Going Batt-y
April 4, 2011I’ve just returned from a wonderful quilt teaching adventure in Alabama! The sun was shining and the flowers were blooming, but the best part was the friendly quilters I met there. What a blessing.
While flying home and daydreaming, I began thinking about a project I just layered with the new Dream Green™ batt from Quilter’s Dream. I’ve used it in a number of quilts and have been very happy. It’s a 100% polyester batt made from recycled plastic bottles. It’s soft and has a wonderful drape. I give it a thumbs up.
So this week’s topic is batting. I’ve done quite a bit of research and have discovered that there is no perfect batt because we make quilts for so many purposes. Here are some of my favorites:
Typically I use Hobb’s Thermore™ for handquilting because it is very thin and easy to needle (I need all the help I can get to create small even stitches).
For table runners and some wall hangings I like Warm & Natural™ because it’s dense and lies really flat.
For quilts made to keep loved ones warm I usually use a 80% cotton/20% poly blend batt such as Hobb’s Heirloom™ because it has a nice drape and snuggles well.
If I want the look of trapunto – the new washable wool batts are wonderful. They poof where not quilted and flatten nicely in quilted areas.
I tend to find something I like and not look further, but there are so many great new batts out there I thought I’d ask for your input.
I have purchased the new 
Legacy™ Bamboo Blend from Pellon and it is incredibly soft to the touch, but I haven’t used it in a quilt yet. Have you?
I’d really like your opinion.
What batt is your favorite? Why?
Please let me know which ones I have to try :-)!
Clkquilt's Blog 
My favorite batting is Warm and Natural, seems to work very well for me, has the warmth I want yet is easy to quilt.
So far, my favorite is the 80/20 for quiltmaking. I have not had a lot of experience with the rest. I have a comment, concern:
Are quilts made with all polyester batts warm and cosy, do they allow the body to “breathe” or do you simply perspire under them? I have often wondered.
I’ve made quilts with poly batts and find them to be a bit poofier, but just as snuggly. Haven’t had any problem with them not “breathing”. The cotton batts give a flatter, drapier look that I think appeals to a lot of quilters.
I use a lot of Warm & Natural, but my favorite for a special quilt is Hobbs Tuscany 100% Wool. It feels lighter than cotton, but is warmer and breathes better.
I’ve just put together a quilt with Fusiboo, a fusible bamboo blend. Has anyone else used this?
http://sharonrotz.blogspot.com/2011/04/sticking-together-and-ready-to-go.html
At a guild meeting just recently, the speaker was from the quilt museum in Cedarburg. She told us that the batting Warm and Natural had seeds in it from the cotton. They are small dark pieces in the batt. She told us that these seeds would compromise our quilt and make it wear faster as there is acid in the seeds. She said we should pick them out. Anybody else hear anything like that?
As I understand it, this was the case when Warm & Natural first came out because it was originally made to line thermo window shades and the seeds didn’t matter. When quilters began using it there were problems, but the Warm Company has come up with a way to remove the seeds and it is no longer an issue.
I have used the polyester battings for baby & kids quilts but mostly use the Warm and Natural for everything because that is what I learned to use in my first quilting class 17 years ago. But have now discovered when family sit around my fireplace and want to cozy up with some lap quilts, they don’t seem to keep warm enough with them. I am happy to hear about some other ideas from you, Chris. Thanks.
I like the bamboo. But I don’t exactly know why. I haven’t used too many different types. But for art quilts I would continue to use bamboo.