The following information is based on my research into batting for my
guild's batting program in October, 1993. Most of the information was
obtained by calling the manufacturers of the 12 different batts that I put
together into a kit for the guild members to play with. I do not guarentee
the accuracy of this information, if you have a specific question about a
batt I encourage you to call the manufacturer and ask them. In general I
found them to be very pleasant and helpful. My other reference was the book
"Machine Heirloom Quilting" by Hariett Hargrave. I have only included a
tiny portion of the information from this book, where I thought it
complimented what I learned from the manufacturers. I highly recommend this
book, both for her information on batting and for the machine quilting
techniques that she describes.

I concentrated on the top name brands of batts, those made by Fairfield,
Hobbs and Mountain Mist. I also looked at the cotton batt by Warm &
Natural, an open wool batt from a small private sheep farm and woven cotton
flannel purchased off the bolt from a chain fabric store. Numerous other
batts are available, many from other companies than the ones mentioned
above.

Lisa , October 1993

There are 3 types of batts readily available in the US: wool, cotton (I
include cotton/poly blends here because they are generally marketed as
"cotton" batts), and polyester. Within each fiber type similar techniques
are used to process the batts. The most common being bonding and needle
punch.

In bonded batts a bonding agent, usually an acrylic resin, is sprayed onto
batts to bond the fibers together, stabilize the batt and prevent bearding.
According to Harriet Hargraves book "machine heirloom quilting", bonding
can also be done by melting some of the the fibers although none of the
companies I talked with mentioned using this process. Mountain Mist surface
bonds their batts, they call this their "exclusive glazene finish", which
means only the outer surface of the batt is bonded and the inner fibers are
loose underneath. Fairfield and Hobbs have 100% bonded batts meaning the
resin is sprayed and mixed throughout the entire batt. The 100% bonded
batts supposedly beard less.

Needle punched batts are smashed with hundreds of needles, which causes the
fibers to intertwine and bond together thereby stabilizing the batt. The
fibers are well bonded inside the batt but the outer fibers tend to be
looser and can beard. Needle punched batts tend to be denser and have
little loft compared to the bonded batts.

Bearding, the unsightly problem of the fibers from the batting working
their way through the surface of quilt, is a common problem with polyester
and wool batts. Cotton batts do no beard according to the manufactures,
although it is possible the cotton/polyester blends might beard. Once
bearding starts it rarely ever stops, with the exception of the needle
punched batts, in which case after the outer fibers have worn off the batt
can stabilize and stop bearding.

Wool batts are usually from small private farms. These batts are "open"
batts in that the wool is just scoured to clean it, then combed, carded and
picked to fluff it up. Open wool batts are very puffy and very resliant,
wool tends to bounce back to shape after being compressed. Because the
fibers are not bonded in any way they tend to beard terribly if not encased
in cheese cloth. Harriet Hargrave describes how to do this in her book.
Taos Mountain Wool Works makes a needle punched wool batt. I have never
actually seen a Taos batt but I have a needle punched wool batt from New
Zealand that is probably similar. The needle punched batt is much thinner
than the open batt so it provides very little loft. Although the fibers
have been bonded by needle punching it is still recommended that these
batts also be encased in cheese cloth to prevent bearding. Hobbs has just
developed a new wool batt called Heirloom Wool that will be a 100% bonded
batt. This batt is new as of the beginning of october '93 so no other
information is available. Wool is very lightweight, breathes well, is warm,
absorbs moisture well and is supposed to be great for hand quilting. The
lanolin from the wool is reported to keep your needles sharp and your hands
feeling soft. In general wool is the most expensive of the fibers.

