Wadding is the middle layer of a quilt, it goes between the quilt top and quilt backing to provide softness and warmth. The type of wadding you choose to use will affect the final look and feel of your quilt.
The weight and thickness of a wadding is measured by its loft. Low loft means thin, high loft means thick. Best to select a low loft variety if you want your project to have a flat finish. For a quilt, select a higher loft wadding – wool batting is usually the thickest batting.
Wool is the warmest type of wadding, followed by polyester and then cotton. Cotton and wool wadding breathe better than polyester.
Cotton is a traditional choice for quilt and is usually 1/8” thick. It’s main advantage is that it is the same material as the fabric, but it does have a tendency to ‘drag’ on the needle; which will only cause a problem when stitching by hand.
Polyester is a cheaper alternative to cotton batting and has much better washability properties than any natural fibre. It holds its shape and thickness well and provides a thicker finish but without added weight. It is the perfect choice if the quilt will be machined washed on a regular basis.
Wool wadding obviously has great thermal properties and so lends itself to bed covers, lap quilts and so on. In some rare cases a user may have an allergy to wool. It is crease resistant and usually ½” thick. However, it won’t stand up to frequent washing.
See our range of wadding below.
