Nice thick cotton batting?

Question

I'm making a reversible quilt. The front is a Jacob's Ladder variation, and the back will be an enormous Carpenter's Wheel in blue, turquoise and natural muslin. This is because the intended recipient loves turquoise and blue, but also because I don't have backings in my stash (!) So I would like to find a nice thick cotton batting, recommended by you, my dear friends, so that the back does not cast a "shadow" onto the front. I should mention that the front is country colours and natural muslin as well. Recommendations? Advice? Tips? Websites? Sales? Horror stories?

-- Jo in Scotland

Sally Swindells · Accepted Answer

Have you thought how you are going to quilt it?

I am just completing a baby quilt that I had the bright idea of using a centre 18" panel in the middle (like the front has) surrounded by 4" squares. The front is a little more complicated in design.

Quilting has been difficult, to say the least - lining up the centre panels wasn't easy, and just lets say I will never do a quilt like it again.

Tia Mary · Answer

As Sally asked, how will you quilt this project -- hand or machine?? If by hand I don't think you'd want a really thick batting. Maybe not even if quilting by machine. Why not just add a layer of muslin under either side of the pieced faces? This would help eliminate any possible "show through" of colors from either side. It would likely be a *lot* less money and much easier to quilt than a really thick batting. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

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Johanna Gibson · Answer

Machine quilted - I only do hand quilting for small pieces, as itturns my left hand into a calloused bloody stump.	I like the idea of a layer of muslin on one side, if not both!--  Jo in Scotland

Sally Swindells · Answer

Just finished the machine quilting of the baby quilt - now have to tie the bits that it was impossible to machine quilt without ruining the other side. Really the only way to quilt a double sided quilt is to do a completely all-over pattern like the long-armers do. The way I did it is not recommended!! - ever!!

Pat in Virginia · Answer

Jo: Try Warm and Natural, naturally! I used that for a project that has white and natural muslin RCTQ signature squares mixed with m&m color squares on front and a bright plaid flannelette backing in similar colors. THere is no shadowing. It IS a heavy quilt!NAYY. PAT in VA/USAJohanna Gibs

Pati Cook · Answer

Jo, I have used Warm and Natural/White with no problems in a similar situation.  It is dense enough that there isn't a lot of chance of show through.Pati, in PhxJohanna Gibs

Pauline · Answer

I was just going to suggest Warm & Natural as well.  Not sure if it is available in Scotland though.PaulineNorthern California

Patti · Answer

Well, it is available in England.Don't know about our northern neighbours though?  >gg

Sandy Ellison · Answer

Howdy!One more plug for Hobbs Heirloom batting.Because in my experience it's the best.   ;-DAnd it's from... well, you know.  R/Sandy--in n.Tx., about 100 miles up the road from Hobbs B.F.

Taria · Answer

I like it too and I am not from Tx.  Wegrow fine cotton here in CA also.Hobbs is pretty good with their charitybatting program too. (like Jill uses)TariaSandy Ellis

Roberta Zollner · Answer

I've never noticed any show-through with Hobbs Heirloom. Unless of course you hold it up to a strong light.Roberta in D"Johanna Gibson"  schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:

Nice thick cotton batting?

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