Never used "cotton batting" for quilts, is there anything i should watch for when buying and using?

Question

have always used "polyester" batting. is cotton easily found, is it hard to sew with on the machine, is it very heavy, how expensive is it?

Answer 1

Cotton batting is easy to use. It's a bit more expensive, but it makes a warmer quilt. Your quilt stitches need to be a bit closer when using cotton, & can be hand or machine quilted easily. It does shrink a bit though, so I suggest you use fabric that has not been pre-washed in your project, so the material, & the batting will have the same shrinkage factor.

Answer 2

I like cotton batting (we call it wadding over here) for the same reasons as the previous. Also, I don't wash my fabrics beforehand. When I put my finished work in the washing machine it shrinks slightly and gives a 'pulled' look (not suitable for every project, but makes something look aged). You could also try the 80/20 mix, which also handles nicely. Good luck.

Answer 3

Cost varies with thickness and "finish". It's handy to have a "glazed" finish.

The thinner the batt, the easier to quilt, however a thinner
batt needs to be quilted more closely for stability.

The advantages to cotton:
It doesn't "beard" through polyester blend tops
It is less of an open flame hazard than polyester (camping use)
If you're into "natural", it's "natural" and you don't need to worry about moths

Answer 4

It's also more breathable than polyester, but has to be quilted much more closely because the fibers aren't as long. It's good stuff if you don't want a "puffy" quilt.


Diane B.