Best Batting for Quilting Reviewed 2021 and Buying Tips

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 If you have been dreaming of making a layered quilting project, then the best batting for quilting is your way to go. You can spend hours choosing the backing fabric right, choosing the fabric and matching threads but getting a great quilt is what you can’t see.

If you do it right, the end results will be awesome and if you do it wrong and you won’t embrace the end results.

Whether you want the best quilt batting for machine quilting or the best batting for hand quilting, you are in the right place. This article guides you to everything you need to know about the best quilting batting. Continue reading.

10 Best Batting for Quilting At A Glance

In this section, you can see the 10 best quilting batting quick links from amazon. By this link, you will able to check the price, customer reviews, and products other detail. On the other hand, I reviewed each quilting batting individually in my reviews section. Now check the shortlist below.

• Warm company batting 72 inches by 90 inch
• Warm company 90 by 108 natural cotton batting
• Tosnail 90 by 108-inch soft natural cotton batting
• IZO home goods 24-inch wide dracon (10 yards) quilt batting
• Hobbs batting heirloom cotton queen batting 
• Bosal Katahdin on a roll organic cotton batting 
• Batting natural warm cotton stabilizing binder
• Warm company 72 by 90-inch batting
• Bosal Katahdin 100% organic cotton batting
• Pellon wrap n zap microwave projects batting

What is Quilt Batting

Quilt batting is also known as quilt wadding or quilt padding is used in quilting projects and various sewing.

Batting is filling the quilts to make them heavy and warm. It is manufactured from wool, polyester or cotton. And with the evolution of technology everyday, recently manufacturers began to use bamboo fibers.

Types of Wadding

You can do batting using different types of materials. Some of the most used materials to create batting includes:

Cotton

No wonder it is the most popular choice among the quilters. This is because it is breathable, natural, soft and light. Batting made from 100% cotton is ⅛ thick.

Wool batting

Because it is very warm and lightweight, wool batting is a natural and lofty deal for quilters. Wool is resistant to creases and thick ( ½) enough to be used in a wide variety of projects. . It springs back as well as holding its shape. You can use it for machine or hand quilting and you can also tie.

Polyester batting

While a synthetic material is loved for its thickness and holds its shape well, it has its drawbacks and benefits. It is thicker plus non-breathable however, it is lighter, resistant to mildew and mold and keeps you warm. You can choose this batting for cribs and beddings.

You can get the material in wide range of thickness but it depends on weight starting from: ⅜, ¾,½ amd 1. Choose what fits you best.

Bamboo batting

This natural fiber batting is not only eco-friendly but gentle too. It is an incredible bet for machine quilting. To get the best out of your bamboo batting, you can blend 50% cotton and 50% bamboo.

This will provide an excellent breathable material, however, it may shrink slightly when washed.

Needle punch batting

This type of batting generally uses lots of needles to felt the batting together mechanically. It is denser and firmer thus used for blankets, apparel and durable quilt backing.

Cotton/poly blends

This batting is 20% polyester and 80% cotton. It has more lofts and of course benefits of cotton as it makes up the majority of the material thus you get some more benefit of a natural fiber and breathability

Fusible batting

Contains fusible web allowing basting of layers. When you use this batting, layer batting, quilt batting and quilt top together. Ideally, use a wool setting on your iron, press from the centre each are 3to 4 seconds. Once done, allow the quilt to cool and repeat on the other side.

Bonded batting

You can use this method as easily as you can imagine. It holds fibers together through a light adhesive on its both sides. The benefit of this is that your batting won’t beard or shift. You might ask what is bearding, well, bearding is when batting fibers push through the fabric.

10 Best Quilting Batting Reviews

Whether you are new in the world of quilting, or experienced or even want to change your quilting batting, you can agree that sometimes it can be overwhelming to choose which batting you want, from the many options out there.

No to worry! The following review from a professional will rule out your worries and help you to make a valid yet exceptional decision of your lifetime. Let’s dive in.

1. Warm Company Batting 72 Inch by 90 Inch

Warm company batting 72 by 90 inch Is ideal batting for both indoor and outdoor batting. It includes 72 inch and 90 inch batting and there is no need to prewash; it is machine washable after quilting.

The batting is lightweight, soft and dries quickly ( you can wash and then dry your quilts to dry). It is thin which is a great benefit and more, it can keep you warm when cuddled up on the couch.

