The batting question

[Betty J.]

For years now I have been using Hobbs 80/20 batting. I am at the stage of sandwiching a new quilt (my blue print house) that has large spaces that are dependent on geometrically drawn blue print designs for a house along with an appliqued house in the middle. I wonder if 80/20 is the right batting for this quilt. I also have some wool batting and some Hobbs thermore. I am thinking most of the quilting should be geometric in nature...like diagonal crosshatches and other geometric shapes. So I am a little wondering if I should use a combination of 80/20 and wool, just wool, or something very smooth and thin like the thermore. What do you think?

[Janet S.]

My first thought would be to use the 80/20. The combination of 80/20 with wool seems a bit too lofty if you are planning on just geometric designs. I always think of a double batt of 80/20 and wool to be good if you are going to quilt lots of feathers or swirls, etc. I'm not sure I would want the geometric designs to be too poofy looking, if you know what I mean. I've never used Thermore, so I don't have an opinion on that. Good luck with your quilt!

[Betty J.]

Thanks Janet. I think I agree with you on the double batting. The quilt is mostly quilting...not quite a whole cloth but it approaches it...but it probably won't have swirly feathers and the like.

[Lotti D.]

Great new pic. BJ. Lookin' very very good!

[Betty J.]

Thanks Lotti, but it doesn't quite match the pink hair. LOL

[Teri L.]

For that style of quilt I'd probably use bamboo on the top layer and wool on the back.

Teri

[Nancy R.]

For that style of quilt I'd probably use bamboo on the top layer and wool on the back.

Teri

Hi Teri -

I haven't heard of putting wool on the back so was wondering what this batting combination gives you. Do you mind talking about why you would make this choice? I'm trying to learn more about batting combinations and when to use them. I appreciate any information you can give me!

Thanks!!

Nancy

[Betty J.]

For that style of quilt I'd probably use bamboo on the top layer and wool on the back.

Teri

Hi Teri -

I haven't heard of putting wool on the back so was wondering what this batting combination gives you. Do you mind talking about why you would make this choice? I'm trying to learn more about batting combinations and when to use them. I appreciate any information you can give me!

Thanks!!

Nancy

I'd like to know that too. I ended up using 80/20...it's already sandwiched, but there will be more.

[Teri L.]

As a general rule for competition quilting I use 2 layers of batting - generally wool or wool and silk.

Wool has loft and very good structure and no memory. After a while of hanging the wool will relax and no fold lines will be present.

Bamboo behaves very much like cotton, lays flat, makes a feature of the quilting and is not quite as "grabby" or fibery as cotton so when using specialty threads like metallic don't pull through to the back behaving as tho there are tension problems when the tension is balanced.

Happy quilting!
Teri

[Betty J.]

Wow, I like the idea. I'll try it on my next line-drawing quilt. I did not know that about bamboo. I have in some cases been unable to make the metallic thread not have a slight pull through on the back no matter what I did, and did not believe it was a true tension problem at that point. Thank you for letting us in on this combo.