Batting University (Part 1) Dream Cotton and Dream Poly Batting

One of the biggest advantages to choosing Quilters Dream Batting is that we make so many types of quilt batting (nine and counting. 9!) that there is always a perfect Dream Batting for whatever quilt you want to make. We are thrilled to be able to offer you so many great options in various lofts!  However, the more choices available, the harder it can be to choose the perfect batting for your quilt!

Not every batting is perfect for every quilt, and your choice the foundation of your quilt will affect not only the warmth, but how the finished quilt will look, wash, hang, drape and feel. Not everyone has the same goal in making a quilt. A quilt that will be traveling to the quilt shows will need different specifications from a quilt that will be snuggled by a pizza eating toddler!

I am often asked which type of quilt batting is best, and I answer with a lot of questions, such as:

• Will you be hand-quilting, machine quilting (longarm or shortarm), or will your quilt be tied?
• How will your quilt be used?  
• Do you want to emphasize your quilting?  Do you want a more traditional look or a modern look?
• Do you need the quilt to keep you very warm? Keep you cool?
• Be easy to wash and dry? 
• How important is flame retardancy? 

To help you find the perfect batting for your quilt,, Quilters Dream Batting will be hosting a month long, four installment "Batting University”.


Batting University is about choices, and helping to make sure your finished quilt is perfect for whatever goal you have in mind because every quilt (even that pizza stained one on the back of my couch) is a treasure!   So here we go....

QUILTERS DREAM COTTON 

The original Quilters Dream batting that put us on the quilting map!   We introduced Quilters Dream Batting at Charlotte Quilt Spring Market in the mid 1990's -- a new type of high quality 100% cotton batting unlike any other.... and the response from shop owners, professional quilters, and teachers was incredible!   When we arrived at Charlotte the name of our batting was "Quilters Cotton" - but thanks to a well known teacher and hand quilter swooning "this just Quilts like a Dream".... the name Quilters Dream Batting and our tag line "Quilts Like a Dream" were born!    Listening and learning from our quilters is what we do... and the variety of having four lofts of Quilters Dream Cotton Batting (along with our other great battings) are the results of your requests!

Quilters Dream Cotton Request Loft (Aqua Label): 
Request Loft is the very lightest weight batting.  

Quilters Dream Cotton Select Loft (Pink Label)
 The Dream Cotton Select loft is our most popular midloft.

Quilters Dream Cotton Deluxe Loft (Purple Label)
The Deluxe Loft is exceptionally warm while being exceptionally soft. 

Quilters Dream Cotton Supreme Loft - 100% USA Cotton
The weightiest of ALL cotton battings - for machine quilting only.   
 

Click here for more Loft information:   Unique Features of Each Loft 

 

Quilters Dream Cotton Batting:

Advantages:
Some shrinkage (1-3%) upon washing/drying for the slightly puckered look.
100% natural cotton a renewable fiber, grown by USA farmers.  There are no scrim, glue, resins or binders in Quilters Dream Cotton - so it is truly 100% natural.
Dream Cotton is Available in 4 lofts from very lightest cotton batting (Request loft) to the very heaviest cotton batting on the market (Supreme loft).
Beautiful drape – the Request and Select lofts are especially huggable
Very warm – cotton has a high thermal value, so it is a great insulator.  The Deluxe and Supreme lofts are extra-extra warm.
One of the many natural advantages of 100% cotton is that the fibers naturally absorbs moisture to help keep you comfy.
We use one of the longest and highest grade USA staple cotton fiber available.  Using high quality long fibers and state of the art needlepunch manufacturing allows us to produce the ultimate in cotton batting.  This enables you to  stitch up to 8" apart (giving you great design freedom) or you can stitch very close together and keep an exceptional soft
lovely drape – excellent for stippling.
Curly natural soft cotton fibers are cohesive and  resist poking through and bearding. Disadvantages: Natural color of cotton can give beige undertones to white fabric (recommend using bleached Dream Cotton or Dream Poly for white fabrics). Cost compared to man-made fibers. Shrinkage/puckering effect may not be desirable for your quilt style. Can impart a crease/fold line that needs ironed or steamed out. Not recommended for utilitarian tied quilts. Does not dry as quickly as polyester battings. ________________________________________