The price is great compared to other brands and of very high quality. It is a natural cotton  batting and always recommended by professional quilters. It is 100% cotton batting and especially works well for quilt as you go quilting.

The fabrics stick very well to the batting without pins or basting spray. It is recommended for baby quilts. Polyester batting can melt with heat so you can use 100% cotton in your baby quilts or for your pot holders.

Notable features

• Dimensions – 78.74 by 78.74 by 78.74 inches.
• Weight – 220 pounds.
• Size – 72 by 90 inches.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Value for money
• Easy to clean
• Easy to use
• Natural
• Warm and soft

Cons

• Smell bad
• Seedy

2.Warm Company 90 by 108 Natural Cotton Batting

Warm company warm company 90 by 108 inch folds out nicely into a large sheet to sandwich a quilt. It is great for beginners and also  cuts nicely and you can get a needle through it without problem.

Incredible  batting for not only summer but also for warmer areas because it is lightweight and thin. However, in colder climate areas you most likely will need to use 2 quilts that use warm and natural batting inside to keep you warm in winter, or use another type of batting.

You will love the fact that it is precut, easy to use on the machine and provides the right amount of loft for the quilt.

You will have no problems with batting as cotton does not melt with high temperatures. The evenly layered fibers will stay in place inside your quilt even after a lifetime of gentle washings. It contains no resins or glues.

Notable features

• Dimensions – 11.50 by 8.00 by 16.50 inches
• Weight – 2ibs
• Fabric content – 12% polypropylene scrim, 88% natural cotton.
• Size – 90 by 108 inches

Pros

• Durable
• Easy to use
• Easy to handle
• Lightweight
• Value for money
• No prewash
• Breathable warmth

Cons

• Comes apart after one wash

3. Tosnail 90 by 108 Inch Soft Natural Cotton Batting

Tosnail 90 by 108 soft natural cotton batting is a great large size for multipurpose use. The material which is 99% natural cotton and 1% non woven fabric is covered with a thin layer of non-woven fabric for good tension.

It has less than 3% shrinking with no pre-soaking necessary and it will not shift gather or beard. There is no need to prewash as it is machine washable after quilting.

You will love the flexibility of the needled cotton that makes it ideal for both inside and outside use. The quality is on point and you will love the light weight and softness of your quilt.

The batting is of good value for money and perfect if you are making the rag quilt. Aslo, it is good for summer weather as  its lightweight is incredible for making a cooler and less heavy blanket.

You will love the weight as your fabric will not move on batting, very soft with no thin spots and it is easy to needle as you hand quilt. Very perfect if you make many quilts.

Notable features

• Dimensions – 13.8 by 8.8 by 5 inches.
• Weight – 1.7 pounds.
• Size – 90 by 108 inches
• Material – natural cotton

Pros

• Easy to use
• Value for money
• Durability
• Flexibility
• Softness
• Lightweight

Cons

• Sheds a lot
• Leaves lint on quilts

4. IZO Home Goods 24 Inch Wide Dracon (10 yards) Quilt Batting

IZO home good 24 inch is natural polyester quilt fabric by the yard ⅜ thick pad. The natural fabric / natural white quilt can be wrapped around upholstery foam to add loft to any foam mattress, cribs, couch cushions, chair cushion and car seat cushions.

It is used for wrapping and webbing foam cushion, pillow stuffing, couch covers, quilts, cribs, padding, foam mattress crib and many other foam upholstery applications.

The mist fabric is sold by the yard. This multipurpose fiber is a superior choice for DYIer in need of a high quality, inexpensive product for cushioning or craft projects. The fiber is easy to cut, that’s why it is ideal for a variety of applications.

It helps smooth out the bumps and also, you can use it in canvas insert for dog beds because it features the perfect amount of cushioning and stiffness.

This product comes vacuum-sealed and will fluff up once you open. It might seem a bit thin to you however you can fold it up and layer it to make it thicker for your needs.

It is easy to use and will stay where it is placed without slipping. For the fish keepers, it is good as pond filtering material. The material is strong yet porous enough to trap algae in the pond filter system.

