Help! Which wadding?
04-22-2019, 03:00 AM
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 41
Help! Which wadding?
Hi quilters,
I have come in search of some advice about which wadding (or batting if you are English like me!) to use for a quilt. I have just made a great big patchwork quilt front - 6' by 6' (180x180cm). I have got a lovely organic cotton sheet for the back. I just need something to go in the middle! I have made three smaller quilts in the past, when I was a child and it didn't occur to me to worry about materials, so I just got cheap polyester stuff in the shop down the road, and it seems perfectly OK but this is a serious quilt and I am wondering if I should do better.
There seem to be an awful lot of parameters to consider, so I am getting quite confused! Can anyone help?
1) Snugglyness (weight, warmth, thickness, squashiness and drape)
The quilt is a wedding present for a friend, so I've made it double bed sized. It could just be a flat bedspread I suppose, but it would be much nicer if it could work as a blanket in winter or be cozy to sit under on a sofa as well. So that would mean something medium warm, not too heavy and not too stiff; unless I go down the "just a bedspread" route. I know the puffyness of the quilt will affect how well my quilting pattern stands out, so puffy would be nice from that point of view, but that is a lesser consideration, I think.
2) Durability (structural stability, washability and decay resistance)
This has potential to be a proper "heirloom" quilt; as I've said it would be nice if it could be of use as a blanket and didn't have to be kept flat; and I want to be able to reassure my friend that she can wash it as she is hopelessly clumsy with tea (preferably in a 40 degrees Celsius favourite T-shirt strength wash, since the front and back can cope with that and it's enough to get things properly clean, but 30 degrees wool wash in the machine would be OK - just no messing about with dry cleaners!)
Also, I am intending to space out the quilting as much as possible as I am hand sewing in a hurry. For previous quilts I used wide-spaced pocketing on the back and just a few little hidden pegs of stitches on the front, and I like how it looks; I don't want the front to look quilted and I'd like to do a loosely spaced pattern of hearts on the back that wouldn't work with the squares on the front. So this batting needs to have it's own structural integrity as it won't be seriously sewn down. That seems to work fine for cheap polyester, would it be a problem for cotton? Is it important for the cotton to be sewn into pockets both sides - i.e. for the stitching to go through the front and the back? There seems to be huge variation on the recommended spacing, but at least there are guidelines on the packets!
Wool is out of the question as we have moth issues (as is silk and feathers). Polyester is mildew resistant etc.; I know plastic is meant to last for ever, but I am wondering if polyester loses quality over time, the way my gran's plastic photo albums from the '80s have gone crumbly and the rubber on the dashboard of my mum's old car just sort of melted. "Bamboo" sounds lovely but if it's bamboo viscose it may also potentially degrade? I know they have problems with viscose conservation at the V&A museum!
3) Availability (postage times, sizes, prices, messing about with washing machines)
I am in the UK, a lot of wadding sellers seem to be American and I need to get a move on so three week delivery times would be a major nuisance. The quilt is 6 feet square (so 2meters square would do), which I thought would be a standard size but it looks like most batting is significantly bigger or smaller so I'll probably have to cut something down to size: being available in something not much more than the right size would be a bonus, and if it's too small it's no use.
I am prepared to pre-shrink it but I'd rather not have to. The backing cotton says it will shrink in the first wash too, so if necessary I could quilt it to the back and then shrink them together, but the front is recycled from old clothes and bedclothes so it's been washed already and won't shrink.
I am prepared to pay extra to do this properly this time as it is a work of art, but any improvement on cheap polyester would have to be justifiable!
4) Environment etc. (fairtrade, organic, biodegradable)
I am trying to buy sustainable and fairtrade materials wherever possible. I've not spotted any fair trade wadding out there, and it seems most "organic" claims are unsubstantiated. I am torn between wanting the quilt to last for ever and not wanting to add any more plastic to the environment! The sustainability of bamboo depends a lot on whether it is bamboo wool or bamboo viscose, and they don't seem to specify (feeble US trading standards regulations again, it would seem).
The options:
It seems the options are polyester, cotton, bamboo or a mixture of the above.
There seems to be different ways of making cotton wadding, so that there would be a trade-off between fluffy and light but weak cotton that might not be able to cope with my lack of quilting pockets, and flat and heavy but strong needled cotton that is more like felt - is that correct, or can I have it both ways? Does anyone know any reason why I shouldn't just use polyester, and what to look out for in terms of "quality" - has anyone had experiences of old polyester decaying? How can I find out if bamboo fibre was produced mechanically or chemically, and does anyone know a good eco-friendly wadding supplier?