QUILTERS DREAM POLY:   

Definitely NOT Polyester as Usual!   With the invention of fine denier microfibers (one of the biggest breakthroughs in polyester) came new advantages to using polyester fibers.   In Dream Poly there are over 60 million soft silky microfibers per pound (standard polyester batts uses about 5 million fibers per pound).   Our exclusive blend and needlepunch processing of these revolutionary microfibers gives Dream Poly exceptional hand, beautiful drape, warmth, better breathability and comfort, surpassing all other polyester batts! 
You wont believe it is polyester!

Quilters Dream Poly Request  (Bright Teal Label/Yellow Daisies)
The lightest poly batting

Quilters Dream Poly Select  (Bright Pink Label/Yellow Daisies)
Ideal Mid-loft Poly Batting

Quilters Dream Poly Deluxe  (Bright Purple Label/Yellow Daisies)
Weightiest of the Polyester Battings

Quilters Dream Poly Batting:

Advantages:
Needlepunched poly microfibers mimic cotton fibers, so you get the look and feel of cotton
Available in 3 lofts from very light weight to heavy weight - choices for both hand and machine quilters.
No shrinkage, so quilting will look the same after washing, maintain just quilted look.   Excellent choice for modern quilters and modern quilting.
Will not hold a crease, even if it is folded up for months
Does not absorb moisture, so it dries very quickly and will not hold a stain
Less expensive
Breathable – there are no scrims or other barriers that would inhibit airflow
Very long fine denier fibers – no lint on the machine or in the air!
Fine denier microfibers bend when in contact with fabric, so they resist bearding Available in bright white or true midnight Black. Excellent for tied quilts. Disadvantages: Not a natural fiber (man made) Does not impart a puckered, antiqued look.

Check back soon for Part 2 of Dream Batting University where we will cover Dream Green and Dream Orient batting. 

 Can't Wait to learn more?   For extra credit and more information Click Here:  Additional Quilters Dream Batting product information
 

Have you heard about Fusion

We have something new for you to stick to!

We have taken our Dream Cotton and Dream Poly and 'infused' them with soft fusible fibers. Our unique process of needle punching to one side of the batting allows us to maintain the consistency, softness, and drape-ability of the Dream Cotton and Dream Poly with the added benefit of fusible webbing.
Dream Fusion is a wonderfully convenient option for combining the qualities of Quilters Dream Batting while eliminating the need for pinning and basting. Can be used on quilts, tablerunners or place of interfacing for handbags and small craft projects.

Look Ma', no basting!

Unruly seams? Use Quilters Dream Fusion to lock those seams in place! No need to re-iron your seams time and time again.

Too many seams!

Locked and loaded!

It is so easy.... Simply place the fusible side (a little bit more texture and shine than top side) against the back side of your fabric (back side to back side)...

Set your iron based on your fabric... with Wool or cotton setting being the best for quicker fusing. Slowly iron the fabric (not the batting) from the center out - keeping heat and light pressure slowly moving in each area for a few seconds.... then allow to cool....

Be careful not to get your iron on the fusible webbing. If you do, swipe your iron across a used dryer sheet to remove any residue.
Then quilt, sew, embroidery or let your imagination run wild!

Once quilted, Dream Fusion batting is machine washable and machine dry (cool settings suggested) and may be dry cleaned.


Dream Fusion is solvent-free it's use is environmentally friendly. ...and your hand, short-arm or longarm needles will not 'gum up' while using Dream Fusion.

Call us for a free sample 888-268-8664.

