Choosing the Right Batting

Choose the right batting for your quilt

by Mary Stori
An Online Extra to Threads #93, pp. 49-51

There are many different types of batting from cotton, polyester and wool to silk, and various blends. The batting's loft (how thick it is), fiber content, shrinkage, and manufacturing process all affect the quality of your stitches. Ask what type of batting other quilters use, and as you experiment with various kinds, keep track of which type works best for you.

The thinnest batting allows for the smallest stitches. Thicker batting can be so dense it's hard to get a needle through it. Some are so spongy and full of holes they offer no substance to hold the stitch in place. The ease of stitching will differ between a 100% cotton batting and one made from silk or wool.

In the batting chart below, "quilting interval" refers to the distance between lines of quilting stitches, and "bearding" to the migration of batting fibers through the surface of the quilt.

Batting chart: readily available batting and its characteristics
Brand	Fiber content	Prewash	Quilting interval*	Comments
Fairfield Classic	80% cotton/ 20% polyester	Presoak; dry in dryer	3 in. to 4 in. apart	1-1/8 in. thick, bonded to reduce bearding**
Fairfield Low-Loft	100% polyester	No	3 in. to 4 in. apart	Bonded to reduce bearding**
Fairfield Soft Touch	100% cotton	No	2 in. apart	Non-allergenic; very thin; drapes well; good for clothing
Hobbs Heirloom Cotton	80% cotton/ 20% polyester	Yes	3 in. apart	For an antique look, don't prewash; 5% shrinkage
Hobbs Heirloom Wool Batt	100% wool	No	3 in. apart	Good insulator, breathes, stain and mildew-resistant, long wearing
Hobbs Organic Cotton	100% cotton	Yes	2 in. apart	Chemical-free, non-allergenic
Without Scrim Hobbs Thermore	100% polyester	No	3 in. to 4 in. apart	Very thin, lightweight; drapes well; good for clothing; does not beard**
Kelsul Quilters Cotton	100% cotton	No	Up to 8 in. apart	Comes in four different weights; needles easily; wears well
Morning Glory	100% cotton	Yes	4 in. to 6 in. apart	Unbleached cotton; shrinks less than 1%
Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon Cotton	100% cotton	No	1-1/2 in. to 2 in. apart	Does not beard**; antique appearance
Mountain Mist Quilt Light	100% polyester	No	3 in. to 4 in. apart	Bonded to reduce bearding**
Silk Batt	100% silk	No	1-1/2 in. apart	Lightweight, "adheres" to fabric, so little basting is required; wash only in cold water
Warm & Natural	100% cotton	Yes	Up to 10 in. apart	Does not separate, bunch, or beard**; 1% shrinkage

* Quilting interval refers to the distance between lines of quilting stitches
** Bearding refers to the migration of batting fibers through the surface of the quilt.

Main Article: Perfect Your Hand-Quilting Stitch

Threads Magazine, editor
Posted on Oct 29th, 2008 in quilting, quilting, batting

Comments (3)

BoobooRooster writes: Just wondering what specific batting is easiest to hand quilt. I don't like the warm & natural as I find it very difficult, so far I've only been able to quilt with the low loft 100% polyester...is there anything better that's easy to hand quilt?
Posted: 5:33 pm on January 27th

doodle78 writes: I love any and all quilting instructions I can find. I never thought about differneces in the batting. Enjoyed that bit of info very much.
Posted: 9:58 am on November 13th

Grandparent writes: This article was the most informative I've found during my search of "Choosing the Right Batting".
Posted: 1:57 pm on February 17th

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