Notable features

• Dimensions – 14 by 8 by 6 inches.
• Weight – 1.81 pounds
• Size – 10 yards (24 wide)
• Material – natural cotton

Pros

• Durability
• Value for money
• Easy to use
• Lightweight
• Softness
• Stiffness

Cons

• No loft
• Thin

5. Hobbs Batting Heirloom Cotton Queen Batting 

Hobby batting heirloom cotton queen is great for any project. You can comfortably complete your project with batting and fill. The pre-cut is sold in a box and a roll of batting.

Heirloom is wonderful to quilt by machine or hand and it is made with 80% natural cotton and 20% fine polyester. It is needle punched and has a light resin bonding to provide excellent strength and durability.

Close quilting yields a flat low loft appearance while more space between stitching lines yields a slightly  higher loft. You will find batting easy to iron as wrinkles come out quickly.

By using this batting, you will find a good medium effect as not too dense or too low. It has good coverage, and all over evenness. It will never fuzz, pill or shift.

It is very convenient, very easy and you can use it to make quilts for babies as gifts or larger throws. Also, you can use the batting for wall hanging applique quilts. It has enough loft so that small pieces have some puff to them but does not add a lot of weight

It is wonderful for hand quilting shrinks just enough to produce a marvelous quilted look and feel to hand quilted projects. You will never use anything else.

You will love the way it drapes on a bed and although it is fluffy it is easy to stitch through on a regular  sewing machine. It is easy to use and at a fair price.

Notable features

• Dimensions – 24.5 by 14.5 by 15 inches.
• Weight – 1.38 pounds.
• Size – 90 by 108 inches

Pros

• Value for money
• Easy to use
• Durability
• Lightweight
• Softness

Cons

• Not good quality
• Paper thin

6. Bosal Katahdin on a Roll Organic Cotton Batting 

Bosal katahdin batting is 100% organic cotton batting on a 2-¼ inch by 50 yard roll. You can use the batting to make jelly roll rugs, purses and more.

It is triple carded , needle punched cotton and no pre-shrinking required. It is 100% natural with no scrims or resins. However, packaging may differ.

You can make your own batik jelly roll rug and the cotton bosal strips are an awesome product to use because you don’t have to cut your own strips.

The weight is consistent through the whole roll and of very good quality. It will save you hours of cutting and making your rug. It is right in size, length as well as the right thickness.

It is easy to use, thick and extremely big like the size of a steering wheel and also, perfect for the new rug pattern out now.  It is perfect for a novice quilter, looking for ways to save wear and tear of endless hand quilting.

The delively is timely, good price and you will save a few dollars by buying two.

Notable features

• Dimensions – 12.87 by 12.71 by 2.48 inches
• Weight – 12 ounces.
• Size – 1 pack
• Material – 100% organic cotton

Pros

• Softness
• Easy to use
• Value for money
• Durability
• Lightweight

Cons

• Bad product packaging
• Not necessarily continuous

7. Batting Natural Warm Cotton Stabilizing Binder

Batting natural warm cotton stabilizing binder is 100% batting for quilting and also, has a stabilizing scrim binder so stitching can be spaced up to 8-10 apart. Plus it is excellent for machine quilting.

The batting is made with ultra-clean natural cotton and the 9 yard bolt makes 3 queen-size quilts. You will love everything about this batting as it adds strength, it is durable and soft to quilting projects.

You will be glad to have this very wide bolt of low loft soft batting for projects of all sizes. We advise you to keep your iron away from the scrim side of the batting and/or use a pressing cloth because the scrim coating  will instantly melt onto the iron.

It is a fine polyester mesh or coating on one side that helps keep the fibers together. That said, you can quilt with this as far as 10 apart, an added advantage to you.

Tip – batting can have a “back” side and that needle -punched batting like this should be sewn with the front side up, so the machine needle penetrates in the same direction as the needle punching to reduce bearding.

Notable features

• Dimensions – 324.00 by 96.00 by 9.00 inches
• Weight – 5.85ibs
• Material – cotton
• Color – natural

Pros

• Easy to use
• Lightweight
• Softness
• Durability
• Value for money
• Breathable

Cons

• Not 100% cotton
• Too lightweight

8. Warm Company 72 by 90 Inch Batting

Warm company 72 by 90 inch warm and white cotton batting is ideal for indoor or outdoor use. You don’t have to prewash as it is machine washable after quilting.