Happy Quilting!
~The Dream Team

Quilters Dream Angel- Flame Retardant Batting

QUILTERS DREAM ANGEL BATTING

The first quilt batting made 100% from Flame Retardant Fibers.

We have had quite a few calls and emails lately inquiring about the unique feature of our Quilters Dream Angel batting. It may sound as if this wonderful product is made from feathers and clouds but that might make a mess of a quilt!
Although the process of creating Dream Angel is our trade secret, we are excited to give you a little more inside knowledge!

What is it made of?

Dream Angel fibers are neither cotton nor polyester - they are specially engineered fibers created to be flame retardant. These man-made fibers contain no PBDE's, bromides or chemical additives. You cannot rub or wash off the flame retardant quality due to the fibers being inherently flame retardant. We have spent years of research in developing this proprietary product. We did not take any 'shortcuts' on this batting and use ONLY Flame Retardant Fibers.

Gidget (office mascot) showing off the Dream Angel

What makes it flame retardant?

Dream Angel is self-extinguishing. This means it draws oxygen away helping to extinguish a flame. When in contact with flame the batting will not melt or assist to 'kindle' or support the flame. The Dream Angel fibers have met international flame retardant standards.

Test results were….?

Dream Angel's test results were exceptional!
During the testing by an independent testing laboratory, the batting was placed between 2 layers of cotton fabric and elevated on to a mesh rack (to promote airflow). The top layer of fabric was caught on fire and the batting formed a barrier preventing the bottom layer of cotton from being damaged at all! Dream Angel passed this difficult test standard: the California Dept. of Consumer Affairs - Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation Draft - Technical Bulletin 604 for Filling Materials Component Test Open-Flame Resistance.

Why would I use this?

The Dream Angel is very soft and breathable and quite easy to handle and use. This lightweight cream colored batting washes and handles similar to the Dream Cotton but has the added feature of being made from Flame Retardant fibers. Safety can never be guaranteed, but we feel that Dream Angel is an excellent choice for children/baby quilts, teen and college quilts, nursing homes, Christmas tree skirts.

Want to see for yourself? Give us a call for a free sample. 888.268.8664



Happy Quilting!

~The Dream Team

Dream Wool - It's B'ewe'tiful!

Have you been searching for a type of batting that will give your quilt more definition than usual? Our Dream Wool may be just what you are looking for! Dream Wool will show off your stitches beautifully – your designs will pop and your quilt will be extra snuggly, without it turning into a "comforter".

I don’t know about you, but when I think of wool, I think of my grandmother’s wool jacket from the 1950’s that my 16 year old daughter now owns - it is scratchy, heavy, bulky, and beautiful, but not what you would want for a quilt batting. Quilters Dream Wool has about 1/3 – ½ inch of loft, but it is very light weight, soft, breathable, and machine washable. Certainly not at all what I think of when I hear wool!

The type of sheep used makes a huge difference in the softness of the wool. Quilters Dream uses a high quality USA Merino and Domestic wool from the U.S.A. that is scoured, combed, and super washed into pure loveliness. The fibers are then carded and crosslapped for consistency, then thermally bonded for strength and durability.

Thermal bonding is a process of producing batting made by combining the main fiber, wool, with a low-melt poly fiber and then sending the fibers through an oven. The low-melt poly fibers melt and adhere to the wool fibers holding them securely in place. Because wool fibers are barbed, they are notorious for shrinking, bearding, shifting, and causing all sorts of other problems. (The fibers catch on each other, and when handled or washed they catch tighter and tighter until you have a lump of wool) The thermal bonding process used in Dream Wool secures the wool fibers firmly in place so there is very little shrinkage ( ½ a percent) and no bunching or shifting, while keeping the batting soft and breathable. It also holds the fibers apart so that the batting is easy to wash and air dries quickly.

Dream Wool can be hand quilted too. Even with the extra loft, when basted, your quilt sandwich will be flat enough to get the rocking motion needed for hand quilting. And because there is no scrim or glue used as a stabilizer, the needle goes right through without resistance. It is also stable enough to be easily machine quilted either with the domestic machine or on the long arm.