Cotton also comes in bonded and needle punched. Mountain Mist 100% natural
cotton batt is surface bonded with a water soluable starch. The first time
the batt is washed the starch washes away leaving only a pile of cotton
fibers. Therefore this batt must be quilted very close together so it
doesn't lump up and you can not prewash this batt. This batt is the only
cotton batt on the market that is truely a 100% cotton batt, after
laundering. Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon Cotton batt is surface bonded with an
acrylic resin so it holds together better although it can not be prewashed
since it is only surface bonded. Because of the bonding you can quilt this
batt further apart than the 100% natural batt. Fairfield Cotton Classic is
a 100% bonded batt that is 80% cotton 20% polyester. This batt can be
prewashed and doing so is supposed to make it easier to hand quilt. Hobbs
Heirloom Cotton batt is also a 80/20 blend. It is both lightly needle
punched and then lightly bonded with a resin. I found it to be the easiest
cotton batt to hand quilt. This batt can either be prewashed to shrink it
or it can be used right out of the package. Warm & Natural cotton batt,
Mountain Mist Cotton Choice and Morning Glory's cotton batts are 100%
cotton batts that are needled punched through a thin polyester scrim. This
thin layer of polyester becomes part of the final product so in the end
these batts are not truely 100% cotton. No bonding agent is used but these
batts are hard to hand quilt because they are so dense. Cotton is harder to
hand quilt than poly or wool in general.

Only unbleached cotton batts will shrink. Of the above mentioned cotton
batts Warm & Natural & Hobbs are the only ones I'm sure are unbleached. I
don't remember about Fairfield and I know nothing about Morning Glory. The
Warm & Natural batt must be prewashed before using because they didn't
bother to clean the fiber before needle punching it. If you don't do a
thorough job washing your batt the cottonseed oil can stain your quilt. The
Hobbs batt was thoroughly cleaned so in theory it is the only cotton batt
that you can quilt before washing and therefore have shrink after it is
quilted. Now in my samples the 2 mountain mist batts also shrank but the
company claims that is due to the close quilting drawing the quilt up - not
because the batt shrank. Amazingly enough my Hobbs sample shrank exactly 5%
like they said it would.

As for the polyester in the Hobbs batt - it is not there because they think
quilters want polyester in a batt - the craftsman that I spoke with says
this batt was made to the specifications of many quilters and the only way
they could make a batt that would shrink and be easy to needle was to add
polyester. As mentioned the cotton fibers must be unbleached to shrink, and
the process of cleaning the cotton with out bleaching causes most of the
long fibers to be removed. The polyester is added to the cotton so the batt
can be run through the machinery. This batt is both lightly needlepunched
and lightly bonded. This batt is probably the easiest cotton batt to
needle.

Comments on batting collected from the quiltnet
===============================================
General comment:

Pellon fleece works great for wallhangings

General question:
Do you always prewash batting, or only Warm & Natural

I have never prewashed my batting. Some battings may shrink slightly and if
you have prewashed your fabrics but not the batting, you may get some
puckering. But I think quilts are supposed to be a little puckered once
they are washed so I don't prewash the batting.

Regarding machine washing Warm and Natural batts
================================================
One quiltnet member reported preparing the batt by putting it in the
washing machine on full load, gentle cycle, then put it in the dryer. No
problem at all. Another recommended putting the batt inside a standard or
large pillowcase and pinning the pillow case closed with safety pins, and
then put a few towels in to balance the washer. Then dry the batts in the
dryer using a low heat with nothing else in the dryer. Another recommends
using the delicate cycle on an oversize machine, and fill the machine to
the high level even if the quilt doesn't take up that much space. This
gives it room to move around. I then throw it in my large dryer on air dry,
and it comes out fine.

Another reported setting her machine on delicate/slow, warm wash/cold rinse
put in a little Tide Free then the bat and let the tub fill with the lid
open. When it was full I gently pushed the bat down with my open hand. I
then let the batting set for 30 minutes as recommended on the bag. I turned
the machine to the spin cycle and spun the water out. ( I used a paint
stick to push the little button in so I could keep the lid open just in
case shredding started.) Everything was fine so I turned the dial to rinse
and repeated the process until the soap was gone. I opened the batting
before putting it in the dryer on low.

