quilters can you reccommend me a wadding/batting

[mumineedapooooo]

there seems to be so many to choose from online and i have no where local that sells it which would enable me to see and feel before i buy.
i dont want anything too thick iykwim

[pipsqueakz]

Wadding can be very expensive. Go for cheap as cheap can be duvet from IKEA or somewhere cheap as chips and does the same thing hope this helps

[BigBoobiedBertha]

Some of the quilting shops do sample packs. Off the top of my head Cotton Patch does this natural one and another for mixed waddings

It also depends on what you are planning to do with it. For example, I wouldn't put a polyester wadding in a wall hanging as it can go lumpy and sag. On the other hand, it would be OK for a playmat or a cot quilt.

If you want a recommendation for just one wadding, I have been using this one for samples recently. It isn't too heavy and is fine for hand sewing or machine quilting.

Or if I want a very cheap and cheerful wadding that doesn't feel cheap and cheerful, I have used the Quilters Dream Poly - the one in the pink packet (can't get an individual picture - sorry)

[codswallopandchips]

Definitely avoid puffy polyester/cheap duvets! At least, if you're going to quilt it.

Agree with Bertha, Cotton Patch is a great place to start and the sample pack is good for getting a feel of the different types. I usually use their "warm and natural" - it's all cotton, not too high loft (but then, very few of these proper quilt battings are) and quilts up nicely. Small shrinkage when washed, giving that nice wrinkled antique feel and hides a multitude of quilting/piecing sins!

[mumineedapooooo]

i wanted cotton but reading about the shrinkage has put me off a little.will it ruin my hard work?
im making a single sized duvet,im using expensive fabric to make the patchwork top so want it to have a nice finish.im happy to pay what i need to iykwim.
im not keen on polyester because ive tried using that before and ended up in a right mess and gave up.i dont want it too thick as im planning to machine quilt it.
thank you for the advice

[mumineedapooooo]

also what does quilt upto 10'' apart mean?
is it the bigger the '' the less likely it will go lumpy and separate inside?

[codswallopandchips]

I like the shrinkage, personally - its just a little and gives the quilt a nice wrinkly feel. You can prewash the batting if you prefer the non-shrink version. (more info on how to do this gently to be found on google!)

Quilt up to 10" apart means you can quilt it with the lines of stitching that widely spaced and the batting will hold together and the fibres won't separate, so your quilt will hold up fine. The warm and natural batting I mentioned above has the cotton fibres punched into a netting base, so it's really good at holding together if you're doing open quilting.

I like an allover quilting pattern, though, so I have never tested this to extremes!

[BigBoobiedBertha]

Somebody once said to me that cheap wadding is a false economy when you consider how much time and effort goes into making a quilt top. I think they have a point. Not that you said you were particularly looking for cheap mumineedapooooo. Just saying that if you need a big bit the cost can make you flinch but think of the bigger picture and get the best you can afford for the project you are doing - you will get a better finish.

[codswallopandchips]

I've stuck a pic on my profile (I think!) which has a pic of a quilt that's been through the washing machine a few times, to let you see the extent of the 'antiquing' shrinkage.

[BigBoobiedBertha]

Oops cross posted.

Some of it is preshrunk too.

Technically you are supposed to prewash everything to avoid different shrinkage rates when you make a quilt and that includes the wadding so shrinkage may not be an issue. Not that I follow my own advice. I gave up pre-washing ages ago.

Anyway, having a bit of polyester in the cotton makes it less prone to shrinking too.

And, yes, 10" is the maximum distance between quilting lines. It you make the distance bigger your quilt won't hold together properly. Different waddings have different quilting distances.

[mumineedapooooo]

Did u make that quilt codswallop?thats the traditional look I was looking for,is the wadding 100% cotton?
the thing is,some of my patches have little pictures on them,will this shrinkage distort them?its of pouncing foxes and owls,I'm going for a woodland theme for ds
I warming to the idea of the cotton batting on the netting base.although not decided yet,are most if the cottons low loft?
Thinking about backing now too,ahh so many decisions...

[BigBoobiedBertha]

My 80/20 cotton mix is low loft. Very soft too. I have machined and hand quilted with it but if you really want to see what the different waddings are like your best bet really is to invest in some samples. They are decent sized squares so you can use them for practice, samples or to make small things like mats. They aren't scrappy bits that aren't useful for anything.

I would pre wash everything before putting it together if the pictures are important. It is then, less likely that shrinkage in the cloth or the wadding is going to distort things.

[codswallopandchips]

Yes, that's one of mine, with 100% cotton batting (pretty sure it's warm and natural) and I don't really think there's any distortion. It's low loft but still nice and warm. If you're doing say, squares, with the feature picture fabric, you could always quilt around but not over them (iyswim) so they stand out nicely.

Prewashing tends to divide opinions, and each to his own, but I'm on the don't bother your bum side, and have to say I've never had any issues with uneven shrinkage or distorting. I find it much easier to sew the unwashed fabric as it still has some sizing in it and is a little stiffer than afterwards. Only exception is red fabric that looks like it might dye the quilt pink, in which case I cut a wee bit off and test hand-wash that on its own.

Love the sound of the fabric, btw, do post a pic when you're done?

[mumineedapooooo]

ive found some wadding!walked into my local shop today and they had just got two kinds in,i chose 100% cotton.it feels lovely,and only £6.50 a metre so im glad i waited.
i cant wait to get quilting.im one of these that wants it to be finished within a day,im going to take my time though and do it properly.
im wondering wether i need a walking foot for my machine now?
ive bought a cotton bed sheet for my backing is that ok?

Thank you for all your help,its good to have someone to ask for their opinion because dp hasnt got a clue and just agrees with everything

[SelfconfessedSpoonyFucker]

I like shrink, it gives that wrinkled vintage look once washed. Quilts should look a little puckery IMO.

Cotton bed sheets ::can:: be difficult, especially high thread counts.

Walking foot is good for straight lines but useless for stippling, so it depends how you plan to do it.

[BigBoobiedBertha]

I would get a walking foot. Walking feet are great for straight and gently curving lines (they can even do circles if you adjust you position every few stitches) as they do help feed the layers through the machine. I've just done a domed shape for example and it came out well but you need to slow sown a bit. It was only a small panel so I did need whizz along. A free motion foot and feed dogs down would be better for stippling. The downside of them is that they take practice to get even stitches unless you are a natural which I am not!

A sheet will be fine as backing so long as you have the right needle and thread and set the machine up properly - have you got proper quilting needles for example? Anything is possible with the right needle and a half decent machine.

[BigBoobiedBertha]

Grrr typos!

'down' not 'sown' and I didn't need to whizz along.

[mumineedapooooo]

ive finished my top,nothing too adventurous but most of my corners join
picture is on my profile.Cant wait to try and quilt it

[codswallopandchips]

That's gorgeous!!!! Great work - and fast too.

Looking forward to seeing the quilting now :) Have you got the quilting bug?

[BigBoobiedBertha]

Oh lovely quilt top mumineedapooooo

I like those colours a lot.

[mumineedapooooo]

thank you,yes i think i have the bug
quilting is going better than i expected,having to pull it through a bit and keep at a steady pace.Few wonky lines but cant notice if you dont look too close
it dm's 50th birthday in july,im thinking of making one for her.Maybe something more detailed