Battings for hand quiltilng

[Catherine S.]

I had been using poly battings for years as they were so available and in different weights where I live. But I got tired of the bearding and used a cotton bat. I found it so hard to needle that it was hard to hand quilt and lacked loft, but it layed flat and it was easy to work with. So the next quilt I made, I could not decide what bat to use, so I did not put any bat in it...I think I've heard of these kind of quilts being called "counterpane" quilts, although I always thought they were a single layer.

I gave cotton bat a second try, but ended up machine quilting it which saved my fingers. I enjoy hand quilting more.

At the local quilt stores, the cotton bats are all very thin which I suppose makes it easier to needle, but they lacked loft. So my question is, is there a cotton bat out there that has some loft to it that is easy to hand quilt?

[Margo C.]

If you have a quilt shop nearby, I suggest that you take a needle and thread and a couple of small swatches of fabric with you the next time you visit and try the different battings that they carry. If you used a 100% cotton batting and didn't like it, you might like a blend better. Hobb's Heirloom Cotton, which is 80% cotton and 20% polyester was developed by Harriet Hargrave specifically to be a cotton batt that was easier to hand needle and get some loft. There are lots of other batts on the market now, and your best bet it to try as many as you can get your hands on to find what works for you!

If you want super easy to hand quilt, and lots of loft, you might want to try a washable wool batt. They are WONDERFUL!

[Deborah W.]

I'm with Margo on the washable wool batt. It hand quilts wonderfully.

[Rita C.]

I agree the wool is beautiful to hand quilt. Failing that, the 80/20 blend is good too. Cotton batting is much too hard on the hands.

[E.M. T.]

Those are my choices ,too !

[Joann H.]

If you specifically want an all cotton bat, try Quilters Dream Cotton (Request weight). It is very nice to hand quilt, is quite thin and makes a wonderful quilt. I use it for both hand and machine. The request weight is harder to find so you may have to look for it. I can not sleep under anything with polyester so am very careful about batting. I also love the wool both Hobbs and Quilters Dream brands.
P.S. I am from Idaho also. We are neighbors.

[E.M. T.]

I use Quilters Dream battings often...but find that I have to special request them sometimes...or mailorder. :roll:

[E.M. T.]

Thanks for all the info! Great suggestions!