Can you use muslin as batting?
Yes, muslin can be used as batting in quilt making. I would use at least four layers of muslin. And don't forget to prewash before cutting and sewing!
People have been using flannel, felt, and other heat-retaining fabrics inside quilts for years. However, those fabrics don't provide the same plush feeling as batting. They are either too thin or not flexible enough. Using fleece for batting feels almost the same as traditional batting.
As the other commenters mentioned, you can certainly incorporate cotton fiber into needlefelting but it won't behave in the same way as wool fiber. I have needle felted acrylic fibre before for example - it does dry felt despite being completely synthetic, so I don't see why plant fibers wouldn't.
It can also get expensive and may be hard to come by if you're in a rural area. Fortunately, it's actually quite easy to make your own wool batting, provided you have some sheep farmers nearby to buy fleeces from.
A flimsy (n., pl: flimsies) is a completed quilt top, but not quilted, with no batting, backing, or binding. Some folks feel the term demeans their slaved-over work, but it's generally meant to be lighthearted, with no malice.
Prior to the 1950s, most batting was made of cotton, wool, flannel, or from old quilts and sheet blankets. Although cotton batting is still available today and used for traditionally made quilts, most, but not all, mass produced quilts have a polyester batting.
Typically, current quilters balk at the idea of not using some type of batting between their quilt top and backing, but making a beautiful summer quilt without batting is a perfectly sensible idea. Even very thin low-loft batting inside a quilt can still be slightly warm.
They can also be used for quilt backing and even batting, but it can be thick and difficult to work with. It also may not hold up well down the line. Lightweight Towels – Can be used as a substitute for batting, but it will definitely give a different thickness and feel to a quilt.
An old wool blanket that still has plenty of warmth to offer but is truly showing its age can be used as batting if you wash it first. Exposing it to hot water in a modern, agitating washer is the best way to be sure that the blanket won't shrink later.
Very fast and easy. Wool batting is especially useful for quick layouts for all flat feltmaking projects, like wall pieces, playmats, or making your own prefelt.
What is the thinnest batting for quilting?
What is the thinnest batting? Thermore® is a very thin, flat and lightweight polyester batting. Hobbs Tuscany® Silk, and our Tuscany® and Heirloom® 100% cotton battings, are made with natural fibers that are also very low loft and offer a flat appearance.
But with batting, the wool comes off the machine in thin sheets which are layered to form thicker fluffy sheets. The layering results in a textured wool where the fibers are no longer aligned, making it perfect for needle felting as it felts up very quickly.
Felting Cushion –
We designed the perfect work surface for needle felting, the Bear Creek Needle Felting Pillow. Trust me, it is the absolute best choice for your work surface and will save you tons of money in the long run because it will last so much longer than foam.
The batting goes right against the foam and is usually glued in place using a spray adhesive. Wrap the batting around the foam so both the top and bottom of the cushion are covered plus one side. If you choose, you can also wrap the batting so it completely encases the foam, folding the corners like wrapping paper.
No matter how many layers of wool or poly batting you layer it won't matter. The trick is to always use 1 layer of a flat thick weave batting like Soft & toasty, bamboo, or even 80/20. Then you put a layer of a “poofy” batting (low loft or medium) on top of that.
100% Cotton Quilt Batting
Cotton is a great choice for quilt batting, especially if your quilt top and backing are also made from cotton fibers. It's best known for being soft, breathable, warm, and easy to work with. It does shrink when you wash it, which creates a crinkly/puckered look on more dense quilting designs.
Fleece — a Less Expensive Choice
The fleece layer replaces both the batting (wadding) and backing layers. Fleece also comes in wider widths than the standard quilter's cotton most often used for backings, so it's often possible to back your quilt without having to piece the fleece backing to make it wider.
Over the years many options for quilt batting have developed. Some antique quilts made in the early 1800s have worn-out blankets or older quilts as the batting layer, quilted between new layers of fabric.
The three basic styles of rallis are: 1) patchwork quilts made from pieces of cloth torn into squares and triangles and then stitched together, 2) appliqué quilts made from intricate cut-out patterns in a variety of shapes, and 3) embroidered quilts where the embroidery stitches form patterns on solid colored fabric.
A: Fan-fold the quilt and put crushed archival tissue between layers. Wrap it in tissue or clean cotton sheets. Don't use plastic, which traps moisture. Periodically refold the quilt in a different way to avoid permanent creases.
Do you have to put batting in a rag quilt?
Your rag quilt needs a low-loft batting. That is, if you choose to use batting at all—some quilters forego the batting in a rag quilt and use heavier fabrics instead. You could cut up all your family's outgrown denim jeans, for instance, and back them with flannel.
To really crank up the warmth, look to a lofty batting such as polyester or wool. Both fibers are much lighter than cotton, so they provide insulation without adding weight. Lofty battings also provide more stitch definition, causing quilting to really pop.
Quilt Batting is the layer of insulation between the quilt top and back your quilt. This is the middle layer of your "quilt sandwich" that adds warmth to the quilt and can make your quilting design's puffy. Many types of batting are available in a variety of fiber content and lofts (thickness of the batting) and sizes.
