Cotton/Poly Batting: Good or Bad?
10-04-2014, 11:01 AM
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,510
I use all different kinds of batting depending on how thin or heavy and how soft I want the quilt. I wash every quilt after it's finished without detergent in warm water with a color catcher. My favorite batting is Warm and White or Natural because I like the crinkly look it gets from shrinking. A few times I've even put in 2 layers of batting to make the quilt extra thick and warm. So experiment with different battings to see how they look.
10-04-2014, 02:11 PM
#32
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Odessa, Washington
Posts: 1,872
Funny how asking a question about batting will get you a zillion different answers! Personally, I hate Hobbs 80/20 and I have 4 frimping rolls of it! I will use it up and never buy it again. I find that when I straighten it on my longarm, it had a tendency to tear, it beards on the back of my quilts (with a new needle) and I hate the feel of it. I love any batting from Dream Batting and have never had a problem with any of it. For babies and the elderly, I like the fact the Dream Angel is fire retardant, since both would have a problem getting out from under a burning quilt.
10-04-2014, 05:58 PM
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 983
On my Hobbs 80/20 it says up to 3 1/2" apart, it's the one that came in a bag & not sure if it has the scrim or not.
10-04-2014, 06:27 PM
#35
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
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.
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.
10-04-2014, 06:47 PM
#36
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
I like W&N 100% cotton batting. The only thing I'd use besides that for a bed quilt would be washable wool.
In my experience, the shrinkage issue can be reduced in 2 ways:
1) Make sure to only wash in cold water & only dry on No/Low heat or lay flat to dry.
2) Quilt farther apart (check your batting about how closely together it needs to be quilted)
I also pre-soak my batting to help shrink it a little bit before I quilt with it. I do use poly batting for home decor items & wouldn't have an issue making a wall quilt with it unless I had put a lot of work into piecing/applique. I've always been told that any time you start mixing and matching materials (cotton fabric with poly batting, for example), it makes it slightly less durable. I believe that to be true, but sometimes you just really want to get something done without spending every last penny you have on materials. I made a table runner about a decade ago with poly batting & a poly-cotton thread. Recently, I started having some issue with it when I pulled it out of the dryer, but I guess for what I spent making it, 10 years is a pretty good run. And I think I can probably re-quilt/re-bind the problem areas & get some more life out of it.
In my experience, the shrinkage issue can be reduced in 2 ways:
1) Make sure to only wash in cold water & only dry on No/Low heat or lay flat to dry.
2) Quilt farther apart (check your batting about how closely together it needs to be quilted)
I also pre-soak my batting to help shrink it a little bit before I quilt with it. I do use poly batting for home decor items & wouldn't have an issue making a wall quilt with it unless I had put a lot of work into piecing/applique. I've always been told that any time you start mixing and matching materials (cotton fabric with poly batting, for example), it makes it slightly less durable. I believe that to be true, but sometimes you just really want to get something done without spending every last penny you have on materials. I made a table runner about a decade ago with poly batting & a poly-cotton thread. Recently, I started having some issue with it when I pulled it out of the dryer, but I guess for what I spent making it, 10 years is a pretty good run. And I think I can probably re-quilt/re-bind the problem areas & get some more life out of it.
10-04-2014, 07:09 PM
#37
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,500
http://www.americanquiltbatting.com/product-p/3b.htm
Another quilter who was there said she loved it and that it got softer and a bit fluffier every time it was washed.
Maybe your instructor used the bamboo batting I used 4 years ago. I wasn't happy with it. Anyway, it might be worth checking into.
Dina
10-05-2014, 04:37 AM
#39
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 177
Do any of you use two layers of batting? I recently spoke to a longarm quilter who said she uses a 80/20 Hobbs and another but I can't remember what the other one was, maybe a poly? She was happy with the way her quilts turned out. I need to order some batting so maybe I will try an 80/20 but I am not sure what to pair it with. Any suggestions?
10-05-2014, 05:24 AM
#40
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,334
I've read through all the comments and am surprised that only one person mentioned bearding. I hate those little white fibers coming through my tops or backs. It reminds me of the beads of fiber you get on sweaters once you've used them for awhile. Poly seems to beard more so I've liked using 100% cotton in the past. More recently though, I've tried the Dream products and like them very much. They have a softer feel than W&N, and work up nicely. I think it was the 80-20 product that I used on a recent quilt. I'll be using that again.
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