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I haven't been on much lately due to summer guests but yesterday I received a box of goodies from my GF in California ( as stuff is SO expensive here in Norway I buy over there and have it sent by Sue and pay that cost. ) and she had included volume 55 of the Summer 2011 from Hancock's of Paducah. On the last pages were all sorts of battings - I didn't know there were THAT many!!
So my question is which ones are preferred by you all?
Hugs from Eva Mari :)
Hello - waaaay over there to Norway Eva!
I use the Warm and Natural - it's thin and I just like the way it makes the quilt look. It also seems to quilt nicely, whether by machine or hand.
There are many battings out there and I did purchase a few samples to try out and see the difference but haven't gotten around to that yet. I have heard lots of people like the wool battings or the newish bamboo battings, but I do think they are more expensive. Whenever Joann's (fabric/craft store here), has a batting sale, I usually buy the Warm and Natural at the King size - buy one, get one free. By the time I use those 2 packages up, they go on sale again.
Hugs,
I tried several different kinds of batting when I started. High loft batting made my machine a mess, but some of lower lofts were too loose. When I finally tried the Warm and Natural, it was a huge relief. It stays put and together without fuzzing up my machine. It's thin, like Trish said, but it's still really warm and snuggly.
Warm and Natural gets my vote also. I have tried several others, but I always come back to W&N. There are ever so many kinds of batting on the market (even bamboo batting), it's a hard decision. You can't go wrong my beginning with W&N....Barb
I use Warm and White, which is the same as all the above except it is white in color instead of the off-white. Sometimes I use a white fabric for my backing so decided to get the white since I bought a 40 yard roll of it the last time I bought batting. I'm a hand quilter and this is one of the easiest battings for me to get a needle through. I don't like any of the poly battings and the old style traditional cotton batting you have to quilt no more than an inch apart or it bunches up in the wash. I think the W&W you can go up to 6" between rows of quilting without it shifting, maybe more.
Funny story, I made a toy for my dogs out of W&W batting scraps. It is the ONLY toy they haven't been able to chew up and kill the squeaker in.
I use Warm and Natural but recently I used a piece of bamboo batting and it was SO soft!! I tend to buy several yards on a roll and just cut off what I need instead of packaged batting.
I think the type of batting you use depends on how you plan on quilting the top. Hand quilters sometimes prefer a bat that is very easy to push the needle through and I've heard reports that Warm and Natural/White can feel like cardboard on occasion.
Most of the quilters at my guild use Hobbs 80/20 batting. I haven't used it yet but would like to try it some day.
I also use Warm and Natural, I have made several rag quilts in different sizes for family members and friends and most of them have commented on the thickness. They like that it is thinner and lighter weight but still very warm and cozy. I have also made two rag quilt bedspreads and it worked great for those also. I purchase it on sale at Joanns so the cost is very reasonable at about 6.99/yd.
Thank you all so much for your recommandations! You are the best!
My good friend has a JoAnn's nearby and have often purchased stuff there and occasionally surprised me, - she is such a gem! I guess sending batting will be rather costly but with our prices still better to do it that way. My oldest son is stateside right now and will always be at least 4 times each year as he is in the Norwegian Airforce and sim training is mandatory on a regular basis. I'll ask if he can bring along some Warm & Natural!
Hugs from grateful me :)
I love the bamboo --it is so soft and drapes really well. But, I would also like some kind of batting that does not shrink and does not need to be preshrunk. Some quilts I make I really don't want that wrinkled look.
I prefer the Warm and Natural.....my LAQ likes Warm and White, which I like too. (when I use the odds and ends after a quilt is finished by her) One of the posts here sometime back suggested hitching smaller pieces together using the zigzag stitch. I tried it and it works beautifully! Just make sure the sides that are hitched are straight. Great idea. Sorry I have forgotten who mentioned it.
I like a very low loft for larger quilts and a medium for smaller baby or crib quilts. I usually use a 80/20 cotton blend but have been known to use flannel sheets occasionally...(cheaper!)
Thanks for the flannel sheets tip!!! Wow would never have thought of that one! I think you are all fairly fancy with your warm and natural batting tip and so you should be you have the advantage to having it available to you but I am from Ireland and like this Norwegian lady we have to consider the shipping cost on top! 80/20 is the way to go I think for cost reasons. If anyone can think of a good batting at a low cost please do feel free to add!!! Would really appreciate it!
I guess for me it depends what I'm using it for. If I'm making table runners, placemats, or a quilt that is for display, I like the Warm brands. They are thin and make a crisp quilt. But, if I'm going to snuggle under it or use it on a bed, the bamboo is my favorite. It makes a beautifully soft quilt, and I look at it this way - If I'm going to spend $150-200 on quilt fabric for my bed or for a gift, what's another $40-50 for the batting?