“Batting” or “Quilt Batt”
The layer that
goes inside a quilt to make it warm.
It is important to
know what Batting to choose for your project to achieve the desired look and
durability.
Quilt Batting is made from a variety of natural and man made fibers.
Each batting will behave
differently when quilted.
Some things to
consider when choosing your batting:
1) How will the batting “Breath”,(exchange
moisture and air). This effects how comfortable you will feel when sleeping under
the quilt.
2) How warm will the batting be? We feel warmest under a batting that is protein based such as wool and silk.
3) Are you going to quilt by hand or machine? A heavily bonded batting is not suitable for hand
quilting. Very high loft polyester can be quilted (or tied) by hand but is not
suitable for machine quilting.
4) How heavily do you plan to quilt your project?
Will you do a lot
of quilting or will the quilting be spaced a few inches apart?
All quilt battings come with a suggestion as to how far apart the quilting stitches should be for
optimum wear.
5) Drape refers to how pliable the batting
will be once quilted.
A heavily needled
and bonded batting will become stiff if quilted too closely but can be ideal to
make a wall hanging remain flat.
6) Loft refers to how thick or fluffy the
batting is.
Would you like the
finished quilt to be “puffy” or have a flat antique appearance?
7) How will the item be used? (Who
will be using the quilt or item?) A quilt that will go on a guest bed or receive gentle handling can have a more delicate batting than a quilt that will be heavily used
such as by a teenager or a resident in a care home. A baby will need a batting that can be machine washed and
dried frequently, is chemical free and that is not too heavy. Wall hangings need to be stable enough to remain flat. Clothing needs to be soft and drape well.
8) Does the person that will use the quilt
have any allergies or chemical sensitivities? Some battings are naturally hypoallergenic.
9) Could “bearding” be an issue? This is when
some of the fibers of the batting migrate through to the outside of the quilt
during quilting and handling. You can minimize the effect of bearding by
choosing a light colored batting for a light quilt and a dark batting (black or charcoal) for a dark quilt.
Quilt batting falls into two main categories of
construction.
Needlepunched and Bonded. (Sometimes used together)
Both methods of manufacturing are use to hold the
fibers of the batting together so that they may be quilted farther apart and
wear well through repeated handling and washing.
Needle Punched:
(Not to be
confused with the batting called “NeedlePunch”)
The fibers are
punched (felted) together from the top and bottom using thousands of tiny
needles.
Scrim (a very fine
mesh of natural or synthetic fiber) is sometimes added for
extra stability. Polypropylene, (a thermoplastic polymer) is being used in
many battings because of its high melting point,(160 degrees Celsius,
320 degrees Fahrenheit). This helps make a needled batting more flame
retardant. (As required by Government regulations.)
Bonded:
A bonded batting
uses a layer of resin sometimes referred to as glaze to further adhere the
fibers together.
Resin is
traditionally plant based though there are also synthetic resins in use today.
A bonded batting is naturally flame retardant.
Some Typical Battings and how they behave:
Cotton
One of the most
traditional of battings some are heavily needle punched to allow
machine quilting eight to ten inches apart. These dense battings do not hand
quilt well and will become stiff if overly machine quilted. They are wonderful to
work with for new quilters, wall hangings and everyday quilts.
Others cotton batts are lightly
bonded and will need to be quilted more closely.
These can be hand
or machine quilted and drape well. Cotton batting breaths well and is
comfortable to sleep under.
Most cotton battings
now contain Polypropylene to make them more flame retardant.
May crease when
folded.
Available in
natural (unbleached), bleached and black.
Machine Quilt,
Machine Embroider.
Check the Batting
Specifications regarding hand quilting.
Organic Cotton
Grown without the
use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides
Organic cotton has
all the benefits of standard cotton batting. Comes as unbleached only. Not
heavily needle punched. This batting is ideal for hand and machine quilting. Usually needs to be quilted every three or
four inches. Ideal for baby quilts.
Low loft.
Eco-friendly
Bamboo
Bamboo is a
beautifully soft fiber. It is naturally anti-microbial and so is resistant to mold and mildew, antibacterial
and hypo allergenic. It requires no fertilizer or pesticides to grow and quilts
easily by hand or machine for a wonderful heirloom look. Ideal for both baby
quilts and large projects. Some “bearding” may
occur on dark fabrics.
Low loft. Eco-friendly.
Organic Cotton / Bamboo
A mixture of
organic cotton and bamboo, usually 50/50 though some manufactures are adding a
scrim of polypropylene for reinforcement. Has all the best properties of both
organic cotton and bamboo. A batting without scrim will need to be quilted
every three to four inches. One
with scrim will be able to be quilted up to eight inches apart.
Quilts easily by
hand or machine for a wonderful heirloom look. Ideal for both baby quilts and
large projects.
Low loft. Eco-friendly.
50% Cotton Flax, 50% Linen
This cotton /
linen blend with scrim binder is reputed to be three times stronger than
cotton. The “flax” fibers help to wick moisture away from the surface making
this batting breath well.
Machine or hand quilt. Low loft. May not be readily available.
50% Organic Cotton / 50% Soy
This wonderfully
soft batting is chemical free and bleach free. Soy is naturally anti-microbial
meaning that it naturally inhibits the growth of fungus, bacteria and some
viruses.
