Cotton/Poly Batting: Good or Bad?
 

At my most local quilt shop I can get cotton/poly batting off the roll quite inexpensively. It's thin enough to squish under my small sewing machine harp and it doesn't seem to shift in the least. I was told it wouldn't shrink but another quilt shop a little farther away says their version of cotton/poly will shrink a little bit. Then I am at a bigger quilt shop in another town, and while I believe they have battings packaged in bags, I find that they also have a cotton/poly on the roll.

Is this stuff a good choice? And why or why not, please?

~ Carla ~

I'm sure it depends on the amount of cotton and even that will probably vary by brand. See if you can find out the brand and look it up online. The Hobb's 80/20 notes 3-5% shrinkage. I do believe I've seen other brands that were 70/30 cotton to poly or 50/50. The more cotton in the content, the more shrinkage probably.

That said I LOVE the Hobb's 80/20. I used to only use Warm n Natural, but now I usually use the Hobb's. It handles similar, but drapes better. I find it more comfortable to snuggle up under. The Warm n Natural has a little stiffer feel to it.

I too love Hobb's 80/20

I like the Hobb's 80/20 as well and I prewash it to shrink it before quilting.

So 80/20 will shrink some? Oh well. LOL. I just used it in a baby quilt, but I haven't given the quilt away yet. Maybe I should wash before giving it. (musing...) And if I do give it a rinse, should it then go into the dryer or hang to dry?

~ Carla ~

Anything with a little cotton in it will shrink a bit - but a good cotton/poly mix is my favorite for batting. When "they" say shrink...it's not so much like when you buy a cotton tshirt and it shrinks two sizes smaller. LOL If you've ever seen pretty quilts that have been washed and dried a dozen times and how they are crinkly and antique looking...that is what cotton does. It also has a distinct drape...and cotton poly has it's own distinct drape, a nice benefit from the cotton in it. I think batting is completely personal preference, but I really haven't found one I would turn my nose up at! :)

I used Hobb's 80/20 recently in a baby quilt and it did shrink up a bit, but I deliberately washed it in HOT water & dried on hot as well and I expected it to draw up a bit.

I try to make my baby quilts as bulletproof as possible and the hot wash/dry is the final test; I like to be able to tell the parents that it's safe to wash it in hot water occasionally if the little one has an accident on it.

I was taught to buy the best quality of batting you can afford (Harriett Hargrave) and I believe that it is cotton batting. I am not a purist but I have used Hobbs 80/20 since they first made it. I have never been disappointed with the quality of the batting. I prefer it over W&N because it has a small amount of puffiness that makes machine quilting displays stitching so much better.

I am pretty sure what I used in my baby quilt is not Hobb's, but a more generic 80/20. Still, I'll give it a run through the washer and dryer before gifting it. I had thought of it anyway because if it changes in the way it looks much, the mother might be disappointed.

I was in a class yesterday where the instructor told us not to use bamboo batting. She said it is full of chemicals, and shrinks a bit every time it is washed. I was glad to learn that before I invested in some! The chemical issue (she said the Chinese? hadn't figured out the right chemicals and amounts to use) will keep me from buying sheets made of it, too.