Batting related "Pilling" or Not?

[Melissa T.]

On my machine pieced and quilted cotton fabric, cotton batting (don't recall the brand unfortunately) quilt that had not yet been washed but had been in use on the bed - there are "pills" of a sort - rather like sweaters yet sometimes when I tug on the little bits, ultra-fine spider web-y looking bits pull away (but don't appear to be coming from behind the fabric). I had to wash/dry the quilt and it appears to be better now (well, it isn't worse anyhow).

My question is, did I use a bad brand of 100% cotton batting or is this something that just happens with cotton batts. Should I perhaps be using batts of a different content instead?

Your thoughts on the matter are very much appreciated.

Melissa

P.S. I did use good, Quilt-shop cottons and threads in the quilt construction.

[Margo C.]

It sounds to me like the batting may have had polyester in it. It's called "bearding" when the batting migrates out of the quilt. "Pilling" is more a surface issue, and you will see it in some polyester clothes and fabrics or some blends.

I'm afraid that there is nothing that can be done after it's quilted. You may have some bearding from now on. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

Anyone have some words of wisdom for Melissa????

[Melissa T.]

Margo, Thank you so much for the insight and quick reponse.

Hmmm. I don't recall ever buying/using anything other than cotton but then again who knows! These things appear on one side (the back) more than the front. They are about the size of a caraway seed and then when I pull I get the very short spider-web thing.

Melissa

[Margo C.]

Look to see if it seems to be coming from the holes made by the quilting stitches. That would surely be batting poked through by the needle. If it appears in an area where there are no quilting stitches, it is probably from the fabric!

[Pam D.]

Melissa, it won't solve your problem this time, but one thing I learnt early on was not to use a light coloured batting in a very dark quilt. I once used white in a quilt which had a lot of black background. It bearded badly and looked awful.

[Melissa T.]

The strands are randomly around the quilt, not associated with quilting lines. :?

[Melissa T.]

Pam,
A few years ago my DH and I were lucky enough to spend some time in England, Wales and Scotland - including a bit of time in your part of England. When in London, I insisted on going to the Victoria and Albert Museum to see the beautiful textiles - of which there were many - but no quilts on display at that time I saw advertisements for the recent quilt exhibit at the V&A and couldn't help but wonder if you'd attended since your only an hour or so away?

Living Vicariously,
Melissa

[Margo C.]

The strands are randomly around the quilt, not associated with quilting lines. :?

Hmmmm....that's a puzzlement! :?

[Pam D.]

Melissa, I am ashamed to admit that I didn't go ops: I know many people who did go and it had a rather mixed reviews. Obviously depending what kind of quilts you like make a difference. Due to health issues I find travelling to London and around London very very tiring so I just opted out. But if I had a chance to go to the museum at Paducah I'd be there like a shot

[Paula D.]

Try washing the quilt with a couple of terry towels. The friction might remove the pilling. Just an uneducated suggestion!

[Melissa T.]

I am willing to give anything a shot! Thank you.
I have been thinking about the cause of these bits. I think it is cotton batting that rubbed off during the wrestling match that is hand quilting.
I should have done a better job getting the lint off to start with I guess!

[Melissa T.]

Perhaps you got a bad batting package. I had this happen once - It's not a good thing. I've been quilting quite a few years now and have used many brands and types of batting - all of them more than once - and only had it happen that one time.

[Hannelore N.]

Melissa, no help from me with your batting, but......

I went to the V&A when that Quilt Exhibition was on. My older son lives in London, so I combined it with spending some time with him. I found the exhibition surprising, because I'm sure my selection would have been totally different if given access to all the best in quilting that England has to offer. But it must be very difficult to select just a few. The antique and vintage quilts were fascinating if you read the description. I found the selection of contemporary English quilts disappointing. We have some amazing quilters here, in the traditional and in the art field, but the chosen quilts did not 'float my boat'. The V&A published a very comprehensive book to go with the exhibition. I'm sure you could get that through your local library.

[Hannelore N.]

I agree with you Lorchan, about the V&A quilt exhibition, the old quilts and coverlets were amazing, but the modern stuff really didn't 'float my boat either'. The book that went with the exhibition is totally worth the price, and since Trisha at Thistle Threads explained about how much those books cost to produce and how the money is necessary for the museums to be able to put on exhibitions I made sure that the profits went to the museum b buying it direct, rather than waiting for it to be remaindered or sold off cheep by amazon.

thistle-threads.com.mytempweb.com/blog/index.php/2010/03/page/2
look for 'Early American Life - March 18, 2010', 'More of the Money Trail - March 19, 2010', and 'Back to the Books and Betsy - March 20, 2010.
thistle-threads.com.mytempweb.com/blog/index.php/2010/03/
look for 'Comment excerpt on Books - March 23, 2010' and 'Last Word on Pennies - March 24, 2010'

An interesting insight to the money flow for museums and the great books they produce. Sorry I wasn't able to find the first installment of the 'Money Trail'

Rosemary