A Brief Guide In Shopping For The Perfect Wadding For Quilting

Trying to make a quilt for the first time can seem overwhelming. Where do you start, what do you need, and how do you get a quilt stitched together? The best place to start is by choosing a simple project and breaking down the quilt making process into steps. Tackle each of these one at a time, and you’ll be finishing your very first quilt before you know it. But before that, you need to choose the right fabric for your quilts first. If you plan on using wadding for quilting, then this article is for you. Here are the guidelines to obtain the right quilt wadding for your project. Read below.

Go for white over natural

It's better to buy a white wadding for quilting to avoid having ones with darker flecks, such as natural cotton. Sometimes, these flecks can show through light-coloured fabric, so if you want to use white quilts, make sure you have a strict “No Flecks Allowed” policy.

Know the skinny on scrim

Scrim is the thin layer in some waddings. It stabilises the wadding, making it strong, keeping the fibres from escaping and making the dreaded beard. If you decide to go with a wadding for quilting by the metre with scrim, it’s best to face it toward the back of your project.

Don't get too lofty

One other term you should know when checking out wadding is “loft.” Loft basically refers to how thick or fluffy your wadding is, with lower loft being thinner. If you want to showcase your piecing than your quilting lines and desire a flatter finish, buy a low-loft quilt wadding. However, if you are hand quilting, choose low loft no matter how amazing your stitches are to make it easier. Go for higher loft if you want a nice, puffy quilt with very visible quilting lines.

Check your preferences

You need to decide whether you want texture on your quilt or prefer seeing the stitching line. If you like texture, choose a blended quilt wadding (a combination of polyester and cotton), wool, or 100 percent polyester. Without it, unquilted areas like feathers won’t puff up and create the contrast you’re looking for. For extra loft without adding weight, try adding a layer of wool wadding over a base layer of cotton or blended wadding. The wool helps support the unquilted areas without feeling stiff or bulky. Want to see the stitching lines instead? Then stick with 100 percent cotton or bamboo. Both wadding types have very little loft and showcase the stitches well. If you’re thread painting, stick with denser, flat wadding to reduce distortion and puckering from the close stitches.

Consider the finished size

You need to ensure your quilt top will fit your pillow top mattress after you wash it. Though heavy quilting can draw up the quilt, some cotton wadding can shrink as much as 5 percent. That may not seem like a lot—but if you do the math, your 100-inch square quilt could end up only measuring 95 inches when it comes out of the dryer. That’s why you need to consider the finished size to buy the correct wadding for quilting by the metre.

Go for a combination of materials

Wadding is now available in a range of blends such as cotton/polyester, cotton/bamboo as well as eco-friendly recycled cotton/polyester. The ratio of blends can also vary from 50/50 to 70/30 or 80/20 so there is a lot to choose from. If you don't know what wadding to buy, consider these products. They are easy to work with and often loftier and lighter while still providing the benefits of natural fibres.

Consider silk wadding

Wadding is a premium product and represents the ultimate in luxury for many quilters. Some silk products contain a small percentage of polyester which the manufacturer incorporates for binding of the fibres, reducing the chance of bearding. However, this type of wadding is costly and needs gentle treatment; you need to hand-wash and air-dry it.

These are the guidelines you can follow to obtain the right wadding for quilting. If you are new to quilting, try not to worry too much about the choice as this guide can help you. Another suggestion is that you stick with 100% cotton or any cotton blend, and you’ll be just fine. Anything with cotton will be a safe choice as it not too thick to work with, and it gives a good amount of warmth and lovely texture. With more experience, you will have your favourite wadding, so it will be easier to pick the right quilt wadding for each project. You can also use this article as a guide!