Another reported washing it first in cold water in the machine, and then
dried it on low in the dryer. It came out a lot whiter and less seedy.

Some people have reported having problems with holes in the batt after
machine washing and drying. The rest of the batt is usable, but you will
have to go get a new batt in this case. One person reported using a mesh
laundry bag and reported it shredded in parts and was barely passable in
others.

If this happens to you - Write to them immediately. They have a wonderful
reputation with customer service and proudly stand behind their product. I
know of many people that had some mishap, wrote to them, and got
replacement batting for free. One person followed all directions for
washing, basting, etc - started to machine quilt, following the
instructions, and when she reached the other end of the quilt, was a foot
short. (They said it wouldn't shrink beyond a certain point so she
purchased just enough to account for this). They apologized a lot and sent
her another King size length for free.

Suggestions for ruined pieces:
==============================
I do have a suggestion for using the "ruined" pieces. First I'd cut out the
biggest rectangles to be used for smaller quilts, wall hangings, etc. Then,
I've used the leftovers for making pot-holders. Using two layers of W&N
seems to be enough padding, and the batt will not melt as a poly-batt will.
I made them for my mother and brother and they both really like them. Maybe
someday I'll make some for myself :-).

Also, you could piece the pieces together, as this quiltnetter reports: I
have used a blanket stitch to piece my Warm & Natural bits together. I
think a zigzag would work too. First I use the rotary cutter to make sure I
am dealing with straight edges. Then I butt them together and stitch them
on the machine. As you stitch, make sure the stitch straddles the cut lines
(or butt lines) so that there is even stitching on both sides. I have used
this on several quilts with no problem. The W&N is so wide that I end up
with some pretty good sized pieces that I piece together for smaller
projects.

This won't solve the problem of thin spots, however. I have also had that
problem. But I used it anyway and can't tell where it is now that its
quilted. For the record, in the past 3 years I have only used W&N and have
treated it fairly roughly with no ill effects. I wash it in the machine
with detergent and then I put it in the dryer. It has been great so far
except for the one thin spot. My quilting materials need to stand up to a
lot of wear and tear or they just don't work for me. Survival of the
fittest at my house!

Other comments on Warm and Natural batts:
=========================================
It is harder to needle, but I like the look. This stuff is definately worth
trying.

It comes out feeling like a giant piece of felt. It's great for machine
quilting since the material clings to the batt making shifting less of a
possibility.

Warm & Natural is an all-cotton batting that is VERY stable; you can leave
spaces between quilting up to 10" apart. The Warm & Natural company seems
to supply every quilt store and fabric store I've been in with samples -
just ask for one.

Other questions about Warm & Natural:
=====================================
Do you like it? Is it easy to quilt? What about bearding?

Will the Warm & Natural take 15 and 20 stitches per inch on hand quilting?

Make sure you pre-rinse the bat before you use it. It make a quilt that is
thinner but incredibally warm - take it from a person who quilts in a hoop,
in bed with the rest of the quilt over my lap. I've been very warm!!

I used this recently and I did have some trouble quilting it in small
stitches. But I did not pre-wash it. I just wasn't able to get the size
stitches that I usually can when I use a split (half) batt of a polyester
type.

It doesn't surprise me that someone had difficulty finely quilting unwashed
warm & natural. My understanding is that the reason for prewashing is that
there is still a lot of natural oil that needs to be removed. A while ago
someone mentioned that the "seeds" might "bleed" onto the quilt fabric. Has
anyone had this happen? ...even though you prewashed it?

I attended a lecture on batting with Harriett Hargarves and she said that
the seeds can have a oil that will get on your quilt. She said that she has
spoken with the manufacturer, but no changes have been made to the process.
She did say that one side of the batting usually has less seed than the
other so put it towards the top.

