Batting is vacuum packed by the factory. That is why you are to let it fluff before you use it. This would be the same.

Has anyone tried putting batting in those plastic bags where one sucks the air out to reduce bulk?
Does the batting fluff back up when taken from the bag? It would be a great way to store batting
if the volume returns.

Barb and Rosemary, 2 different ways to achieve beautiful results with bargello. I made a beautiful cusion cover (pillow) for my Mum in autumn colours many years ago. When she died we couldn't find it anywhere. I was sad that it seemed to have disappeared into thin air. I had always liked it myself and like quilts I knew how much love and work had gone into the making of it.

That looks a great quilt, Barb

I'm still doing bargello the old fashioned way

Rosemary

Thanks Agnes,
Yes, I love bargello quilts as well but they do seem to take a long time to make. There are a lot of points to line up... I just finished my top.
Barb

Loechen--I looked at an iron this morning that I no longer favor, deciding what to do with it. You think it might be a dangerous weapon if I throw it out of my sixth floor window? There are no Caution signs to warn you either.

I'm going to stay clear of Manitoba, seeing that Agnes is throwing things out of the window. If lucky we may just get hit by a roll of soft batting, but Agnes may decide to get rid of an old iron or few blunt scissors. Hey, Agnes, have you put up a warning sign yet saying "Caution! Low Flying Batting"??

Recently I have been using Warm and Natural and Hobbs Heirloom and I find very little difference between the two. When my hands forced me to machine quilt I went through quite a change in batting choice. Then there was another marked difference between straight line and free motion quilting. So though I am nearing 20 years of quilting I am still constantly learning and throwing something I swore by out the window.

Barb---BTW, that is one gorgeous pattern. I've saved the pattern information. I am drawn to bargello quilts and have done a few simple ones but this could be the beginning of my next phase, some years from now, after I finish all the current projects already started.

Thanks to everyone for the great information on batting.

Yep, I just orders up some 80/20. Sounds more like a cocktail...LOL I may need it.
Just finished my first batch of 140 friendship triangles today....yeah!
Thanks

Barb,
Wrong turns are part of the process which is why one of my favorite quilterly sayings is, "a seam ripper is a quilters best friend!". Don't point out your mistakes most people won't see them and whomever does won't say anything as there is the internal acknowledgement, "been there done that".
Betty Jo gives good advice with the 80/20 batting, have fun learning.

Teri

Thanks Teri, yah...I definitely plan on practicing on samples but no matter how much I practice I still manage to make a wrong turn here and there... Oh well, as some one told me, never point out your mistakes because more than likely only you will see them. Besides that's what makes it authentic. So I'll go with that.
Thanks Sewdreamy, I'll try this batting. I like the idea of creating records and samples. I did that with all my different machine stitches so I could see what they would look like.
Barb

Just a suggestion...the basic batting I use for most of my quilts is Hobb's Heirloom 80/20 (80 percent cotton, 20 percent polyester). For a beginning machine quilter this is a good choice. Then learn your battings along the way from there. It's all a journey. I would keep a record with samples and practice before getting onto your real quilt. Here's a link where you can order it:
http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/Item--i-HL-90

There are quite a few very good battings and some have very specific uses. There are also some really unsatisfactory battings that can make quilting a very unhappy experience. So starting with this good basic batting is one way to go and learn about batting from there. I do not wash mine before quilting, but I do steam press it with a lot of steam, which tends to shrink it a bit.

My very teacherly suggestion is that you get several crib sized battings and quilt fat quarters of fabric used in the quilt (or not if there isn't enough left) with whatever thread you would use on the quilt.
Make sure you're using an needle that is appropriate to the size of the thread (see Superior Threads Education topics) and like Margo said, take notes on batting, tension, needle and thread.
These little practice sandwiches will give you more information and valuable practice time.

Teri