Warm and Natural Batting Question
#31
A friend who is a long arm quilter loves Warm and Natural batting because she says it's very stable and behaves well when it is being quilted. My conclusion regarding her statement is that it must be a pretty stiff, firm, inflexible batting if she's in love with long arming it. I avoid it for that reason. I don't know about the shrinkage factor of Warm and Natural, but there are some cotton battings you can pre-shrink, like Hobbs 100 percent cotton. Just follow the directions on the package.
#33
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
I wasn't aware of the poly scrim. Seems like they shouldn't be able to advertise it as 100% cotton with something like that in it. I'm looking to see if there are any other options, but I suppose it would either need to have a scrim or glue to get the cotton to lie flat & form a good bat. I don't know. What did they use to do in the "olden days" before all these chemicals & synthetic fibers came into existence?
One thing about 100% cotton batting is that it becomes softer and softer with each washing. This applies to Warm and Natural as well as MM Blue Ribbon. However, Warm and Natural is made in a completely different way. It is needlepunched through scrim. This gives it tremendous stability and allows quilting lines to be up to 10" apart. When I have compared quilts I have longarmed, I have found the ones made with Warm and Natural to have the stiffest drape; Hobbs 80/20 is next; Hobbs PolyDown and Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon have both given me the softest drapes.
One advantage of polyester batting such as Hobbs PolyDown is that it dries a ***lot*** faster than cotton. Some charities that send toddler quilts abroad request poly batting for this reason, as the recipients need the quilts to dry quickly when hung out on a line.
#34
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,660
I bought W&N batting on the roll - I have soaked lengths of it in HOT water in the washer (with no agitation) until the water cools to tepid and then washed it on a gentle cycle with a very little amount of detergent on gentle for only a couple of minutes. (My washed is older - and I can "fake it out" when I pay attention to what I am doing). Then I let the washer spin it out and dry it in the dryer. I think the setting was "until dry."
It survived nicely.
I have turned some - what looked like battings - to shreds by trying to wash them, too. So now I DO read the instructions that come with the batting.
I actively dislike "the puckered look" - and even with all the precautions I take - there is still a bit of puffiness in a washed quilt.
In my experience, fabrics do NOT shrink evenly. I have measured hundreds of pieces before and after washing - so I do know what I'm talking about on that statement.
It survived nicely.
I have turned some - what looked like battings - to shreds by trying to wash them, too. So now I DO read the instructions that come with the batting.
I actively dislike "the puckered look" - and even with all the precautions I take - there is still a bit of puffiness in a washed quilt.
In my experience, fabrics do NOT shrink evenly. I have measured hundreds of pieces before and after washing - so I do know what I'm talking about on that statement.
Last edited by bearisgray; 10-13-2014 at 07:01 PM.
#35
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 4,688
Bearisgray - I do so agree with you. I don't care for the puckered look -- especially for table runners -- and do shrink my W&N washing it in hot water and drying in a hot dryer (just got a new steam dryer and I wonder if I use that option could I avoid the washing step --- hmmmm). I use a lot of W&N, but also Hobbs 80/20.
I also agree about the randomness of fabric shrinking. I have washed fabrics from the same line and some shrank and some did not. When I started quilting again in 2000 or so, I did not wash any of the modern fabrics, figuring that the companies had solved the problem of shrinkage and after making a few quilts that shrank really funny I started pre-washing. One reason I don't like precuts is that they don't lend themselves to pre-washing.
I also agree about the randomness of fabric shrinking. I have washed fabrics from the same line and some shrank and some did not. When I started quilting again in 2000 or so, I did not wash any of the modern fabrics, figuring that the companies had solved the problem of shrinkage and after making a few quilts that shrank really funny I started pre-washing. One reason I don't like precuts is that they don't lend themselves to pre-washing.
#36
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 167
I wish I had the funds to make small, near identical quilts to do independent testing on each brand/type of batting to see which I truly preferred.I would have friends rate their preferences. Last I would send to family to see what they liked. Nothing scientific, just a curiosity thing. I would then share with the board. I would do this in my dream world.
I have only used Warm and Natural. No complaints. Just never 100% pleased with softness and drape.
I have only used Warm and Natural. No complaints. Just never 100% pleased with softness and drape.
#37
I pre-soak mine according to package instructions, with 1 Tbsp of Tide Free. They don't shrink much. If I quilt well under 2" apart, the quilt top will seize up a bit, giving it that crinkly look, but that also softens it quite a bit. When I quilt way far apart -- 6-8" apart in most places, it tends to stay quite flat & smooth.
I wasn't aware of the poly scrim. Seems like they shouldn't be able to advertise it as 100% cotton with something like that in it. I'm looking to see if there are any other options, but I suppose it would either need to have a scrim or glue to get the cotton to lie flat & form a good bat. I don't know. What did they use to do in the "olden days" before all these chemicals & synthetic fibers came into existence?
I wasn't aware of the poly scrim. Seems like they shouldn't be able to advertise it as 100% cotton with something like that in it. I'm looking to see if there are any other options, but I suppose it would either need to have a scrim or glue to get the cotton to lie flat & form a good bat. I don't know. What did they use to do in the "olden days" before all these chemicals & synthetic fibers came into existence?
#38
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Sonoma County, CA
Posts: 4,299
This info has been very helpful to me. I was going to ask a question about the preferred batting to use. The few quilts that I have made I used batting that was given to me, not knowing what kind it was. My first purchase was a Warm & Natural. Not knowing any better, I just used it right out the bag without doing anything to it. I think I'll Keep that quilt for muself.
#39
Super Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ballwin, MO
Posts: 4,258
I've heard people mention Dream Cotton and Dream Wool -- is this the same as Quilter's Dream, or a separate company?
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