Which Batting Should I Use?

Which Batting Should I Use?

We spend so much time piecing our quilt tops, we want to make sure we use the right batting get it quilted.

 
There are so many factors that go into choosing batting. But honestly, I don’t think you can make a wrong choice as long as you use a high quality batting. I feel it’s more about what’s most important to you when thinking about the use of this quilt. Will it be a wall hanging? Is it for warmth? Is it for a baby? Or is price the most important factor?

Let me give you a rundown of what I stock and what I can order for you. I’ll go over the most important differences of each but this is by no means a comprehensive list! Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions I haven’t addressed.

 
First of all, I only stock Quilter’s Dream battings. They are high quality battings that give me extremely reliable results. If you have used store bought batting, you’ll know they have a width requirement for spacing your quilting. Usually around 4”. This is because the batting needs those stitches to be close together to keep the structure from separating. Quilters Dream has an 8” width requirement!! I wouldn’t recommend that for many reasons, but it shows you how well made these battings are.

Batting I stock:

100% cotton

• This will have the best drape of the 3 battings I keep on hand. It will be flat and crinkle nicely when washed.
• Cotton will shrink the most when washing. Keep that in mind if you are looking to keep a specific dimension to your finished product.
• Quilters Dream cotton is all natural, not chemically treated, and all the cotton comes from the US.
• The cotton is breathable without being overly warm, so it’s good for warmer climates.

100% Poly

• The Quilter’s Dream Poly mimics the cotton batting so closely that I was surprised when I first saw it! It’s not the high loft you think of from the box stores. It’s got a nice drape like cotton but is a slight bit more structured.
• It does have more loft than the cotton so your quilting will be more visible on this batting.
• Poly batting will not shrink when washed.
• This is the most economic batting I carry.
• Poly batting will resist creasing and wrinkles more than a natural fiber batting.
• Because of the structure of the polyester batting, it is great for wall hangings.
• Polyester is less breathable than the cotton and so will give you a warmer finished product.

80/20 Cotton Poly Blend

• This is a good in between batting. The 20% poly adds a little more loft than the 100% cotton, making your quilting a slight bit more defined.
• The blend means it will resist creases a little more than cotton, but not as much as straight polyester.
• The blend also means that it will shrink some, but not as much as 100% cotton.
• It’s an excellent mid range price choice.