Batting is the one supply that touches every single quilt you make, and it is also the one quilters second-guess the most. After helping thousands of longarm quilters and home sewists choose batting, I can tell you the decision comes down to four questions: What fiber do you want? How much loft? What size format fits your workflow? And how will the quilt be used and washed?
This hub walks through all four decisions and links you to our in-depth guides on every major batting we carry. If you want to jump straight to shopping, everything lives in our Batting collection.
Quick Answer: Which Batting Should I Buy?
If you want the short version, here it is. For 8 out of 10 quilts, an 80/20 cotton/poly blend is the right call - it is the batting most longarm professionals load by default. Hobbs 80/20 Heirloom is our best seller by a wide margin, and our house-brand Linda's Deluxe Cotton/Poly delivers the same quilting experience at a sharper price. If you are unsure, start there or grab the Hobbs Batting Sample Pack and feel the options yourself.
Decision 1: Choose Your Fiber
80/20 Cotton/Poly Blend - The All-Rounder
An 80% cotton, 20% polyester blend gives you the soft, natural feel of cotton with the added stability and slight loft of polyester. It resists creasing, needles beautifully on a longarm, and washes into that classic crinkled quilt texture without excessive shrinkage. Start with Hobbs 80/20 Heirloom, Quilters Dream Select 80/20, or Bliss 80/20.
100% Cotton - The Traditionalist
All-cotton batting is breathable, drapes softly, and shrinks 3-5% on first wash to create the antique pucker many quilters love. Cotton with scrim (a light stabilizer) is the right choice for longarm work because it will not stretch or distort on the frame. See Hobbs 100% Cotton with Scrim, Warm and Natural (the most trusted name in cotton batting), Warm and White for white quilts, Quilters Dream Request Cotton for a lighter hand, and Katahdin Premium Cotton.
Wool - The Show Quilter's Secret
Wool has the best loft-to-weight ratio of any fiber. It shows off custom quilting with dramatic definition, resists creasing completely (fold a wool quilt for a year and it springs back), and regulates temperature in both summer and winter. It is the batting of choice for show quilts. See Hobbs Heirloom Wool, Quilters Dream Wool, and the luxurious Hobbs Tuscany Cotton Wool blend.
Polyester - Loft, Warmth, and Value
Polyester gives you the most loft per dollar, holds up to endless washing, and never shrinks. It ranges from ultra-thin Thermore for garments to puffy 6oz and 9oz weights for tied quilts and comforters. See Hobbs Poly 6oz, Hobbs Polydown, and Quilters Dream Puff.
Bamboo and Specialty Fibers
Bamboo blends drape like silk, breathe wonderfully, and appeal to eco-conscious quilters - see Quilters Dream Bamboo. For heat-resistant projects like potholders and casserole carriers, you need Insul-Bright, and for microwave bowl cozies the only safe choice is 100% cotton Pellon Wrap-N-Zap.
Decision 2: Loft
Loft is thickness. Low loft (Request-weight cotton, Thermore) shows piecing, drapes softly, and suits wall hangings and heirloom quilts. Mid loft (80/20 blends, standard cotton) is the everyday choice. High loft (wool, 6oz-9oz poly, Dream Puff) makes quilting texture pop and builds warmth, but dense custom quilting will flatten it - pair high loft with open, flowing designs.
Decision 3: Rolls, Packages, or By the Yard
How you buy matters as much as what you buy. Longarm studios doing customer work should buy wide rolls - 96", 108", 120", or 124" widths in 15-40 yard lengths - for the lowest cost per quilt and zero seaming. Rolls of 96" width handle most quilts; 120" widths cover kings with room to spare. If you quilt occasionally, pre-cut packages (crib through king) are cleaner to store and ready to go - see Warm and Natural packages, Linda's Deluxe packages, and Hobbs Fusible packages for baste-free basting. In between, batting by the yard lets you buy exactly what one project needs, and 2.5" batting strips are purpose-built for jelly roll rugs.
Decision 4: How Will the Quilt Live?
Baby quilts get washed constantly: choose 80/20 or cotton. Everyday couch quilts: 80/20. Beds in hot climates: cotton or bamboo. Show quilts: wool. Tied quilts and comforters: high-loft poly. T-shirt quilts: low-loft 80/20 or cotton with scrim for stability. Kitchen and craft projects: Wrap-N-Zap or Insul-Bright depending on heat source.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What batting do professional longarm quilters use most?
- 80/20 cotton/poly blend, and specifically Hobbs 80/20 Heirloom, is the industry default. It loads flat, needles cleanly at longarm speeds, and customers love the finished feel. It is the number one selling batting at Linda's Electric Quilters year after year.
- Does quilt batting shrink?
- Cotton shrinks 3-5% on first wash, which creates the classic crinkle look. 80/20 blends shrink about 3%. Wool shrinks 1-3% and should be washed gently. Polyester does not shrink at all. If you want a flat, modern finish, prewash cotton batting or choose poly.
- What is scrim, and do I need it?
- Scrim is a very light polyester stabilizer needle-punched into cotton batting. It prevents stretching and allows quilting lines up to 8-12 inches apart. For longarm frames, scrim is strongly recommended because the batting is held under tension.
- What size batting roll should a longarm studio buy?
- A 96" x 30 yard roll is the workhorse - it covers throws through queens and yields roughly 10-12 quilts per roll. Add a 120" roll if you regularly quilt kings. Buying on the roll typically cuts your per-quilt batting cost 30-40% versus packages.
- Can I combine two battings in one quilt?
- Yes - layering wool over cotton is a favorite show-quilt trick. The cotton gives stability and the wool gives sculptural definition to custom quilting. Baste the two layers as one.
- Which batting is best for hand quilting?
- Low-loft options needle most easily by hand: Quilters Dream Request cotton, Hobbs Tuscany silk or wool, or Thermore. Dense scrim battings are harder to hand needle.
Still deciding? Start with the sample pack, or browse the full Batting collection.
