About Cotton Quilt Batting
Batting is what gives quilts their padded, fluffy appearance. Cotton quilt batting is the traditional material used for both hand and machine quilting. Numerous varieties of quilt batting, each with different properties, are intended to suit different purposes and quilter preferences. How a quilt stitches, launders and hangs all depends on the type of batting used.
Loft or Height of Cotton Quilt Batting
The height of cotton batting is known as loft. Sandwiched between the quilt top and the fabric backing, the loft of a particular batting is what determines the quilt's ultimate thickness. Typically, cotton batting is categorized by low, medium or high loft. Low loft is the thinnest, whereas high loft is the thickest. Some manufacturers offer loft choices based on ounces, with heavier weights indicating a higher loft.
Standard Sizes for Batting
Each manufacturer offers cotton quilt batting in a variety of forms for different crafts. Standard sizes, however, are divided into pre-cut sizes and rolls sold by width. Pre-cut cotton quilt batting comes pre-measured and cut into standard bedding sizes such as Crib, Queen, Full or Twin. Rolls come in widths of 45 inches, 48 inches and 90 inches, with some manufacturers offering additional width choices.
Stitching Distances
The distance required between lines of stitching is an important factor in choosing cotton batting for quilts. Some types of cotton batting recommend quilters keep stitching lines just a few inches apart, to prevent the batting from shifting or bunching when laundered. Certain types of quilt batting are bonded, meaning a layer of tighter spun cotton is added to either side of the batting to help hold its shape. Bonded quilt batting allows for up to a 10 inch space between lines of stitching.
Machine or Hand Quilting
Hand quilting requires different batting properties than machine quilting. Since a hand quilter does not have the same power as a machine, quilting through certain types of cotton batting by hand is more difficult for some quilters. As such, many manufacturers specifically label certain types of cotton batting for either hand or machine quilting. Not all manufacturers make such distinctions, but experienced hand quilters typically prefer certain brands, lofts, and stitching distance recommendations when quilting by hand.