Sorry for the long-windedness - as you can see, I have got in a right old pickle!
Thanks.
I have come in search of some advice about which wadding (or batting if you are English like me!) to use for a quilt. I have just made a great big patchwork quilt front - 6' by 6' (180x180cm). I have got a lovely organic cotton sheet for the back. I just need something to go in the middle! I have made three smaller quilts in the past, when I was a child and it didn't occur to me to worry about materials, so I just got cheap polyester stuff in the shop down the road, and it seems perfectly OK but this is a serious quilt and I am wondering if I should do better.
There seem to be an awful lot of parameters to consider, so I am getting quite confused! Can anyone help?
1) Snugglyness (weight, warmth, thickness, squashiness and drape)
The quilt is a wedding present for a friend, so I've made it double bed sized. It could just be a flat bedspread I suppose, but it would be much nicer if it could work as a blanket in winter or be cozy to sit under on a sofa as well. So that would mean something medium warm, not too heavy and not too stiff; unless I go down the "just a bedspread" route. I know the puffyness of the quilt will affect how well my quilting pattern stands out, so puffy would be nice from that point of view, but that is a lesser consideration, I think.
2) Durability (structural stability, washability and decay resistance)
This has potential to be a proper "heirloom" quilt; as I've said it would be nice if it could be of use as a blanket and didn't have to be kept flat; and I want to be able to reassure my friend that she can wash it as she is hopelessly clumsy with tea (preferably in a 40 degrees Celsius favourite T-shirt strength wash, since the front and back can cope with that and it's enough to get things properly clean, but 30 degrees wool wash in the machine would be OK - just no messing about with dry cleaners!)
Also, I am intending to space out the quilting as much as possible as I am hand sewing in a hurry. For previous quilts I used wide-spaced pocketing on the back and just a few little hidden pegs of stitches on the front, and I like how it looks; I don't want the front to look quilted and I'd like to do a loosely spaced pattern of hearts on the back that wouldn't work with the squares on the front. So this batting needs to have it's own structural integrity as it won't be seriously sewn down. That seems to work fine for cheap polyester, would it be a problem for cotton? Is it important for the cotton to be sewn into pockets both sides - i.e. for the stitching to go through the front and the back? There seems to be huge variation on the recommended spacing, but at least there are guidelines on the packets!
Wool is out of the question as we have moth issues (as is silk and feathers). Polyester is mildew resistant etc.; I know plastic is meant to last for ever, but I am wondering if polyester loses quality over time, the way my gran's plastic photo albums from the '80s have gone crumbly and the rubber on the dashboard of my mum's old car just sort of melted. "Bamboo" sounds lovely but if it's bamboo viscose it may also potentially degrade? I know they have problems with viscose conservation at the V&A museum!
3) Availability (postage times, sizes, prices, messing about with washing machines)
I am in the UK, a lot of wadding sellers seem to be American and I need to get a move on so three week delivery times would be a major nuisance. The quilt is 6 feet square (so 2meters square would do), which I thought would be a standard size but it looks like most batting is significantly bigger or smaller so I'll probably have to cut something down to size: being available in something not much more than the right size would be a bonus, and if it's too small it's no use.
I am prepared to pre-shrink it but I'd rather not have to. The backing cotton says it will shrink in the first wash too, so if necessary I could quilt it to the back and then shrink them together, but the front is recycled from old clothes and bedclothes so it's been washed already and won't shrink.
I am prepared to pay extra to do this properly this time as it is a work of art, but any improvement on cheap polyester would have to be justifiable!
4) Environment etc. (fairtrade, organic, biodegradable)
I am trying to buy sustainable and fairtrade materials wherever possible. I've not spotted any fair trade wadding out there, and it seems most "organic" claims are unsubstantiated. I am torn between wanting the quilt to last for ever and not wanting to add any more plastic to the environment! The sustainability of bamboo depends a lot on whether it is bamboo wool or bamboo viscose, and they don't seem to specify (feeble US trading standards regulations again, it would seem).
The options:
It seems the options are polyester, cotton, bamboo or a mixture of the above.
There seems to be different ways of making cotton wadding, so that there would be a trade-off between fluffy and light but weak cotton that might not be able to cope with my lack of quilting pockets, and flat and heavy but strong needled cotton that is more like felt - is that correct, or can I have it both ways? Does anyone know any reason why I shouldn't just use polyester, and what to look out for in terms of "quality" - has anyone had experiences of old polyester decaying? How can I find out if bamboo fibre was produced mechanically or chemically, and does anyone know a good eco-friendly wadding supplier?
