Batting – A Start From The Very Beginning!

younisWhen it comes to batting, all you might want to do is stand in a corner and blink! Choosing batting for your quilt involves educating yourself on batting terminologies, knowing which brand to choose, loft, fibre content etc. Feeling lost already? Yes, it is also a great idea to seek references on what works best for you!

Here are a few pointers to make your life easier.

Have You Decided On The Size Of Quilt?
Is it for a king size or queen size bed or for a crib, twin or a full size bed? If custom sized, try buying off the bolt.

What Choices Of Material Are Available For Your Fibre?
Polyester, Cotton or Cotton Blend are broadly the three types for your fibre. You also can choose from polycot ( the choice of specific ratio of cotton to polyester is also available).

Any Tips On The Kind Of Loft?
You either opt for high loft (cotton) or low loft (polyester) battings. Low loft is the right choice for machine quilting and high loft for hand quilting. Another parameter that helps you decide is whether you want a puffy or a flat finish, in other words, would you want the focus to remain with the lines (high loft) or the piecing (low loft).

What Is The Right Brand For Your Quilt?.
There is no single answer to this one! Each has its pros and cons and you need to discover what works for you. If it’s a client, there’s the budget to be considered as well. Do get an opinion of your client on her preference. Keep samples readily available if possible.

If you are a beginner, this bit information is good enough to get you started. However do note that you are under the bottom of the pile (of information!).

Read more:Simple Techniques To Get Started With Your First Quilt

Simple Techniques To Overcome Batting Issues

sam-century-score-600x300Quilting process is a fun experience during the start of winter. Creating different quilting patterns is a great way to enjoy this winter season. As good as it is, there are also some challenges in the quilting process. One of the important parts of quilting is batting. Batting provides the dimension that is required for quilting.

It can be quite tiresome and this is often one area where everyone requires help. There are so many new materials that are coming and even experienced quilters face difficulties. Reading the label and understanding the process is also very confusing and it might take a while to figure out what is right and what is not.

Here are some questions that will help you to overcome your batting battles

Before starting, think about what you are making. Making different quilts require different abilities. A table runner making is much more different than a baby quilt. Once this is finalized, plan how you are going to finish the quilt such as tied or machine quilled etc.

The most important factor while making quilts is what level of warmth is required. This plays a major role in selecting what type of fiber or material you need to select for the batting process. Some quilters plan and choose the batting first and then they begin quilting. Think about the washing requirements too. For example, a baby quilt needs washing whereas a quilted handbag does not need to be washed that often.

If you are planning to make different types of projects, you must consider few samples before trying them out. This helps you to compare and understand what works best and what does not. You can compare different fabric batting such as cotton batt and polyester batt also. You can also try washing them to see how they behave when washed. Use labels if required for understanding what is inside.

Hope these tips help you with you batting problems. Let us know if you have any more tips in the comments section.