What was I (Not) Thinking!!!
 

Hi, Quilters,

I have two lots of batting and the two original bags that they came in. My only problem is that neither one was in a bag; both of them were sitting loose in my cupboard. Now I can't tell them apart. One is Quilter's Dream Wool, king size and the other is Hobbs Poly-Down, also king size. Does anyone know of a way of identifying which is which? Perhaps there is a burn test or something. I really want to use the wool batting in the quilt I am making but I need to know which it is. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

This is just a guess—- I am thinking wool would burn (like cotton) and the poly would melt. Hopefully you will get some good tips from others. Good luck.

Exactly what Jeanne said. Clip a tiny bit from a corner, use tongs or long tweezers, work over the sink. the poly will melt pretty quick.

I think a burn test might help - poly usually frequently burns with black smoke and leave a hard or crispy ash/residue.

The residue also stays hot longer than ash from cotton or wool.

When I do a burn test, I light a candle, then cut a very small sample (about 1/8 x 1 inch) of the fabric, hold it with a tweezers, and light it on fire (have a fire/heat resistant ash tray handy - I also have a glass of water on standby).

If it contains a man-made fiber such as nylon, dacron, or polyester, it usually burns with black smoke and leaves the hard/crispy residue.

I can't tell rayon from cotton - there probably is a test for that, but I don't know what it is.

Wool usually smells like burnt feathers.

I recommend doing these tests outside. I've stunk up the house when I did them inside.

I think I have my answer, thanks to you ladies. I did the burn test and my first sample just sort of disappeared but when I tried my second sample, it actually burned with a flame so I am assuming the second sample is the wool. Thank you so much for your help. This truly is a wonderful forum made up of wonderful quilters.

This might be helpful:

https://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/Burn-Test-Chart.html

Ok, thats a little confusing. Wool will leave an ash that will disappear when you rub it between your fingers and smell like burning hair or feathers when you are burning it. The other one probably dripped a blob of searing hot liquid lava on you. I've done tons of burn tests on yarn, and those darned acrylics and polys are always trying to maim me.

Oh yeah. Once you get it figured out, write the name on a piece of paper and stuff it into the center hole. In case the impossible happens, and you get them mixed up again, lol.

Suggest that you cut a small piece of each type of batting. Press each one with a hot iron. The poly will start to melt. To protect your iron, put a piece of aluminum foil between the ironing plate and the batting.

Or, if you are close enough to a store that sells the battings you bought, take a sample of one of them to the store and compare it to what is in the store.

I think Jeanne is right-the poly would melt and then process of elimination then the wool would be the other batting. Good luck. I have done the same thing and I was quite frustrated with myself but I put an iron to one and it melted just with me putting the iron on it for a short time. Assuming that was the poly one.