Batting & Backing

Your choice of batting thickness will reflect your choice of quilting. If you opt to hand quilt, select a thinner batting, since you will have difficulty quilting through three thick layers of material. If you are going to quilt using your sewing machine, you can select a thicker batting material. The machine's power should have no problem going through these layers. If you do choose a thicker batting, however, you should choose a needle that will work well.

A popular batting material is "Warm and Natural" needled cotton batting. This batting comes in a sheet and will not bunch or clump together no matter how many times the quilt is washed. The cotton is needle punched that allows the batting to take on a comfortable texture without the additions of resins or glues. The even consistency of the batting makes hand quilting a breeze, but the material is also popular with machine quilters.

If you're interested in trying different types of battings but are do not want to commit to purchasing the batting without sampling first, think of throwing a batting party. Each quilter has a favorite type of materials to use—including batting. Inviting members of a quilting group to bring their favorite type of batting allows quilters to swap and share their materials. This way, everyone will be able to sample quilting with different types of batting without having to purchase large quantities of materials.