommend putting a non-needlepunched batting in the dryer ,as it will probably disintegrate and create a mess in your dryer.

In your situation, I would recommend using Hobbs 80/20 batting. It will look and feel very similar to the poly battings you are used to, and it does not need any pre-soaking. It is good for both machine quilting and hand quilting, and shrinks very little.