Table of Contents
- Why 80/20 Became the Default Batting
- What "80/20" Actually Means (and Why They Don't All Feel the Same)
- The Contenders
- Side-by-Side Comparison
- Roll Sizes
- Queen Package Prices
- Natural, White, or Black?
- Which 80/20 Batting Should You Buy?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Last Updated: October 11, 2026
Why 80/20 Became the Default Batting
Ask ten longarm quilters what batting is loaded on their frame right now and seven will say an 80/20. The blend of 80% cotton and 20% polyester keeps the breathable, soft hand of cotton while the polyester adds enough loft to show off quilting, enough strength to resist tearing on a frame, and enough stability to cut shrinkage roughly in half. It is the batting you can hand a beginner and the batting a professional reaches for without thinking.
That popularity is why Linda's carries more 80/20 blend listings than any other batting type, spread across Hobbs, Quilters Dream, Pellon, Bliss, Quilters Select, Brewer's Acadia, and our own Linda's Deluxe, in packages, rolls, and by the yard. They are not interchangeable. This post, the second in our batting series, compares every 80/20 on the shelf so you can pick the one that suits your machine, your budget, and the person you're making the quilt for.
What "80/20" Actually Means (and Why They Don't All Feel the Same)
The ratio only tells you the fiber mix. Three manufacturing choices change how an 80/20 behaves far more than the two percentages do.
Scrim or no scrim. A scrim is a very thin polyester mesh needle-punched into the batting for stability. Battings with scrim (Pellon 80/20, Hobbs Heirloom in its "with scrim" versions) can be quilted farther apart and are very hard to stretch out of shape on a frame. Battings without scrim (Quilters Dream) have a softer drape and no mesh layer for a needle to catch.
Needle-punched versus resin-bonded. Needle-punching tangles the fibers mechanically. Resin bonding adds a light adhesive to hold loft. Hobbs Heirloom uses both, which is why it holds a consistent 1/8-inch loft roll after roll. Quilters Dream uses needle-punching alone and advertises no resins or binders, which some quilters prefer for hand quilting and for anyone sensitive to finishes.
Loft. Pellon's 80/20 is a thin 1/16 inch. Hobbs Heirloom is about 1/8 inch. Quilters Dream's Select loft is a touch fuller. Thin lofts flatten under dense quilting and make a quilt that lies flat; fuller lofts throw more shadow between stitches.
Shrinkage ranges from roughly 2% to 5% across the group. All of it comes from the cotton, and all of it shows up on the first wash as the soft crinkle most quilters are after.
The Contenders
Hobbs Heirloom 80/20
The benchmark. 80% cotton, 20% fine polyester, needle-punched and lightly resin-bonded, with about 1/8 inch of loft and roughly 3% shrinkage. Hobbs rates it for quilting up to 4 inches apart, which is conservative compared with the competition but reflects how flat and stable it stays under a longarm. It is the batting most of our customers mean when they say "the usual."
Formats are the real advantage: 96-inch rolls, 120-inch rolls, by the yard, and pre-cut packages from crib to king. It is also the only 80/20 that comes in natural, bleached white, black, and fusible. If you are not sure, this is the one.
Read the complete guide to the Hobbs 80/20 96-inch roll →
Linda's Deluxe 80/20
Our house label, made by Hobbs. Same 80/20 blend, same construction, sold in a 96-inch by 30-yard roll, by the yard, and in 2-yard and 3-yard packages cut from the roll. The difference from Heirloom is in the packaging, not the batting: Linda's Deluxe packages are straight 96-inch widths, so a 3-yard queen package is 96 by 108 inches rather than Hobbs's 90 by 108.
Choose it when you want Hobbs quality and the Hobbs package you need is out of stock, or when you'd rather have the extra 6 inches of width on a queen.
Quilters Dream Natural 80/20 and Dream Blend 70/30
Quilters Dream Natural 80/20 blends 80% long-staple cotton with 20% fine-denier polyester, needle-punched with no scrim, resins, or binders. It is a mid (Select) loft, resists shrinkage, and can be quilted up to 8 inches apart, double the Hobbs rating. The drape is noticeably softer than a resin-bonded batting straight out of the package. Packages run from craft size to king, including a 121-inch Super Queen that no other brand offers, and 93-inch rolls are also available.
