Featured #battgirl Toby Thompson

Toby Thompson

 Toby Thompson

     I began quilting after graduating from college in 1976 inspired by my grandmother's hand quilting. After my first-hand stitched quilt,  (completed with her help), I pivoted to machine quilting.

     In those days, my favorite was making log cabin quilts.  Just a few years after that however, my career path & children took all my time and sewing went on hold.  30+ years passed.  I retired from teaching in 2015 & had inherited my mother's Bernina machine in 2013.  

     The machine intimidated me until this past fall when I desired to make each of my 3 grandchildren (ages 1, 3 & 5) a cozy, flannel quilt for Christmas to wrap them in my love despite our being 525 miles apart.  Yes, 3 quilts to make simultaneously after 30+ nonsewing years!  Because I was so "rusty,” every step in the process required a lot of thought, research, and input  from more experienced folks - selecting patterns, fabrics, batting, techniques, & even basics of how to use my mother's machine, starting with how to load the bobbin!     

 I chose two baby quilt patterns that I found online (Fluffy Pinwheels and Lazy Logs) and enlarged them both.  I selected flannel fabrics online and from an incredible Amish fabric store, Miller's Dry Goods, about 50 miles from me in Charm, OH.  Acquiring all the fabric, cutting, piecing & sewing 3 quilt tops took time!  As much of an accomplishment as it was to finish three quilt tops, I knew I was a long way from being finished and Christmas was quickly approaching.  I wanted to finish each quilt with a warm, lofty batting & either hand-tie or stitch-in-the-ditch to a minky/cuddle fabric backing to keep the quilts flexible and cozy for the children to wrap up with and read their beloved books.

 

     The batting choices in today's marketplace are overwhelming!  I was leaning toward another well-known brand's cotton batting until I read on the internet about Dream Puff batting by Quilter's Dream. I even called them to discuss the appealing description of Dream Puff for my project. I received super-helpful, personal advice & was even provided a list of stores in my area code that carry Quilter's Dream Puff, which included the Amish fabric store where I had bought some of the fabrics. Whew!  

     The quilts exceeded my hopes of being soft, lofty, warm, & cozy. My grandchildren love them, and I've made my presence in their daily lives much more frequent than the miles allow.  I'm getting ready to make another quilt, but only ONE quilt at a time. lol 

Quilters Dream 80/20 Batting

QUILTERS DREAM 80/20 BATTING

 

Quilters Dream 80/20 is our newest Dream Batting, which debuted at Spring Quilt Market 2016.  It is made with 80% high grade long staple USA cotton fiber blended with 20% fine denier poly microfiber for a soft, silky batting that drapes beautifully and breathes well.  The long staple cotton fiber reduces shrinkage and adds stability so that the stitches can be up to 8” apart.  The poly microfibers add a loft and resistance to creases/wrinkles.  

There are no scrims, glues, or other binders to resist the needle, so this fine batting can be hand or machine quilted with ease.  It is available in natural, white, and our exclusive “Dream Pink!”

 

Dream Pink is an 80/20 Dream Batting made with pink poly microfibers to support breast cancer.  Quilters Dream Batting donates 10% of the wholesale sale of Dream Pink to late stage metastatic breast cancer research.  Our pink poly microfibers are extruded pink so the color will not run or bleed, and the pink fibers lends a fabulous blush pink coloring to batting.

Advantages:

• Minimal shrinkage (1-3%) for the slightly puckered look
• Available in white, natural, and “Dream Pink” to support late stage breast cancer research
• Can be stitched up to 8" apart! 
• Soft and silky, with an excellent drape that hugs and flows
• Excellent for both hand and machine quilting. (Not recommended for tied quilts)
• Wicks moisture away from the body to keep you cool in the summer
• Breathable – there are no scims or other barriers that would inhibit airflow
• Fine denier poly fibers bend when in contact with fabric, so they resist bearding

 

All of our battings are proudly made in the USA. 

Each batting is hand cut and hand inspected to insure superb quality is consistency.  Quilters Dream is not sold in big box discount stores and always encourage our customers to support their locally owned quilt shop or quilting business!  There are a lot of advantages to using Quilters Dream Batting and with the wide variety of lofts, fibers, colors& sizes available, we hope that you find the choices to be to your advantage when choosing the perfect type of batting for your quilted treasure!

Also try:

Dream Cotton, 100% cotton batting with no scrim glues or binders

Dream Poly, 100% poly microfibers that mimic cotton in feel and breathability

Dream Angel, made 100% from flame retardant fibers

Dream Blend, 70% cotton and 30% poly with a light scrim stabilizer

Dream Green, made 100% from recycled bottles

Dream Orient, a luxurious blend of cotton, bamboo, botanic Tencel, and silk

Dream Puff, a warm and cozy polyester with 1/3-1/2” of loft

Dream Wool, a thermally bonded cuddly wool batting with 1/3-1/2” of loft

Dream Fusion, a one sided fusible batting excellent for small quilts and crafts

Batting University (Part 4) Dream Puff, Dream Wool, and Dream Fusion Batting

This week we are delighted to continue Batting University with a look at Quilters Dream Puff, Quilters Dream Wool, and Quilters Dream Fusion batting! We hope you enjoy a closer look at what makes each batting unique. If you have any questions or you would like free samples, call us toll free, 1-888-268-8664, or email: QuiltersDreamBatting@juno.com

 

 

QUILTERS DREAM PUFF BATTING

Dream Puff is 100% polyester batting that has been thermally bonded for a wonderful loft and warmth.  It is lightweight and breathable, but has a high thermal value making it even warmer than down.   

