To see detailed photos of quilted and washed samples of each fiber batting tested, see QNM issue 318 (December '99).
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Lofty Decisions
Choosing The Right Batting
Part 2, Synthetics
By Lois Verma,
Quilting by Jeannie Spears
We could all buy commercially-made blankets and other items that would keep our families warm, bring comfort to a new baby, or decorate a wall in our home. We choose instead to quilt, to invest ourselves in the process and the end product. We stock our shelves with fabrics that please the eye and use tools that, with practice, will easily produce predictable results. Use the information in this series to select battings that will add to, not detract from, the quilts you've envisioned.
In our two-part batting series (of which this is the second part), Quilter's Newsletter Magazine reports on more than 50 different natural (Part 1) and synthetic (Part 2) fiber battings we tested from a number of well-known companies. To ensure consistency, we had one experienced quilter on staff, Jeannie Spears, hand and machine quilt the same design on each 13-inch square sample. The manufacturers' instructions were followed about any pre-treatment the batting might need. The quilt "sandwiches" were carefully labeled, and all were prepared in the same way, with similar-weight light and dark cotton fabrics on either side of the batting, allowing us to look at opaqueness and bearding. All of the samples were washed in a washing machine on the gentle cycle, using warm water and a commercial quilt-washing product. They were dried at a permanent-press setting until damp-dry, then allowed to finish drying at room temperature.
While no one batt will be perfect for all situations, you can use our Part 2 results to help you select an appropriate synthetic product for your next hand- or machine-quilting project. (For Part 1 natural fiber batt results, click here.)
For Jeannie's personal insights into "How Things Stacked Up," click here.
Battings shown, from top to bottom and left to right:
cotton; cotton/polyester blend; wool; silk; polyester; microfiber.
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