A crib quilt has a hard job. It gets washed often, dragged around, snuggled hard, and — if you made it well — kept for years. The batting inside matters as much as the pretty fabric on top, because batting controls how soft, flat, warm, and durable that quilt will be. Pellon® Bamboo/Cotton Batting Scrim in the 45" x 60" crib size package is a thoughtful pick for baby and toddler quilts: a low-loft blend of bamboo-derived rayon and cotton, needle-punched with a soft scrim for strength.
What This Batting Is
This is a quilt batting — the middle layer sandwiched between your quilt top and backing. Its fiber content is 47% rayon fiber made from bamboo, 46% cotton, and 7% polypropylene scrim. The bamboo rayon and cotton give it a soft hand and a gentle drape, while the scrim is the thin stabilizing layer worked through the batting during needle-punching. According to Pellon, that soft scrim lends strength and stability without bunching or bearding — bearding being the annoying migration of batting fibers up through your quilt top fabric.
At 45" x 60", the crib size package is pre-cut for a standard crib quilt, so there is little waste and no wrestling with a large roll when all you need is one baby quilt. The loft is just 1/16 of an inch, which makes this a distinctly low-loft batting.
What Low Loft Means for a Baby Quilt
Loft is simply thickness. A 1/16" loft produces a flatter, more traditional quilt rather than a puffy comforter-style one. For crib quilts, that flat profile has real advantages: your quilting stitches sit crisply, pieced seams lie smooth, appliqué edges stay defined, and the finished quilt folds and stores compactly. Low loft is also forgiving for beginners, because thin sandwiches are easier to baste, easier to feed under a domestic sewing machine, and less likely to shift or pucker while you quilt.
Quilting Distance and Construction Tips
Pellon lists a recommended maximum stitch distance of 10" apart for this batting. That generous spacing is thanks to the needle-punched scrim, which holds the fibers together so the batting does not separate or bunch inside the quilt even when quilting lines are far apart. In practice, most crib quilts are quilted much more closely than 10" — an all-over meander, simple straight-line grid, or stitch-in-the-ditch every few inches all work beautifully — but the 10" maximum gives you freedom if you prefer a minimal, open quilting design or plan to tie the quilt.
To use it, layer your pressed backing (wrong side up), smooth the batting over it, then add your pressed quilt top (right side up). Because the batting is thin and stable, pin basting, spray basting, or hand basting all work well. Trim the batting and backing to your preferred margin beyond the top, baste around the edges, and quilt as desired. Always test your needle, thread, and tension on a small practice sandwich made from your actual fabrics first.
Shrinkage: Plan for 3–5%
This batting has an expected shrinkage of 3–5%. After the first wash, that shrinkage gives quilts the soft, slightly crinkled texture many quilters love — and it is worth planning for. If you want that relaxed, heirloom look, simply quilt and wash as usual. If you prefer a flatter finish, consider prewashing: Pellon battings of this type can be gently prewashed before layering, but be consistent — prewash your fabrics too, or pieces may shrink at different rates. Either way, do not judge the final size until after the first wash, and allow a little extra in your finished dimensions for a quilt that will be laundered frequently.
Care
Finished quilts made with this batting are washable by hand or machine, and the batting is also dry cleanable. For a crib quilt that will see regular washing, use a gentle cycle and mild detergent, and dry on a low, gentle setting or line dry according to your fabric's needs. The scrim's stability helps the batting hold together through repeated laundering without bunching — exactly what you want in a quilt made to be used, not just admired.
Is It Right for Your Project?
Choose this batting when you want a soft, breathable-feeling, low-profile crib or baby quilt with crisp quilting definition and easy handling on a home machine. It is equally at home in throw-sized and lap projects when you buy the size that fits, and its drape suits wall hangings that should hang flat. If you want maximum puff and warmth, a higher-loft batting would be a better match — but for everyday baby quilts, this bamboo/cotton blend is a balanced, dependable choice.
Shop the Pellon® Bamboo/Cotton Batting Scrim 45" x 60" Crib Size Package at Linda's Electric Quilters.