Pre-washing by
hand recommended to remove oils from cotton seed that could cause
discoloration.
Soy Blend can be
quilted up to eight inches apart by hand or machine for the look of an antique
quilt.
Low loft, Eco-friendly.
Protein Based (Soy)
Cotton / Polyester
Commonly a blend
of 80% cotton and 20% polyester.
This batting is
usually lightly needle punched and lightly bonded. It comes in natural, black,
bleached and fusible. It will give more of a soft heirloom look when tightly
quilted as the polyester content will make it a little puffier than a 100%
cotton batting. Quilt up to four inches apart by hand or machine, good for machine
embroidery. Low-loft.
Cotton / Polyester / Stabilizer
A new batting on
the market created especially for machine embroidery quilts. 70% cotton and 30%
polyester batting with a layer of polyester and polypropylene “stabilizer” in
between the outer layers of the batting to reduce or eliminate the need to add
stabilizer underneath your batting when machine embroidering a quilt.
Low loft.
Only available in
24” width for machine embroidery.
Wool (Washable)
Washable wool
battings are an absolute dream to quilt by hand or machine. Warm to sleep under
in the winter yet cool in the summer because the loft or puffiness of this
batting allows air to flow through it and the natural fibers wick moisture away
from the body. Wool is naturally anti-microbial so it resists mold and mildew.
These battings are
resin bonded to prevent “bearding” and can be quilted about four inches apart. Use caution when washing. Do not agitate or put in dryer. Lay flat to dry.
High loft.
Eco-friendly. Naturally fire retardant. Protein based.
Some allergy
concern. (Lanolin)
*Note
A carded wool
batting needs to be enclosed in cheesecloth and quilted every inch before being used within a quilt.
Hand wash only and
lay flat to dry to prevent “bearding”.
Alpaca
Though you will usually
need to “Special Order” an alpaca batting it is well worth it. Alpaca has the
same properties as wool but does not contain lanolin. Because of this most
people with a wool allergy show no reaction to alpaca.
High loft. Protein
Based. Eco-friendly.
Silk
Very lightweight,
thin and with beautiful drape this batting is excellent for quilted garments or
quilts. Though very thin it is warm to wear or sleep under. Sometimes blended
with polyester or cotton, generally needle punched and lightly bonded to extend
the quilting distance. Quilt up to three inches apart. Hand or machine quilt,
machine embroider. Very low loft. Protein based. Eco-friendly. Provides wonderful warmth without weight.
Rayon
Rayon is a natural
fiber made from cellulose. It is naturally fire retardant making it a good
choice for children’s quilts. Needle punched to be quilted up to ten inches
apart by hand or machine.
Low loft. Not as readily available as other types of batting.
Polyester
Polyester quilt
batting comes in several weights. Polyester is light and fluffy, non-allergenic,
washes and wears well. The medium loft batting has a look similar to wool with a low cost and can be dried in the dryer. The high loft batting is best used for tied quilts or hand quilting
only while the medium and low loft machine quilt beautifully. Polyester is often used
to add extra loft to areas of trapunto quilting. May “beard” so use a dark batting on
dark quilts. Available in white and charcoal.
Man made. Does not
“breath” like a natural fiber batting.
Needlepunch
Confusing I know
but “NeedlePunch” also refers to a type of tightly needled batting. Available in polyester or cotton.
Too dense to sleep under this batting is used for craft projects such as wall hangings, table runners and pillows.
Too dense to sleep under this batting is used for craft projects such as wall hangings, table runners and pillows.
Machine quilt only.
Very low loft.
Thermore
The thinnest
polyester. Used for clothing or miniatures.
Fusible Fleece
Yet another
variation of polyester this needled and fusible batting can be used for craft
projects such as table runners or purses as well as machine embroidered
projects.
Machine quilt. Low-loft
Spacetex
Polyester with a
foil covering. The foil covering makes this batting reflect and retain heat. Intended
for use in potholders, casserole
covers etc. Though not intended to be used in quilts,(they will crackle),
because of its heat retention properties this makes an excellent “emergency”
blanket to keep in the car.I do sometimes use it inside of a lightly quilted
throw for use by care home patients that just can not keep warm. Machine
quilt. Low-loft.
*Note
I always do a
small test stitch out using the fabric, batting, thread and quilting design
from my project to be sure that the batting shows off the stitching well and
has the appropriate drape and loft.
General Eco Concerns;
Polyester is a
petroleum based man made fiber and therefore not a renewable resource.
Though not significantly flammable the polyester fibers will melt. Exposure to the liquid polyester can cause severe burns.
Though not significantly flammable the polyester fibers will melt. Exposure to the liquid polyester can cause severe burns.
Cotton yield is
sometimes increased with the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. If this is of concern you can purchase organic batting or contact your favorite batting
manufacturer to find out how their cotton is produced.
Some fusible
batting will create fumes when heated.
Wear a protective
mask or do not use if you have breathing issues, have chemical sensitivities or
are expecting.
For fun get together with a group of quilters and
purchase a small amount of several types of batting.
Create a swatch book with the batting information and
how you feel about it as a personal reference guide.
For further
information on this or other
lectures and
classes please contact:
Julie Plotniko
juliesquiltclass@telus.net
© Julie Plotniko
All rights
reserved.
For personal use
only.
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