Regarding hand quilting cotton or wool bats:
============================================
Does anyone have any experience with hand-quilting cotton bats? I heard it
was impossible, but have since heard talk indicating otherwise. My second
choice would be a wool batting. What kind of care is involved for these two
bats - I suspect wool will be trickier or more expensive to clean....

I have hand quilted 2 bed sized quilts using 100% cotton (Mountain Mist), I
did find this batt a bit heavy going, so I am switching to the Hobbs 80%
poly 20% cotton. This is supposed to be good for both hand and machine
quilting, but haven't started on any hand quilting with this. I am starting
to quilt one next week using the Hobbs 100% wool batt. It's very light and
fluffy like and it too, is supposed to be great for both and and machine
quilting.

Reply to Deanna: well, I had heard that quilting through cotton was akin to
quilting through cardboard!! Yes, believe it!! :-) From my quilting
teacher, nonetheless. I send thanks to you and Carol Heys for setting me
straight....

I've hand-quilted cotton bats. It's certainly not impossible, but it does
quilt harder than polyester. The best I can do with a cotton bat is 7
stitches per inch. On polyester, I can get 11 stitches to the inch if I
concentrate, 8 or 9 if I relax. I suppose if I concentrated *really* hard,
I could do better than 7 with a cotton bat. It's just too much work for
something that will probably get abused by my kids, between how hard it is
to quilt small stitches, and how closely quilted cotton has to be to keep
the bat from shifting.

All I've ever used are cotton bats. Until recently all I could do was the
stab stitch (I'm a self-taught quilter), and now that I'm up to a running
stitch, I thought it was supposed to be hard. Gee. Can't wait to try a
different kind of bat. I knew there were differences in look, and how much
quilting was necessary for different bats, but had no idea that cotton was
harder to needle through. Thanks! Michele

If it's "impossible", then I've beaten the odds about twenty times now! :-)
I think it is a great way to learn to hand quilt, you need to stitch more
closely and if you use a "stiff" cotton batt, your fingers get more
exercise (but the newer cotton batts like the Hobbs Heirloom are a lot
softer than the ones I used to use, specifically Mountain Mist regular
cotton batt tends to be more difficult to quilt.) However, the fabrics you
use also make a big difference, it isn't only the batt.

I have heard wool is like quilting through butter. Easy to see why -
imagine how hard it is to put a needle through a wool sweater. It is
pricey, which is why I have not yet tried it.

About wool batting:
===================
Questions:

Has anyone ever used it? Is it a whole lot warmer than either polyester or
W&N? How does it smell when you wash it? (wet wool usually reeks). Where
can you get it? How much does it cost?

Answers:

You can get it mail order. The wool batting isn't cheap! Around here, it
costs $33 for a queen size. That's from the quilt shops. I have checked and
at Hancock Fabrics it's $20 plus $5 for shipping UPS.

Also, I have been told, that you wash it like other batts, and it doesn't
shrink.

I have not used wool batting yet, mainly because it is so expensive. It is
also prone to "bearding" which cotton batting isn't. It does seem lovely
and soft, it's also very thin.

Using cotton versus wool:
=========================
I have used cotton batting for five quilts and wool batting for five
quilts. I started off using Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon batts because that
was what my mother used, and I like the look and feel of it hand or machine
quilted. But it costs $45 a batt here, and fine Auustralian wool batts cost
only $34.

Australian wool batts are washable but only in cold water. Which isn't a
problem because all quilts are best washed in cold water, and the less they
are washed the better. No, I haven't tried to wash a quilt with a wool
batt. I hang them out on the line to air several times a year and in three
years none have needed washing.

I quilt only by machine. A wool batt quilts very easily, but it is puffier
than a cotton batt, which makes it somewhat more difficult to manuver over
the shoulder than a cotton-filled quilt-in-the making. I haven't noticed
any problems with the wool coming through the quilt top, but it does fly
out a bit while it is being quilted, which is irritating if you have
asthma. I am careful to fold over the edges of the quilt back onto the
front and baste firmly so that none of the fluff gets out while I am
quilting.

