Saturday, November 13, 2010

Batting choices

Did you know there are seventy-nine different types of batting that you can put in the middle of your quilt? Back in the 1800s, people usually put old clothes or previous quilts inside, but now we can scratch our heads and wonder what to put in there! During Harriet's class, she absolutely refused to name one batting, but named several that are good for different reasons. Here's what I have in my notes from class:

Harriet's challenge is to find as many batts as possible, then cut a 14" square and put muslin on front and back, quilt a feather and then save them, making notes about how they performed so that you can make the very best final choice for yourself.

SILK with 5 or 10% other fibers
Wow! Expensive, about $65 for a Queen size batt, but extremely lightweight and very durable. Quilts like a dream! Doesn't shift while quilting hardly at all.

Harriet recommends NOT using Warm & Natural because it was first and still is a product for Roman shades that hang on windows.

80/20 Hobb's batting is heavier and warm (Harriet works with this company to create batting)

Hobb's wool adds dimension to your work nicely

Do NOT use bamboo because it is saturated heavily with chemicals during processing and is essentially rayon after processing.

For Heritage Quilts, Mountain Mist Natural (1840's look) 8% shrinkage once washed, so a Queen sized quilt won't be a Queen anymore!

Fairfield Natural is a good choice for wall hangings because it won't stretch much over time.

Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon is the one that Harriet finds as a good all-round batting, but won't specifically say that outright! After listening to her talk for over an hour, that is what I gathered. 3% shrinkage once washed, so a Queen sized quilt will still be a Queen once washed!

Harriet says, "If a batting feels soft to the touch, it will quilt STIFF!"

Polyester does NOT breathe. This is not a good choice for a baby because they'll overheat and get fussy tucked into this type of batting/fabric.

If all this is a little much, fear not! Harriet has sixteen various kinds of batts already cut to 14" squares, ready for you to try! Order here:

LINK FOR PKG OF BATTING SAMPLES TO TRY

What kind of batting have you used? Why a particular one? Do you use different batts for different projects?

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