Its sibling, Dream Blend for Machines, shifts the ratio to 70% cotton and 30% polyester microfiber. Quilters Dream developed it specifically for machine quilting: it feeds smoothly, resists creasing, and the extra polyester adds a little more spring under dense free-motion work. Packages are priced slightly below the 80/20.
Pellon 80/20 with Scrim
Pellon 80/20 is the value play, and it is a legitimately good batting. It is needle-punched onto a soft scrim, which lets Pellon rate it for stitching up to 10 inches apart, the widest in this comparison. The tradeoffs are a thin 1/16-inch loft and 3% to 5% shrinkage, so expect a flatter quilt with more crinkle after washing. Packages run from craft size to king, and the 90-inch by 6-yard bolt is the cheapest 80/20 per yard at Linda's by a wide margin. Pellon also makes a Dark Blend in black.
Bliss 80/20
Bliss is a needle-punched 80/20 sold in pre-cut packages from crib through king, with a "Throw Plus" 60 by 72 size that is handy for lap quilts. It performs like the other mid-loft blends here. The honest caveat is price: Bliss is not part of Linda's batting discount, so a Bliss queen costs roughly double a Hobbs or Pellon queen. Buy it when you specifically want Bliss or need its Throw Plus size.
Quilters Select Blend and Acadia
Quilters Select Blend is a cotton-poly blend from the Floriani/Quilters Select system, sold in oversized pre-cuts (a queen is 93 by 116 inches) and a 122-inch by 20-yard roll. It is well made and generously cut, and it is the most expensive blend on this page, so it mostly appeals to quilters already committed to the Quilters Select line.
Acadia Premium 80/20 is Brewer's house brand at a 4-ounce weight, in twin, full, and king packages. It is a straightforward, slightly heavier 80/20 for quilters who want more body than Pellon without paying Quilters Select prices.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Batting | Construction | Loft | Max Stitch Spacing | Formats | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 | Needle-punched, light resin bond | About 1/8" | 4" | Packages, 96/108/120" rolls, by the yard | Natural, white, black, fusible |
| Linda's Deluxe 80/20 | Made by Hobbs, same as Heirloom | About 1/8" | 4" | 96" roll, 2- and 3-yd packages, by the yard | Natural |
| Quilters Dream Natural 80/20 | Needle-punched, no scrim or resin | Select (mid) | 8" | Packages (craft to king), 60/93/120" rolls | Natural, white |
| Quilters Dream Blend 70/30 | Needle-punched, poly microfiber | Select (mid) | 8" | Packages (craft to king) | Natural |
| Pellon 80/20 with Scrim | Needle-punched on scrim | 1/16" | 10" | Packages (craft to king), 90" x 6-yd bolt | Natural, black (Dark Blend) |
| Bliss 80/20 | Needle-punched | Mid | Per package | Packages (crib to king, Throw Plus) | Natural |
| Quilters Select Blend | Needle-punched | Mid | Per package | Oversized pre-cuts, 122" x 20-yd roll | Natural |
Stitch spacing and loft figures are the manufacturers' published ratings. See each product page for current prices.
Roll Sizes
Rolls are where an 80/20 decision turns into real money. Divide the roll price by its length and the brands separate fast.
| Roll | Width x Length |
|---|---|
| Pellon 80/20 bolt | 90" x 6 yd |
| Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 | 96" x 30 yd |
| Linda's Deluxe 80/20 | 96" x 30 yd |
| Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 | 120" x 30 yd |
| Hobbs Heirloom Bleached 80/20 | 108" x 30 yd |
| Quilters Dream Natural 80/20 | 93" x 30 yd |
| Quilters Dream Natural 80/20 | 120" x 30 yd |
| Quilters Select Blend | 122" x 20 yd |
The Pellon bolt is the outlier. It is the cheapest way to batt a quilt at Linda's, with the caveats of a thinner loft and more shrinkage. For longarm studios, Hobbs and Linda's Deluxe 96-inch rolls remain the price-to-quality sweet spot. Buy 96-inch unless you regularly quilt kings; the wider rolls cost about a dollar more per yard for width you may not use.
