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Senior Member
Designer Diva
Batting Question
I am getting better at FMQ and want to have something with a higher loft so the quilting stand out more.
First, why does it seem that quilting from a LA stands out more? Is it the nature of how it's on the rack?
Also, I don't want polyester. I am looking for something natural but it doesn't have to be 100%. Is the answer to double the batting?
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Senior Member
Missouri Star
Re: Batting Question
Yes, you can double the batting or you can do 2 different battings. A lot of the ladies in my long arm guild use one layer of cotton or 80/20 cotton/poly with a layer of wool on the top. It could be all natural and it really makes the quilting pop! I think the quilting from a long arm stands out more because the quilt is stretched somewhat onto the frame and then the machine really punches the fabric more than a home machine. ( this doesn't sound good, but I can't find the right words to explain it) I think a quilting machine is a more industrial machine and makes a more pronounced stitch, perhaps. I have seen some awesome quilts done with 100" poly......(Ie...Dream something) , but I personally don't use poly either. It can melt onto skin in a fire and it just doesn't breath like cotton or wool.
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Senior Member
Designer Diva
Re: Batting Question
Ok, I was reading some articles about the subject and they say the same thing. 80/20 on the bottom and wool on top. Sigh, quilting is not cheap, especially not wool. I think I will use this with really special quilts, not for everything. 70 ish dollars for batting hurts.
Thanks for your reply. I think it's the stretching as well, that makes things pop.
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Senior Member
Missouri Star
Re: Batting Question
Keep your eye out for Hobbs wool batting on sale. Connecting Threads puts all their batting on sale every once in a while (not sure of their sale rotation) that's when I stock up.
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Senior Member
Missouri Star
Re: Batting Question

Originally Posted by
verenaerin
Ok, I was reading some articles about the subject and they say the same thing. 80/20 on the bottom and wool on top. Sigh, quilting is not cheap, especially not wool. I think I will use this with really special quilts, not for everything. 70 ish dollars for batting hurts.
Thanks for your reply. I think it's the stretching as well, that makes things pop.
You can peel off a layer of wool from your wool batting. I haven't done this, but I did buy the wool batting so that I can. I just have to decide what quilt top to use for this experiment. I got this tip from a Craftsy class - I think it was a Cindy Needham class, but I am not 100% sure.
What batting cost $70? Wool? I will have to search through my old receipts and see how much I paid for my wool batting. BTW, Connecting Threads is having a sale on batting.
And you are right - quilting is not cheap!!!!!!!
No beauty shines brighter than that of a good heart.
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Senior Member
Missouri Star
Re: Batting Question
I realize that you might not be able to afford 2 battings in every quilt, but you do need to consider if you are spending several hundred dollars on fabric and all the time involved, there will be some quilts that should be worth the cost for the look you desire.
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Senior Member
The Guild President
Re: Batting Question
FYI. Mass drop has a deal on wool batting right now.
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Senior Member
Designer Diva
Re: Batting Question
Perhaps study the quilts you admire? I know LAers are adept at using the stitches to sculpt the fabric. Dense stitching around an area makes that area stand out. They could be using bolder thread than you use - thicker, or shinier, or a calculated color choice. I think there could be a lot of factors beyond the type of machine used.
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Senior Member
Missouri Star
Re: Batting Question

Originally Posted by
stitchwishes
Perhaps study the quilts you admire? I know LAers are adept at using the stitches to sculpt the fabric. Dense stitching around an area makes that area stand out. They could be using bolder thread than you use - thicker, or shinier, or a calculated color choice. I think there could be a lot of factors beyond the type of machine used.
These are good suggestions. I made a mini quilt where I wanted the pinwheels to stand out. I used a 100 wt silk thread to do a micro stipple all around the pinwheels. This dense quilting produced the effect I wanted. Recently, I finally mastered pebbles, and did pebbles around the main part of the pattern to make it pop. Sometimes, just layering threads 3 - 5 times over the same area will also make the design stand out.
Have you considered trapunto? I am working on my first project with this technique. Between the extra batting in the areas that I want to stand out, and heavy outline quilting around those areas, I am getting the effect I want. (It is a Halloween wall hanging, and the witch, pumpkins and cats are done with trapunto.) I am glad that I tried this technique on something small, first. I did make a few mistakes that I can now avoid in a larger quilt or more important wall hanging.
No beauty shines brighter than that of a good heart.
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Senior Member
Designer Diva
Re: Batting Question
These are all great Ideas. When I mentioned 70 dollars for batting I meant the cotton and wool combined.
I thought about trapunto, but I am not sure if I am there yet. But it's definitely an option. About once a year I work on a "master piece". A quilt that I put my very best effort into. This is the kind of quilt I will try the double batting with wool. I have one more baby quilt to make and then I am working on a pineapple quilt that I have been carefully collecting material for for months.
I have been studying other quilts that show off feathers by surrounding them with dense quilting. I tried this on a sample and didn't get the effect at all when using cotton batting. But I think it would work great with wool.
You ladies are so great with your ideas and advise. I really appreciate it.