Comparing 5 Fairfield quilt batting samples – which one is for you? by Allison Spence May 15, 2017 written by Allison Spence May 15, 2017 961 I’ve always wanted to collect a selection of batting samples and do some testing on them. This week I’m going to focus on 5 battings from Fairfield. 5 battings from Fairfield I received 5 batting samples: 3 polyester battings, a cotton/polyester blend batting and a cotton batting. I spent some time stitching and washing and want to share my results with you. I began by cutting 14″ squares of each of the batting samples and drawing 12″ squares on each sample. Then I conducted some very scientific experiments! Each day this week I’m going to highlight and compare the 5 battings under a variety of considerations. A batting sample cut and measured at 12″ Here are some questions I want to answer this week. What materials are used in batting and how does that affect the project? How does the thickness or the loft of the batting affect the quilting process and the finished quilt? How does pre-washing and washing after quilting affect the finished quilt? I’ll also look at the 5 battings and how the amount of quilting affects the finished look of the quilt. Let’s take a brief look at each of the batting samples that I received. Poly-Fil Extra-Loft is a 100% polyester batting and can be quilted up to 4″ apart. The information on these packages is very helpful for choosing the right batting for each project. Poly-Fil Extra-Loft batting from Fairfield Poly-Fil Low-Loft is also a 100% polyester batting. The package doesn’t say what the stitching distance is but the website recommends a stitching distance of 2″ – 4″ apart. Poly-Fil Low-Loft batting from Fairfield Poly-Fil Project Fleece is another 100% polyester batting that can be sewn up to 4″ apart. This batting is recommended for a variety of quilting and craft projects. Poly-Fil Project Fleece from Fairfield The Fairfield family of cottons, Quilter’s 80/20 batting is 80% cotton and 20% polyester. Recommended quilting distance is 2″ – 4″. It has been needle punched to keep the layers firmly together. Quilter’s 80/20 batting from Fairfield And the last batting I tested is the Soft & Toasty. This batting is 100% cotton and can be quilted up to 8″ apart. It also is needle punched with a light scrim to give it stability. Soft & Toasty batting from Fairfield Tomorrow, I’ll focus on the cotton battings and follow up the next days with the polyester battings and why we like the battings we do and give some hints on when to use each one. This is part 1 of 5 in this series. Go to part 2: The benefits of cotton batting, how to pre-wash it and how to quilt it Print this page or save as a PDF 0qs155fairfield quilt battingpoly fil extra loft battingpoly fil low loft battingquilter s 80 20 battingsoft toasty batting FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditWhatsappTelegramEmail Allison Spence Allison has an Education degree from University of Winnipeg and many years’ experience teaching aquatics. Allison began teaching sewing and quilting while working at a sewing machine dealer in Calgary, Alberta. She also owned her own fabric store and sewing school for 6 years where she had the wonderful opportunity to teach a wide variety of classes to many sewers, young and old. She now has a studio and classroom in her home and does customer quilts and well as longarm machine rentals. She is a National Handi Quilter Educator. Allison teaches in her studio, locally and in North America. Allison has a very, very supportive husband, 2 daughters and granddaughter close by. previous post Using a little Dazzle and a little Splendor to finish the Studio Bird quilt next post The benefits of cotton batting, how to pre-wash it and how to quilt it YOU MAY ALSO LIKE... 7 easy steps to make a scrappy border... The fool-proof way to add borders to your... The easiest way to do fusible applique |... 5 easy steps to make paper pieced heart... 6 Steps to make letter blocks the easy... DIY quilted Christmas ornaments with Bosal Foam Stabilizer Gütermann Metallic Threads add beauty to your quilting... Add Festive Sparkle to your quilts with Gütermann... Effortless holiday quilting with UNIQUE Pressing Mat and... Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
