What Every Quilter Should Know About Batting

        “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.

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.

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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