This 100% USA grown cotton is punched with hundreds of needles through a thin base material (polymer fibers) to prevent shifting and tearing, migrating or creeping through the cover fabric making it 87-½ percent cotton /12-½ percent polymer fibers plus the batting will not separate the bunch or beard.

Needled cotton’s flexibility makes it ideal for both outside and inside use as mentioned earlier. Fibers are held together without glue so a quilting needle glides easily through the batting. What an awesome difference.

It can be used as an exterior fabric, quilt up to 10 inch apart, it easily dyes and your fabric will cling to the batting while quilting. This batting is great,  It is easy to quilt, not puffy and provides plenty of warmth.

Warm and natural/warm and white are the best if you wish to be rewarded for your efforts. Soft and delightful to work with. If you are going to the trouble of making a quilt, use this best batting available thin and easy to work with, but also quite warm.

Notable features

• Dimensions – 16 by 4.5 by 15.8 inches.
• Weight – 1.29 pounds.
• Size – 72 by 90 inch
• Color – white

Pros

• Easy to use
• Value for money
• Lightweight
• Durability
• Easy to work
• Warm

Cons

• A bit thicker
• Sheds

9. Bosal Katahdin 100% Organic Cotton Batting

Bosal katahdin 100% organic cotton batting is blend cut in 2-½ in strips and on a 50 yard roll. This batting works incredibly for the colossal round rug, the jelly roll rug and the jelly roll rug 2.

There is no pre shrinking required and it is 100% natural, no scrims or resins. It is well worth the price in exchange for convenience and time saving. It works great, longer length, so no splicing.

It is so soft and you will love the larger roll of batting which means you don’t have to join ends to make a larger jelly roll rug.

Notable features

• Dimensions – 13.5 by 13. 3 by 3.7 inches.
• Fabric type – organic cotton
• Weight – 15. 8 ounces
• Size – 1 pack

Pros

• Easy to use
• Value for money
• Durability
• Lightweight
• Saves time
• Economical size

Cons

• Expensive

10. Pellon Wrap n zap Microwave Projects Batting

Pellon wraps n zap microwave batting uses only 100% cotton fabric, thread and batting. It is a microwave safe product. Thus, never leave microwave unattended. The microwave should be in 2 minutes intervals.

It is an excellent cotton batting and the consistency is really good. You can make many bowl cozies for christmas gifts, and you will love the fact that this batting is of great quality for the money.

However, when batting, do not microwave longer than eight minutes. You can buy a bolt which is much cheaper than buying one package at a time.

For example, if you are making microwave bowl holders or hot pads, you need to use a product specifically made for the microwave and not just cotton batting as it can catch fire.  It will work wonderfully.

Notable features

• Dimensions – 10.5 by 4.25 by 24.75 inches
• Weight – 1.75 pounds
• Size – 22 by 10 yard board.
• Type – natural

Pros

• Easy to use
• Value for money
• Durability
• Lightweight
• Microwave projects

Cons

• Batting comes wrinkled
• Not thick

How to Select the Best Quilting Batting

If you want to find the right batting for your needs or awesome projects, you will need to be certain about a variety of things. These includes:

How you will wash your quilt

Laundering is vital for your quilting because some type of batting may break down more easily whether you are using a machine or hand wash.

Some of the questions you need to ask yourself are: How often will you be washing your quilt? Are you going to wash it using a washing machine or hand wash? Do you want your batting to shrink in the wash? All these are some of things to put into consideration when it comes to this sensitive part of washing.

Why? Take for instance – Bamboo will definitely shrink in the wash. Bonded batting holds up excellent when washed. And, if you are planning to use wool batting, then you will need to wash by hand.

Size

Size is another crucial thing you need to put into consideration for your batting process to run smoothly. You have the option to buy it off the bolt and in your own custom size plus you can purchase batting pre-packaged and mostly in standard sizes for bedding which may include: crip 60 by 46, king 100 by 92, double 78 by 87, twin 63 by 87 and queen 84 by 92 and craft 46 by 36

Quilt usage

It is very important to know the usage of your quilt so you can well determine your batting process. For you to find the right one for your project consider questions like: What do you need your quilt for? Is it a childs quilt? Wall quilt, bed quilt, garment or baby quilt? Do you need best batting for longarm quilting or best wool batting for hand quilting?

Generally, cotton is popularly used for garments, polyester mostly used for bed quilts and crips while bamboo is also a great choice for baby quilts.