You can stitch up to 8 inches apart, so your quilt will not have to be “quilted to death.” If you desire the faux-trapunto look, quilt heavily where you want a flatter look, and more openly in the areas you want to pop – just look at Terri Stegmiller’s Green & Pink quilt! It is a stunning example of the faux-trapunto look.



Do take into consideration the heat when using Dream Wool – it cannot be ironed or dried on high heat, or the fibers can become stiff and the batting flat, so be sure and air dry your quilt when using Dream Wool!

Call us today and we will be delighted to send a free sample square of Dream Wool for you to feel. Then let me know if you love Dream Wool as much as I do!

Happy Quilting!

~The Dream Team

Getting Back To Basics

This past weekend my family hatched two tiny fuzzy chicks in an incubator in our spare bedroom. I am a logic-minded person, and hatching eggs and raising chickens is not a logical thing to do. The cost of the incubator, feeder, waterer, & special food, let alone chicken coop, run, etc. is nowhere near worth the return of the few fresh free range eggs I will get! However, as a quilter, I am certain you know and appreciate the true value of this project. It seems that over the years we have become an over processed country. The pre-packackaged, perfectly made, beautiful goods we buy and use are cheaper and more convenient than what we can possibly make ourselves. Happily, there is a movement that is slowly taking hold. This is a shift in values from what is perfectly manufactured toward the handmade, handgrown, handraised & more personal. In appreciation for the time, skill, effort and love that is sewn into every stitch, a handmade quilt is far more valuable than any blanket purchased from a store. This is an age when time is more valuable than money. Anyone can go out and buy a mass produced bauble, but it is extra special for someone to take the time make a unique creation. Each personal gift is truly a treasure! Each minute and hour spent working on a project, or raising homegrown goods, is a gift to the person engaged in the effort. In some ways, the journey is even more valuable than the destination.

This is why I know that the first tiny egg I find from one of these new chickens my family is having so much fun raising will be more precious to me than all the perfectly sized, cleaned, stark white, prepackaged eggs in the supermarket! (Let’s just hope they turn out to be chickens and not roosters!)  

Happy Quilting!

 ~The Dream Team

Quilting in High Cotton

I will never understand why people keep looking for alternative natural fibers for quilting - you can’t get much more environmentally friendly than cotton.  Cotton is a renewable resource that has stood the test of time – cotton fabrics have been found in ancient tombs that are thousands of years old.  Not only is cotton an eco-friendly fiber, but the cotton used in Dream Cotton is grown and processed in the U.S.A.!

Did you know:

·       Colonists wore “homespun cotton” as a symbol of American independence.

·       George Washington indicated that homespun cotton was the only clothing “fashionable for a gentleman to appear in.”

·       In the late 1700’s, British law prohibited emigration of persons familiar with textile machinery into the United States.

·       Cotton helped speed communications by providing insulation for the telegraph invented by Samuel Morse.

·       Thomas Edison used charred cotton for the filament in the first electric light.

·       The Wright Brothers used cotton muslin to cover the wings on their first plane.

·       In WWI, cotton linter (cottonseed residue) was used to make smokeless gun powder.

·       Cotton provided biological isolation suits for astronauts on their return from the moon.

·       Today, more than 300,000 Americans are employed in the cotton industry.

Dream Cotton is light-weight, wonderful for hand and machine quilting, drapes beautifully, and is very consistent.  We use the highest grade fibers in the industry, which means only the longest fibers are used.  This is important because longer fibers mean less shrinkage, less bearding, and virtually no lint on the machine.  The longer the fibers are, the more places the fibers will intersect, making the batting so strong that you can stitch up to 8 inches apart. 

So support our farmers, support our environment, support your local quilt shop, and let Dream Cotton support your quilt!

Happy Quilting!

 ~The Dream Team