Quilters who don't know about “up and down” often put the dirty side down, so that the seed flecks don't shadow through the quilt top. However, this is incorrect! The dirty side is actually the right side of Warm and Natural and should face up when layering the quilt.
You can use several layers of felted wool as the batting for your potholder. Cut three or more squares of felted wool fabric and layer them to use as batting. You can purchase felted wool fabric or wash a wool sweater to felt it. An adult-sized sweater should yield enough wool for several potholders.
Batting is the filling of quilts and makes them warm and heavy. It's usually manufactured from cotton, polyester or wool, and recently manufacturers started to use bamboo fibers.
I would recommend that you use at least 2 layers of batting material. Either towels or cotton batting or a combination of batting and Insul-Brite. the heat source.
If you have a bag of quilt batting (fluffy filler) lying around the house, grab it. If not, you can use cotton balls. They're much cheaper than a bag of quilt batting, and you won't need many to stuff a mouse.
If your quilting pattern is tight in some areas (several of lines coming together at one point) those areas will feel more stiff for sure. A soft, curved design often does wonders. Here's a example of an ideal quilting design for a soft, cozy quilt.
Batting type #1: Cotton – Cotton batting has long been a personal favorite of mine. Quilts made with cotton batting are warm, soft, and have a crinkly look after washing that is reminiscent of antique quilts—and that's exactly why I love it!
Why does the batting have to be bigger than the quilt top?
Planning the Quilt Back
The quilt backing needs to be larger than the quilt top to allow extra for fabric that is taken up during quilting and for stabilization when using a quilting frame. Always add 8" to both the length and width measurements so you have an extra 4" of fabric all around.
I also stocked up on some awesome wool fibers when I visited the Bernina Creative Centre. Cotton batting (used as base to felt fibers) you can also use a Felt Sheet instead.
Needle felting is typically done with a kind of wool called roving, but you can also use wool in other forms, like batting.
Core Wool in felting is generally used for the insides or base layers of felting projects. For needle felting, you might use core wool to needle felt the basic shape of an animal and then cover it with dyed wool. Core wool might be used for the base layer of a picture, whether it is wet felted or needle felted.
People do both! I used to only use wool, but I tried styrofoam and really liked it. The downside is that you can't compress the shape, so basically you can make it bigger but can't make it smaller. You have to get the base shape down pretty well.
- No fraying. Because felt isn't woven, cut edges won't fray. ...
- Inexpensive. ...
- Easily accessible. ...
- Versatile. ...
- The Cons of Working with Felt. ...
- Minimal elasticity. ...
- Coarse texture. ...
- Potential for shrinking.
- Fleece Sheet or Blanket. A fleece sheet or fleece blanket are great alternatives to traditional quilt batting. ...
- Cotton Sheet. A 100% cotton sheet is one of the most affordable and widely available alternatives to quilt batting. ...
- Cotton Yardage. ...
- An Old Quilt or Blanket. ...
- Pieced Batting.
Batting is also used to prevent slippage and help make things appear smoother, it can also be used in between fabrics as a layer of insulation, as padding for cornice boxes, and added wherever extra padding is needed. When wrapping foam cushions, determining the best batting for your project is critical.
Adding a layer of polyester batting to a foam cushion creates a soft, plump cushion. It also helps to round the edges for a great looking pillow. Batting also helps fill in any gaps between the foam and cushion cover.
Typically, current quilters balk at the idea of not using some type of batting between their quilt top and backing, but making a beautiful summer quilt without batting is a perfectly sensible idea. Even very thin low-loft batting inside a quilt can still be slightly warm.
What was used for batting in old quilts?
Prior to the 1950s, most batting was made of cotton, wool, flannel, or from old quilts and sheet blankets. Although cotton batting is still available today and used for traditionally made quilts, most, but not all, mass produced quilts have a polyester batting.
What is the thinnest batting? Thermore® is a very thin, flat and lightweight polyester batting. Hobbs Tuscany® Silk, and our Tuscany® and Heirloom® 100% cotton battings, are made with natural fibers that are also very low loft and offer a flat appearance.
Cotton batting also has quite a bit of stretch, but the fleece seemed to have about twice as much stretch. The fleece is easier to sew through than the cotton batting, since the fibers are not as dense and tightly packed. Another nice thing about the fleece is it doesn't shed fibers as much as cotton.
Quilt Batting is the layer of insulation between the quilt top and back your quilt. This is the middle layer of your "quilt sandwich" that adds warmth to the quilt and can make your quilting design's puffy.
As for your batting and backing, they should be both cut 6-8 inches larger than the quilt top. As you quilt the presser foot actually pushes the quilt top out a bit further. At the same time, if you're adding a lot of stitches to the quilt top, the quilt will shrink up a bit, too.
Feather & Down
The classic quilt filling, feather and down provides plenty of warmth. Down provides the most insulation, while the feather provides weight. The most opulent quilts have a higher percentage of down to feather and are some of the warmest on the market.
Cotton is a great choice for quilt batting, especially if your quilt top and backing are also made from cotton fibers. It's best known for being soft, breathable, warm, and easy to work with. It does shrink when you wash it, which creates a crinkly/puckered look on more dense quilting designs.
