SandyQuilter

I am working with one of the three major batt manufacturers. I requested a thicker batt that would provide more loft after quilting. I just got a roll of the new "stuff" yesterday--all 90" wide by 38 yards of it for trial.

My reasoning is this: Years ago Mountain Mist manufactured a polyester batt that had a glazene finish on it. It was light- weight, didn't shift, beard and could be quilted 6-8" apart. Lovely stuff. I have a throw-size quilt made in 1976 and it still looks good. When their 1850s machines reached the point they couldn't be repaired, Mt. Mist got new ones that could not produce the same batt. Hence my years of searching for a replacement.

The new 100% bamboo is a dream to work with, soft, needle glides through and I just love it. It's called Simply Bamboo. This company also produces a cotton/bamboo blend, 100% cotton, 100% polyester, etc. The roll I got as a sample is 75% bamboo, 25% cotton.

Here's my question: how many of you quilters would like to work with a slightly thicker batt to get more loft? I can hardly wait to try trapunto. It will still work both on long arms and for hand quilting. There is more weight per yard and would retail for a slightly higher price as there is more product in it.
Let me know--you can influence a new batt product on the market.
SandyQuilter

Tartan

​I think Charisma uses Hobbs Polydown batt for more loft. I have not tried it but her quilting always looks beautiful.

Prism99

I refuse to buy bamboo batting because of the way it needs to be processed, adding toxic chemicals to the environment and workers' bodies.

I love Hobbs Polydown batting and would use that for trapunto work (if I ever get around to doing any!). I am thinking of switching to Hobbs Polydown for most of my quilting. The only thing holding me back is that I find the loft a little more difficult to quilt on my midarm frame setup; however, I think that will improve with practice.

Edit: I have read that it is possible to produce bamboo batting mechanically, without the use of chemicals, but that this is not how it is usually made. (Probably because of cost. Most bamboo batting is manufactured in China, which does not have the laws we have against the use of caustic chemicals in manufacture.) How is the Simply Bamboo batting manufactured?

Honestly, I don't understand why they didn't simply reproduce a version of the old Mountain Mist polyester batting with glazing.

DogHouseMom

I have used a bamboo/cotton blend batting but it was made by Pellon. I liked the way it quilted. I have since discovered more about bamboo though (see Prism's post above) and will not buy it again. I liked it, but not so much to outweigh environmental factors and ... I discovered Wool.

Wool is now my preferred batting.

It's wonderful though that Mt. Mist was willing to work with you!! Well done!!

feline fanatic

When I want more loft and quilting definition I will often layer up two different battings. My favorite combo for doing this is Hobbs 80/20 on the bottom and Hobbs Polydown on the top. It gives wonderful definition but the quilting requirements are 4" apart minimum for those batts. This is not an issue for me usually as I am a fairly dense quiltier anyway. Wool also offers definition and loft.

I have used Mountain Mist Fatt Batt in the past for tied quilts. that is a very high loft poly. I haven't used it in a long time though. It appears to still be available in precut sizes. I would not buy a whole roll of a fatt batt. I will double bat for the high loft trapunto look or do traditional trapunto.

Daylesewblessed

SandyQuilter, what is the shrinkage rate on the 75/25 product sample that you got?

BellaBoo

I won't use bamboo. The process to make offsets any reason for using it in the first place. Sharon Shamber has a new product that adds loft to quilting, looks like trapunto without the work. You can use any batting you want.

The like Mountain Mist battings and have used a lot of it.

Jingle

I have wondered whatever happened to Mountain Mist. That was the only batting I used years ago. I think it was all that was available at that time, in my area. I didn't know much about quilting back then.
Now my fav is high loft poly batting, mostly what I use. I do a large stipple/FMQ on a 9" machine. I have no problems with it, warmth without the weight.

petthefabric

I love the feel and drape of bamboo. And would love to use a thicker batt.
Was not aware of the caustic process in the manufacturing. So now I'm very cautious.
If Mt. Mist would manufacture it without the caustic process, and from the responses above, I think that would be a selling point.
There are several brands of bamboo batting. Have you checked with all of them to discern their manufacturing process?

Annaquilts

I am interested and am looking into Hobbs Poly down also. I am not that interested in bamboo.