 

 

Advantages:

• 1/3-1/2” of loft to show off your quilting, designs “pop” out at you!

• Very warm, yet light weight.  (For even more warmth and weightiness, double the Puff or layer the Puff on top of the Dream Cotton or Dream Poly – WOW does it ever make a warm and absolutely gorgeous quilt!)

• Cozy and cuddly – children and teens especially love this batting

• Loft is excellent for T-shirt quilts or quilts made with varying material types

• Loft can hide some of the imperfections in piecing

• Can be stitched closely and holds the drape, then pops out in less quilted areas for a faux trapunto look.

• Although it is lofty, it flattens out for ease in hand quilting!

• Does not absorb moisture, so it dries very quickly and will not hold a stain

• Inexpensive

• Breathable – there are no scrims or other barriers that would inhibit airflow

• Very long fibers – no lint on the machine or in the air!

• Fine denier bonded microfibers bend when in contact with fabric, so they resist bearding

 

 

Disadvantages:

• Thermally bonded, so it can become stiff it put into contact with heat (Even on low heat, the drum of some dryers become hot enough to cause a problem), so we recommend air drying or drying with no heat. Absolutely no ironing!

• Does not wick moisture away from the body (like cotton)

• On occasion, holds a slight crease over time (can be fluffed out in the dryer on cool setting, though!)

• Is a man made fiber

QUILTERS DREAM WOOL BATTING  

Dream Wool is another warm and lofty batting that has been thermally bonded- it is one of my favorites for cozy snuggling on cold nights!  The U.S. wool is scoured and super-washed for cleanliness and to eliminate shrinkage, then blended with low melt poly fibers for thermal bonding.  Our unique processing creates wool batting that is light weight, machine washable, has very little shrinkage, and resists bearding.

 

 

Advantages: 

• 1/3-1/2” of loft to show off your quilting, designs “pop” out at you!

• Uses the soft and silky wool of U.S. raised merino and domestic sheep

• Very warm, yet light weight.

• Wool wicks moisture away from the body to keep you cool in the summer

• Cozy and cuddly – children and teens especially love this batting

• Loft is excellent for T-shirt quilts or quilts made with varying material types

• Loft can hide some of the imperfections in piecing

• Can be stitched closely and holds the drape, then pops out in less quilted areas for a faux trapunto look.

• Although it is lofty, it flattens out for ease in hand quilting! (Dream Wool is the favorite of many hand quilters!)

• Does not absorb moisture, so it dries very quickly and will not hold a stain

• Breathable – there are no scrims or other barriers that would inhibit airflow

• Bonded fibers resist bearding

• Very long fibers – no lint on the machine or in the air!

 

 

Disadvantages:

• Thermally bonded, so it can become stiff it put into contact with heat (Even on low heat, the drum of some dryers become hot enough to cause a problem), so we recommend air drying or drying with no heat. Absolutely no ironing!

• Occasionally holds a slight crease over time (can be fluffed out in the dryer on cool setting, though!)

• Wool fibers used, but also includes a man made poly fiber, so it is not flame retardant

 QUILTERS DREAM FUSION  

 

With Quilters Dream Fusion, enjoy the wonderful quality and consistency of Quilters Dream Cotton and Quilters Dream Poly with the convenience of a one sided fusible. Unlike most fusibles, Dream Fusion does not become stiff and sticky when used - it stays soft, supple, and drapeable so it is great for jackets and other clothing, bags, quilt-as-you go, embroidery, etc. (Jennifer insists I let you know that this is her favorite batting - she fuses the backing to the batting, then she can quilt with her domestic machine without worrying about pleating or puckering "back there".)
 

Advantages:

• One sided fusible ads stability and ease for use in small projects

• Uses a fusible webbing (rather than glue) that is needlepunched into the cotton or poly fibers so it does not become stiff

• Can machine quilt or embroider at high speed without gumming the needle

• Is soft, smooth, and consistent - just like our Dream Cotton and Dream Poly, but with an added soft fusible web

• Available in both cotton and poly, so gives more options (see cotton and poly advantages)

Disadvantages:

• Because the webbing is needlepunched into the batting (not sprayed on as a glue), it is only available on one side

• Is not a 100% natural batting since it does incorporate the fusible webbing

• Can be difficult to tell which side is fusible - so pay close attention to the sticker!

 



 

All of our battings are proudly made in the USA, and each batting is hand cut and hand inspected to insure superb quality is consistency.  Quilters Dream is a small, family owned business, so we don’t sell to chain stores and always encourage our customers to support their locally owned quilt shop or quilting business!  There are a lot of advantages to using Quilters Dream Batting, and with the wide variety of lofts, fibers, colors & sizes available, we hope that you find the choices to be to your advantage when choosing the perfect type of batting for your quilted treasure!

Please come back soon for a bonus Sweet Dreams Cotton Stuffing blog we are adding to Batting University! (OK, so I know stuffing isn't batting, but it is really cool stuff!)

Happy Quilting!



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