My quilt top is finished! Whoo-hoo! (That went much faster than I anticipated.) I still need to find a backing that I am
happy with, so there will be a few more seams to stitch, but I am getting very
close to the actual quilting!
With this recent obsession, I thought I would pull out my
first quilt top attempt to have another look.
I honestly had no idea how far along this quilt was (I have moved twice since the last stitch was made and I have not looked at it since folding it up and putting it away for safekeeping) – I
guess I really don’t feel like ripping it all apart to make pillows . . .
But back to the reason for this post. I would like to ask a favor of all the master quilters out there! What kind of batting
would you suggest for a new hand quilter?
I know that I want to avoid polyester (synthetics are evil, and I despise them). The quilt is made of cotton,
with cotton thread, and will be backed with cotton.
To make my shoulder pads, I use Warm & Natural Batting, mostly
because it is available at my local JoAnn Fabrics and easy to come by. But I have noticed that over the years the
manufacturing process seems to have changed.
My most recent purchases are coated (for lack of a better word) with
something and not quite as easy to get a needle through. For shoulder pads, which require minimal
stitching, this is fine, but I would like my first quilting experience to be a
good one, and I think I may get frustrated working with the Warm & Natural.
I do not think I want to pre-wash because I am hoping to get
that nice wrinkly texture, although that might soften the batting . .
. Help!
I am sure there are some of you with decades of quilting
experience and/or some fabulous insight about this, and I would love to hear
any suggestions or blogs or about anything that might lead me in the right direction.
Any brands to avoid like the plague? And how about thread? I have been using Gutermann cotton quilting thread to piece the quilt and like it, but would be open to suggestions!
Thanks, ever so much!
I'm no quilter, but you could check out Leah Day, who also has a course on Craftsy. So many links come up in a search, I'm sure you'll be able to get the information you need on her site and the free motion quilting project, etc..
ReplyDeleteMonique
I'm not sure myself, but my mom is a very experienced quilter and quilts all the time, so I will be asking her and will comment again afterwards. Your quilt tops look beautiful by the way.
ReplyDeleteBatting is truly a personal preference decision. I do all my quilting by machine, but from what I understand, wool batting is great for hand sewing. Quilter's Dream makes an all cotton batting that is supposed to be hand-quilting friendly, and they advertise no chemicals used in their batting. You would need to purchase that at a local quilt shop, not a big box store.
ReplyDeleteI like the Hobb's or Quilters Dream. Beautiful quilt BTW and will be excited to see it completed. I don't wash my batting or fabrics either liking the crinkly look also.
ReplyDeleteSome quilters I know put a wool blanket in the "sandwich" for warmth and its all natural. :)
ReplyDeleteI've been very faithful to Warm & Natural and the white version for white projects. I know that ConnectingThreads.com has a wool and a cotton that are supposed to be good and, if I remember correctly, priced very competitively. I haven't bought batting in over a year and didn't know that Warm & Natural changed. I've been living off my stash. That, and I haven't been doing much quilting.
ReplyDeleteHi. My name is Lane and one if your other followers linked me to your blog to share my opinion on batting. I recommend a wool batting. Cotton is so hard to quilt through and I can't get my stitches ver small. But Hobbs heirloom batting needles like soft butter. It can be expensive and I wouldn't put the quilt in the dryer, so be sure to add laundering instructions to your label. Good luck. And you have a new follower. Lane.
ReplyDeleteHow adorable is your sun-bonnet ladies quilt! So pretty. And it coordinates well with your newer top with the soft florals.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lane, wool is really easy to work with. Cotton batting that's fine enough to hand quilt through comfortable needs to be quilted really close (less than 3") , the felted wool batts can be less densely quilted. I've been using Quilter's Dream Wool, which you can quilt up to 8" apart. I've had good results with Gutermann cotton thread, too, but only for hand sewing. I've had the varigated Gutermann thread come apart when I used it to machine quilt. I had just bought it, too.
a wool blends or a scrimless cotton. the caveat with the cotton is that your quilting has to be pretty dang close together so it doesn't shift. the wool is very easy to needle and, the thin poly is very easy to needle. you might try a cotton silk blend or a wool blend too.
ReplyDeleteI have no advice, but only a comment that you have some amazing hand work there.
ReplyDeleteBamboo batting might work
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is wool batting. Natural and very easy to hand quilt.
ReplyDeleteI use Quilter's Dream 100% cotton. Request or Select version. You need a lower loft for hand quilting. I don't prewash because I love the wrinkly old fashion look. Although you didn't ask, I use Roxanne needles and a Roxanne thimble.
ReplyDelete