Wool is definitely warmer than cotton and cosier and more affectionate than
cotton or polyester. So far none of my wool quilts has lost body or
compacted.

Now that I have used both cotton and wall batts I make my selection
according to whether I want the quilt top to look like a sculpted bas
relief (use wool) or whether I want the pieced pattern to be more prominent
(use cotton).

Regarding dark batts:
=====================
No personal experience with dark quilts, but what I read says that ANY
polyester batting will eventually beard, and that white beards through dark
fabric are quite unsightly. Thus, if it were me, I'd use either the dark
batting OR a good quality cotton batting--perhaps a cotton you can
preshrink and quilt at wide intervals. This type of batting was discussed
on the net, and most folks seemed to like it.

I've used the Hobbs dark batting and it machine quilted fine. I like my
quilts plump - so I really like the extra-loft battings. The Hobbs batting
was too thin for my taste.

About the black batting: yes, even the black will beard. The idea behind
the black batting is that polyester batts will inevitably beard, but the
darker fibers won't show as much on a dark top as the light fibers (as in a
white or off-white batt.) Also, don't count on white cotton to not beard,
either. I made a dark quilt with Warm and Natural last spring, and found
lots of cotton fibers on the top of my quilt. (I was pretty disgusted, but
I also have learned since then that they were having a production problem
with that brand, and they gave away all the "faulty" stuff to worthy
causes. Our Quilts for Kids program here in Flagstaff got a whole bolt or
two, and it worked great for that purpose. So I do still buy the stuff and
use it in my quilts.)

Most people said they had not used dark batting but had heard that it kept
bearding from showing as much on a dark quilt.

About 6 people said they had actually used dark batting. It seems that only
one company, Hobbs makes it. All of the actual users except for one were
very happy with the results. Even if it bearded it did not show much, and
the dark quilts looked better without having white batting glowing through
the dark fabric.

The dissatisfied person (a machine quilter) found the Hobbs batting too
thick and spongy. She hated it. However, other machine quilters liked it.

The hand-quilters generally found the Hobbs batt easy to needle.

Sounds like the dark batting helps the bearding and show-through problem,
but that having only one brand to chose from makes it hard to please
everyone as far as thickness and texture goes.

About Super Fluff Batt:
=======================
Sandra had asked if anyone had seen a fluffy batt. I won a queen size batt
called Super Fluff at a show in Lancaster this summer. It is made by
Buffalo Batt and Felt Corp.. the phone num on the batt is (716) 683-4100.
It says it can be machine quilted, but I found the sample I did was
difficult. It does create a fluffy quilt....Pat

Regarding new type of layering batting:
=======================================
It was on the roll (not packaged) and the batting is polyester, about 1/3"
thick. The paper on the batting says you can layer this batting without
having it shift so that you can customize just how thick you want your
batting. Three of the batts equals an inch in thickness. One side of the
batting was pretty smooth (sizing??) while the other felt more lofty.

Regarding splitting batts:
==========================
I have occasionally seen people mention that they have split poly batts
into two thinner layers and would like to try this if anyone could give me
any advice. I bought some batting by the yard at JoAnn Fabric and I think
it is their lighest weight, but it is still sort of thick. I would like to
split it to use in two baby quilts I am working on/planning. Any advice
would be appreciated. I am going to hand quilt one quilt and machine quilt
the other if that makes any difference.

A lot of people split batts when they make miniature quilts so that the
batt will be in scale with the quilt. However, I'm not sure this is a good
idea with a baby quilt because the side that is split will no longer have a
treated surface to keep it from bearding (i.e., batt filaments leaking
through the stitching holes).

If you are talking about a baby quilt to be hung on a wall, then this would
be OK, but if it is a REAL quilt to be used and washed a lot, I wouldn't do
it. I like Mountain Mist Quilt-Light for baby quilts, actually for most
quilts.