Sorry for the long-windedness - as you can see, I have got in a right old pickle!
Thanks.
04-22-2019, 03:06 AM
#2
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 41
An update on polyester stability - looks like it's pretty tough (unless of course they use additional glue-type materials in the wadding)! http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/journal...m-environment/
(sorry, I am a scientist so I like to know these things have been tested properly
)
(sorry, I am a scientist so I like to know these things have been tested properly
)
04-22-2019, 04:44 AM
#3
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,400
For the time crunch - perhaps you could take a picture of the progress so far - and present that to the bride and groom - rather than take short-cuts on the making process that you might regret. ???
As to the batting/wadding - I have a quilt that is over 20 years old that I used Mountain Mist polyester batting that was glazed - (no washing of that before using it!!!!!) - we use it as a couch quilt and it has been washed many times. The batting has not bunched - but it was quilted "all the way through" -
As to the batting/wadding - I have a quilt that is over 20 years old that I used Mountain Mist polyester batting that was glazed - (no washing of that before using it!!!!!) - we use it as a couch quilt and it has been washed many times. The batting has not bunched - but it was quilted "all the way through" -
04-22-2019, 05:49 AM
#4
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 10,590
Wool fits all of your criteria. However wool does have very specific washing requirements. If you can get washable wool in the UK, I would go with wool. You also have to watch your distance. Most wool battings I have worked with require minimum quilting distance of 4". You definitely want a bonded wool to reduce the risk of bearding. Also you really have zero control over the durability aspect if the intended recipients don't take proper care of the quilt it won't last no matter how well constructed. Oops just reread your post and you say wool is out of the question. I would go with Poly but it isn't exactly considered sustainable.
It should fit all your other criteria.
It should fit all your other criteria.
Last edited by feline fanatic; 04-22-2019 at 05:53 AM.
04-22-2019, 06:11 AM
#5
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: The Finger Lakes of upstate NY
Posts: 3,446
I don't know what the options are there, but recently bought Warm and Plush, an all cotton batting made by Warm & Co. I haven't actually gotten the quilt back from the LA yet, but asked a question about it a week or two ago and got some great responses. If you do a search of "Warm and Plush" (above right under "advanced search") you'll find lots of reviews that are very positive.
04-22-2019, 06:41 AM
#6
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 8,050
After reading and re-reading your post, I am wondering if you might consider inserting a flannel wholecloth blanket rather than a batting. It sounds like you are not wanting to actually have your stitches go through all three layers of the quilt sandwich....
" Also, I am intending to space out the quilting as much as possible as I am hand sewing in a hurry. For previous quilts I used wide-spaced pocketing on the back and just a few little hidden pegs of stitches on the front, and I like how it looks; I don't want the front to look quilted and I'd like to do a loosely spaced pattern of hearts on the back that wouldn't work with the squares on the front. So this batting needs to have it's own structural integrity as it won't be seriously sewn down. That seems to work fine for cheap polyester, would it be a problem for cotton? Is it important for the cotton to be sewn into pockets both sides - i.e. for the stitching to go through the front and the back? There seems to be huge variation on the recommended spacing, but at least there are guidelines on the packets! "
" Also, I am intending to space out the quilting as much as possible as I am hand sewing in a hurry. For previous quilts I used wide-spaced pocketing on the back and just a few little hidden pegs of stitches on the front, and I like how it looks; I don't want the front to look quilted and I'd like to do a loosely spaced pattern of hearts on the back that wouldn't work with the squares on the front. So this batting needs to have it's own structural integrity as it won't be seriously sewn down. That seems to work fine for cheap polyester, would it be a problem for cotton? Is it important for the cotton to be sewn into pockets both sides - i.e. for the stitching to go through the front and the back? There seems to be huge variation on the recommended spacing, but at least there are guidelines on the packets! "
04-22-2019, 10:07 AM
#7
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Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 41
Thanks for all the answers so far!
RE time - yes, I agree my plan was to see how it goes and give them the front half with a note that I'll need it back to attach the rest of it if the back isn't ready!
RE wool - I've just dug out the baby quilt I inherited from my great uncle from the cupboard, which is indeed very nice, but quite heavy. It appears to be a) made of wool and b) not eaten. However, something seems to have destroyed some of the patches in a strange way (which is why I can see the batting). I think it may be unwashed wool - it's kind of yellow - with the lanolin still protecting it, and I'm not sure that's very good for the cotton! I agree that wool is good, but probably not worth the risk - a housefull of moths would not be a good wedding present.