Quilting method

The method you use will determine immensely on your batting process because they are not the same. Therefore, you need to choose this wisely. Some of the concerns are: Will be quilting by the help of a machine or by hand.

Bear in mind that the method you choose will play a significant role in which type of batting you choose.

Loft – Typically, the thickness or weight of your batting is measured by its loft. And, so, Low loft batting means thin and high loft batting means thick. The choice is yours. You can choose high loft batting if you want a comforter or fluffier and also it is suitable for machine quilting. And you can choose a low loft if you want your finished project to have a flatter appearance like for placing mats and for wall hangings.

Bamboo is the lightest loft of all for batting and ideal for machine quilting. Wool batting is the best because of its thickness and another thing you should know is batting comes in off-white colors and white colors.

Bamboo batting and polyester batting drape more perfectly than wool and cotton batting.

Warmth

When batting you need to consider the weather also. The warmest batting is wool, second polyester and lastly cotton. However, wool and cotton are more breathable than polyester.

Price

Of course, you need to go buy something which will not dry your pockets but at the same time cater for your needs. Choose wisely. Wool is the most expensive, followed by cotton and the least expensive is polyester.

How do you tell if batting is 100% cotton?

When buying materials or clothings in stores, they are usually labelled thus you know exactly what you are getting. However, if you purchase from a third party reseller, you might want to know what the clothing or materials is. There many ways you can determine if a material is 100% or not which includes:

Burn test – take a small piece of fiber and burn it with a match. 100% cotton will not melt but burn leaving behind a fine gray ash. Cotton burns quickly at a steady rate producing a yellowish flame. Try this test and if it fits the above characteristics then it is cotton.

Wet your material or fabric – Cotton doesn’t dry as quickly as other fabrics. Thus, when put on water it will hold as it dries. Also, if you use hot water, cotton shrinks. This is so because it is natural and can shrink up to 5% from a dose of hot water. Don’t be worried if you immerse it  in hot water as it will stretch thus won’t be ruined.

Feel your fabric – Cotton is soft when you feel it thus won’t cling on you. It has a fixed shape and is stretchy. If you pull your material or cloth there will be a little bit of give. You will feel substantive and wont tear or rip easily. It is not delicate compared to other fabrics.

Tips and Tricks of Quilt Batting

• Many quitters have a favorite batting brand, one or two. However, if you are a newbie, don’t hesitate to try and experiment with as many brands as possible and you can go ahead and get recommendations from professional quitters too.

• If you prefer a design with wider spacing between quilting lines or you are starting out, scrim which means a light layer of woven fibers added to cotton batting can be your safeguard. This is because it helps to hold the batting together and acts as a stabilizer.

• Batting comes in different colors. Thus, you can use black batting in dark quilts, bleached batting in very light quilts and natural batting on medium value colors.

Where Should You buy Batting for Quilts

You can purchase batting depending on the size you want. You can buy in bulk or in small quantities. You can buy them in stores or online and good news, batting goes on sale often most especially in massive stores. I recommend buying from Amazon

Related Topics:

• Best quilting rotary cutter reviewed and buying guide.
• Best cutting mats for quilting reviewed and buying tips.
• Best quilting notions reviewed and buying tips.

FAQ

Q – How much batting do you need for a queen size quilt

A – For a queen-size quilt, you will need a mattress dimension of 60 by 80. Approximate quilt size 86 by 93 and pre-packaged batting size of 90 by 108.

Q – What can you use in batting for a quilt

A – Three most common types of quilting batting used are cotton/poly blend, polyester and 100% cotton. However, in recent years, silk, wool and bamboo have become more accessible.

Q – What is a high loft quilt

A – As mentioned earlier, highloft means thick. Thus, if you want a comfortable or fluffier loft, then go for a high loft quilt.

Q – How thick is high loft batting

A – High loft batting measures ½ inch and an extra high loft measures 1 inch thick.

Q – What is scrim in quilt batting

A – Scrim is a lightweight glue that holds batting fibers in place as you stitch. However note not all battings have scrims.

Conclusion

Choosing the best batting for quilting will never be the same after the above simple and yet effective guide on how to go about it. You have the best quilting batting and now it is time to choose one or two or even three in order to smoothen your journey of quilting. Happy quilt batting.