I can summarize by saying that half said splitting is fine, they've never
had a problem with it. The others said they'd be worried about bearding. I
decide to buy new thin batting for the baby quilt and split thicker battin
I already bought, but use it for wall hangings.

Yes, the split batt can be safely used for a quilt. I've been splitting
batting for years to make quilted garments--any regular batting is just way
too thick for clothes unless you live near the arctic circle. I especially
like the way cotton batting splits. As long as it splits evenly (i.e. so
you don't have holes or overly thin spots) it'll work great. Especially for
quilt users in hot climates.

Regarding suppliers and batting samplers:
=========================================
Mountain Mist Quilt Light batts are VERY cheap at Hancocks, and even cheap
by mail order from them if you are ordering enough stuff; I'm pretty sure
the mailing charge is a flat $5 regardless of how much you order. Their
phone number is 1-800-845-8723; call them for a catalog if you don't
already have information.

Keepsake offers a quilt batt sampler with 4-inch pieces of each batt they
sell. It may be worth the time to get this sampler and test-quilt the
natural fiber batts to see which one suits your work the best.

Regarding piecing batting pieces:
=================================
I often have small and/or fairly large pieces of batting leftover from
various quilts. Can I put or sew together two smaller pieces of batting?

I have often put small pieces of batting together and never bother ed to
sew them, and it's been just fine. I never used a lot of tiny pieces for
bed size quilt, but I've added a scrap when I'm short near an edge. So go
for it.

Regarding polyester batting:
============================
Elizabeth Ikana recommended three types of batting for hawaiian quilts -
wool, needlepunched polyester, and "thermal" bonded polyester batting: She
noted that you should not use a "resin" bonded polyester batting because in
some climates the batting can become "gummy".

I also carefully viewed the "Hawaiian Quilting" shows and found that
Fairfield is a sponsor of the show. I assume that Elizabeth Akana used
Fairfield products on the show - Needlepunched Traditional and 100% Bonded
Polyester (1 oz., 3 oz., and 6 oz. weights). She recommended a thermal
bonded polyester that contains no resin (because in some climates resin in
these batts can become gummy). The Needlepunched Traditional contains no
resin, although the 100% Bonded Polyester does. The only other polyester
batting I have been able to locate (besides needlepunched) that does not
contain resin is a new product by Morning Glory which is an UNBONDED
polyester. I have a queen size batt of this and want to try it, but I
haven't used it yet. I am worried that it may shift over time (since it is
unbonded).

The batt I chose for my small hawaiian quilt wallhanging was the 100%
Bonded Polyester batting manufactured by Fairfield in the 1 oz. batting
weight. I hand-quilted the wallhanging with 3/16" echo quilting lines (I'm
hoping that close quilting will reduce bearding). I won't know about any
bearding problems until the quilt has been in use for a while. I found the
100% bonded polyester batting very easy to quilt and achieve fine hand
stitches. The low-loft polyester provides a little dimension to the
quilting design and stitches.

With regard to your question about Hobbs Thermore. I believe that this
batting contains resin, although it is also a needlepunched batting. I used
a Thermore batt in a quilted vest and was able to produce fine hand
stitches. According to Hobbs the process they use to manufacture this batt
prevents bearding. My vest has not shown any bearding. IMHO I think this
batting has less dimension than the Fairfield low-loft (1 oz.) and gives a
flatter look.

Question:
What do you suggest I use for a very low loft batting ? I do not want to
face alot of grief with the batting pulling thru (bearding ?) as I quilt.

Answer:
I just tried Hobbs Heirloom cotton batting (this actually has a polyester
covering on it to prevent bearding) and was very pleased with it, it is
nice and soft for hand quilting and works well for machine quilting too.
The cheapest way to buy it is mail order from Hancock's (see ads in
Quilters Newsletter) but they have a $25 minimum order so you have to buy
at least three rolls of it--what the heck, you'll use it!