Queen Package Prices
Most quilters buy one package per quilt, so here is the same comparison at queen size.
| Queen Package | Dimensions | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pellon 80/20 with Scrim | 90" x 108" | Lowest price, thinnest loft |
| Linda's Deluxe 3-yard | 96" x 108" | Hobbs-made, widest queen |
| Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 | 90" x 108" | The benchmark |
| Hobbs Heirloom Bleached 80/20 | 90" x 108" | White for light quilts |
| Quilters Dream Blend 70/30 | 93" x 108" | Built for machine quilting |
| Quilters Dream Natural 80/20 | 93" x 108" | No resin, 8" spacing |
| Bliss 80/20 | 108" x 96" | Not included in batting discount |
| Quilters Select Blend | 93" x 116" | Oversized cut |
Natural, White, or Black?
Natural (unbleached) is the default and is right for nearly every quilt with medium or mixed colors. Choose bleached white when the top has a lot of white or pale fabric, because natural batting can give whites a faint cream cast; Hobbs Heirloom Bleached and Quilters Dream White 80/20 are the options. Choose black for predominantly dark quilts to stop light fibers bearding through; Hobbs Heirloom Black comes in packages, a 108-inch roll, and by the yard, and Pellon's Dark Blend covers the budget end.
If you'd rather skip pin-basting entirely, Hobbs Heirloom Fusible 80/20 and Quilters Dream Fusible 80/20 are the same blends with a heat-activated bond on both sides, and Hobbs also sells a fusible 96-inch roll.
Which 80/20 Batting Should You Buy?
Choose Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 if:
- You longarm and want a batting that stays flat and stable on the frame
- You want one batting that comes in every format and color
- You make bed quilts that will be washed for years
Choose Linda's Deluxe 80/20 if:
- You want Hobbs quality and the Heirloom size you need is sold out
- You prefer a 96-inch-wide queen package for extra loading margin
Choose Quilters Dream Natural 80/20 if:
- You hand quilt or quilt sparsely and want 8-inch stitch spacing
- You want no resins, binders, or scrim
- You want a Super Queen size or a softer drape straight from the package
Choose Quilters Dream Blend 70/30 if:
- You do dense free-motion or ruler work on a domestic or sit-down machine
- You want a little more spring than a standard 80/20
Choose Pellon 80/20 with Scrim if:
- Price per yard is the deciding factor
- You want a very flat quilt or a heavily crinkled, washed-in look
- You tie quilts or quilt up to 10 inches apart
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 the same as Linda's Deluxe 80/20?
Linda's Deluxe is manufactured by Hobbs as an 80/20 cotton-poly blend with the same construction as Heirloom. The practical differences are packaging and price: Linda's Deluxe is sold in a 96-inch roll, by the yard, and in 2- and 3-yard packages cut at the full 96-inch width, so a Deluxe queen package is 96 by 108 inches instead of 90 by 108.
What is the difference between Hobbs 80/20 and Quilters Dream 80/20?
Both are 80% cotton and 20% polyester. Hobbs Heirloom is needle-punched and lightly resin-bonded, holds a flat 1/8-inch loft, and is rated for quilting up to 4 inches apart. Quilters Dream Natural 80/20 is needle-punched with no resins, binders, or scrim, has a slightly fuller Select loft and softer drape, and is rated for quilting up to 8 inches apart. Hobbs is less expensive per yard and comes in more formats and colors.
What is the cheapest 80/20 batting?
At Linda's, Pellon 80/20 with Scrim is the least expensive, both as a queen package and per yard on the 90-inch by 6-yard bolt. It has a thinner 1/16-inch loft and 3% to 5% shrinkage. Among full 30-yard rolls, Hobbs Heirloom and Linda's Deluxe 96-inch rolls are the best value per yard.
Does 80/20 batting shrink?
Yes, slightly. Expect roughly 3% for Hobbs Heirloom, 2% to 3% for Quilters Dream, and 3% to 5% for Pellon, all on the first wash. That is about half what 100% cotton batting shrinks and produces a gentle crinkle rather than heavy puckering. Washing in cold water keeps shrinkage at the low end.
Which side of 80/20 batting goes up?
For needle-punched battings with a scrim, place the scrim side down (toward the backing) and the softer, slightly fuzzier side up toward the quilt top, so the needle enters the fibers before the mesh. For battings without scrim, such as Quilters Dream, there is no wrong side. For fusible battings, both sides are bonded, so orientation does not matter.