Re polyester: I've also now investigated the other quilts I made: one is at Gran's house, and I always use it on my bed when I am there, and Gran uses it on her chair. It is very cuddly, and the middle is made of polyester. I found the offcuts in the attic here, and it seems to be lovely soft fluffy polyester, and very different from the strange stiff crackly polyester that the other two quilts I made is stuffed with. Of those, one was in a drawer in the spare room because it was so much stiffer and harder to wash than a blanket, and the other Mum has taken the middle out of because she didn't like it. So now I can see what makes for good polyester! I agree that it can meet the criteria, but only if I get the right sort rather than whatever is to hand.
RE Warm and Plush - I've also heared lots of good reviews about Warm and Natural, and was wondering whether to use that - is it similar?
RE wholecloth blankets - that's an excellent idea, what's the best sort to use? Is it flannel as in towelling, or thinner than that? Is it what we call "waffle" in the UK? Flannel as in brushed cotton seems too thin! Presumably I'd have to find one the right size, or it would unravel if I cut it? Or I could give up on environmentally friendly and use a polyester fleece blanket, which doesn't unravel. I was also wondering if I might do something similar and cheat a bit and get some of that batting that has hideous backing cloth already thoroughly quilted to one side, and then quilt the back through both sides of that and cover the "backing" with the front? Might get a bit too much of a sandwich, though!
RE time - yes, I agree my plan was to see how it goes and give them the front half with a note that I'll need it back to attach the rest of it if the back isn't ready!
RE wool - I've just dug out the baby quilt I inherited from my great uncle from the cupboard, which is indeed very nice, but quite heavy. It appears to be a) made of wool and b) not eaten. However, something seems to have destroyed some of the patches in a strange way (which is why I can see the batting). I think it may be unwashed wool - it's kind of yellow - with the lanolin still protecting it, and I'm not sure that's very good for the cotton! I agree that wool is good, but probably not worth the risk - a housefull of moths would not be a good wedding present.
Re polyester: I've also now investigated the other quilts I made: one is at Gran's house, and I always use it on my bed when I am there, and Gran uses it on her chair. It is very cuddly, and the middle is made of polyester. I found the offcuts in the attic here, and it seems to be lovely soft fluffy polyester, and very different from the strange stiff crackly polyester that the other two quilts I made is stuffed with. Of those, one was in a drawer in the spare room because it was so much stiffer and harder to wash than a blanket, and the other Mum has taken the middle out of because she didn't like it. So now I can see what makes for good polyester! I agree that it can meet the criteria, but only if I get the right sort rather than whatever is to hand.
RE Warm and Plush - I've also heared lots of good reviews about Warm and Natural, and was wondering whether to use that - is it similar?
RE wholecloth blankets - that's an excellent idea, what's the best sort to use? Is it flannel as in towelling, or thinner than that? Is it what we call "waffle" in the UK? Flannel as in brushed cotton seems too thin! Presumably I'd have to find one the right size, or it would unravel if I cut it? Or I could give up on environmentally friendly and use a polyester fleece blanket, which doesn't unravel. I was also wondering if I might do something similar and cheat a bit and get some of that batting that has hideous backing cloth already thoroughly quilted to one side, and then quilt the back through both sides of that and cover the "backing" with the front? Might get a bit too much of a sandwich, though!
Last edited by SophieHatter; 04-22-2019 at 10:26 AM.
04-22-2019, 10:33 AM
#8
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Herefordshire, UK
Posts: 397
I am not sure of your location in the UK, but there are many, many places where you can get batting/wadding here, either online or any local fabric shop. Empress Mills do a wonderful quick delivery service, and I have used them recently. They have a wonderful selection of batting/wadding.
04-22-2019, 10:58 AM
#9
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Join Date: Apr 2019
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Another thought: is it possible to a) quilt invisibly, e.g. by sewing along the stitching between the patches on the front so that I don't make lines across them - my great uncle's quilt seems to be like that but it's been mended so much I can't tell - and b) quilt different patterns onto different sides, so it's attached both sides, e.g. by not pushing the needle all the way through? Is either of those a thing?
04-22-2019, 11:14 AM
#10
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Originally Posted by SophieHatter
Another thought: is it possible to a) quilt invisibly, e.g. by sewing along the stitching between the patches on the front so that I don't make lines across them - my great uncle's quilt seems to be like that but it's been mended so much I can't tell - and b) quilt different patterns onto different sides, so it's attached both sides, e.g. by not pushing the needle all the way through? Is either of those a thing?
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