Summary of Hobbs Wool Batt
===========================
A couple of weeks ago I asked if anyone out there has had experience with
the new Hobbs wool batt. Here's a summary of the replies I received:

Carol - Carol made one quilt using the Hobbs wool batting; she used machine
quilting. In general she liked the batt very much; her only gripe was that
it was so thin the quilt almost felt like there was no batting at all.
Carol also noted that these batts are expensive ($30 to $36 in most stores,
$28 at Hancocks).

Melissa - Melissa has not actually used one of these batts, but has a
sample and says that it is beautiful. Uniform thickness and very very soft.
These batts are washable, but you cannot agitate them, so washing them is a
little more labor-intensive than washing a quilt with a polyester or cotton
batt.

Sandra - Sandra has not actually used a wool batt, but she forwarded an old
message to me from Diane, an Australian quilter who has used wool batts
extensively. I gather that these batts are not the Hobbs wool batts, but
Diane provided some valuable information about using wool batts in general.
Diane says that wool batts quilt very easily, but they are puffier than a
cotton batt. Diane also said that they are washable in cold water, but the
less they are washed the better. The wool does not seem to "weep" through
the quilt top, but it does fly out a bit while it is being quilted, which
could be irritating if you have asthma. (I'm guessing that this might not
be a problem with the Hobbs wool batt). Wool is definitely warmer than
cotton batts.

Clare - Clare used a sample piece for a miniature; she also thinks the wool
quilts beautifully (she hand quilted the piece) and will definitely buy a
larger batt in the future.

Sandi - Sandi hand-quilted a full-sized quilt using a wool batt and says
her quilting was the best it's ever been. The needle just glides in and
out. She was told that these batts are cool in the summer and warm in the
winter. Sandi also mentioned that these batts are washable, but they must
be washed on the gentle cycle or by hand, then dired flat after squeezing
the excess water out.

I guess the consensus is that they are great for an heirloom quilt but
avoid them like the plague if you're making a baby quilt.

Quilting Spacing Summarized/Condensed from QNM April 1992: 
author Caroline Reardon
==========================================================
Cotton
Traditional cotton batting--1/4"-1/2"--no pre-wash--5% shrinkage
Blue Ribbon by Mountain Mist, treated cotton--up to 2"--no shrink,can wash.
Warm & Natural cotton (Warm Products, Inc.) and Old Fashion cotton (Morning
Glory). Poly core--flexible and thin--pre-wash--4" for Morning Glory--10"
for Warm & Natural. Good for crafts, clothing, wall hangings and thin
bedcovers.

Cotton/Poly
Polyfil Cotton Classic/Fairfield--thin, bonded, retards bearding--3"-4"
intervals--can pre-soak/delicate dry but not necessary for machine
quilting. Good for clothing and thin quilts.
Heirloom Cotton Batting/Hobbs. Thin--3" intervals--5% shrinkage. Pre-soak
in tepid water, spin, use air setting in dryer.

Wool--2"-4" intervals--various lofts--some needlepunched--needs cheesecloth
top and bottom to prevent bearding. Wash or dry clean quilt with care.

Silk--in fiber, not batt, form. Pull apart fibers, fluff, pat into place to
desired thickness. Fine silk thread recommended--1 1/2" intervals--light
weight--drapable--good for clothing, summer quilts.

Polyester Batting--various lofts--intervals 3"-4"--no shrinkage. Some
bearding occurs in all.

Low loft--little texture--differences among brands. Ultra-Loft/Fairfield is
dense and blanket-like. Good for machine quilting or tying. One type is
"needlepunch" or polyester fleece. Dense; gives body to wall hangings,
place mats, etc. Machine quilting recommended.

Regular loft--good for hand or mach. quilting. Poly-down DK/Hobbs is a
charcoal batt--good for dark fabrics because bearding is unnoticeable.

High Loft--Super-Fluff/Buffalo Batt, tie every 4". Two inches thick;
durable.