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80/20 batting poking through on back


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I have a Mille. When I use Hobbs 80/20 batting, no matter what I do with the tension, I get little pokies of the batting on the back of the quilt. I switched from 4.0 needles to 3.5, and that helped but didn't eliminate the problem entirely. I don't get this with 100% cotton or with PolyDown Plus battings. Any ideas? One customer told me I had "completely ruined" her quilt. But she maintains the 80/20 is "the best there is," so it must be my quilting ability. (Personally, I don't care for the 80/20.) -Ann

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Ann: I've used Hobbs 80/20 a bunch of times and I can remember only two times that I had batting pokies and both times it, I think it as the backing fabric. Some of the Pandolph fabrics when she was with Moda were the ones I had problems with.

Is this happening every time you use 80/20 or just some of the times?

I see you're in NE Ga. We spent a week in Blue Ridge in October and were able to go to the quilt show at Blairsville.

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I also had the same thing happen to me. My neighbor gave me some fabric she had kept for 10+ years. I washed it and seamed it and used it as top and back.

The fabric was very old, and not high quality. It was more of a sheeting material. It was a busy print, so I could see the backing bearding thru in some spots on the back only.

I hope after it's washed, you won't be able to tell.

I also have one customer that insists on 80/20. I'd like to switch her over to quilters dream cotton select or deluxe or the 70/30 blend. 80/20 in the package is very thin in spots. Has anyone noticed a significant difference?

My question is which way is the scrim on the batting supposed to go??? Maybe I had loaded it the wrong way?

Is there a right way / wrong way?

Had no problems with polyfil either.

Julie

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I was told that the scrim should be down, meaning on the quilt back. Personally I hate the 80/20. I bought a roll as this is what is used around here by long Armers and I hate it. I can't wait to get rid of it. I have my best luck with the warm company, I can't wait to try out a few others as well. But I refuse to carry the Hobbs anymore.

Tina

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I use 80/20 a lot and I don't have many problems with it at all. If you have bearding problems going down to a 3.5 needle will help. A lot of the problem is the backing fabric. If the weave of the fabric is looser than the batting above it --it will act as a needle punch. The crim side should be down against the backing fabric. It is a fusible web to keep the batting fibers from drifting through. Check to see which side is down. It can make a difference. On the cotton batting I always buy with a scrim and make sure it is down.

DeLoa

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This may seem a little odd but this is the way I decide which side the batting should go. I hold a corner of the batting and use a corsage pin and poke it a few times. One side will be hard to poke through. The side that had no resistance is the side I facing up. If I put the side up that is hard to poke through I have batting pokies on the back. It seems to work every time:) Looking at it I can never tell what side has scrim.

Myrna

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Originally posted by Circle Square

I have a Mille. When I use Hobbs 80/20 batting, no matter what I do with the tension, I get little pokies of the batting on the back of the quilt. I switched from 4.0 needles to 3.5, and that helped but didn't eliminate the problem entirely. I don't get this with 100% cotton or with PolyDown Plus battings. Any ideas? One customer told me I had "completely ruined" her quilt. But she maintains the 80/20 is "the best there is," so it must be my quilting ability. (Personally, I don't care for the 80/20.) -Ann

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Originally posted by Circle Square

I have a Mille. When I use Hobbs 80/20 batting, no matter what I do with the tension, I get little pokies of the batting on the back of the quilt. I switched from 4.0 needles to 3.5, and that helped but didn't eliminate the problem entirely. I don't get this with 100% cotton or with PolyDown Plus battings. Any ideas? One customer told me I had "completely ruined" her quilt. But she maintains the 80/20 is "the best there is," so it must be my quilting ability. (Personally, I don't care for the 80/20.) -Ann

I agree with Myrna. Your needle needs to be able to enter the batting smoothly so a poke test works well. It is hard to tell with chemical scrims which side is up. With needlepunch scrims it's a bit easier. Just look at the holes punched in it. You can see where the holes go in on one side and come out on the other side. You want your needle to enter the batt the same way the needle punch did. So put the side where the holes go in next to your quilt top and the side where the holes go out next to your backing. This is what we learned at Innovations last year. It has helped me a lot. I don't get pokies any more. But, I almost forgot. I also used to get pokies when I had the backing rolled too tight. It helped to make sure that the backing wasn't stretched too tight.

Just my opinion. Maybe it will help.

Pam Geary;)

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The pokies or "bearding" seems to be mostly with batting that has cotton in it. If you have a dark backing fabric & the top is dark, use black batting & the bearding doesn't show. Dream Cotton has Midnight Dream, Warm & Natural has one & there is also grey batting. I mostly use Hobbs Polydown & I don't have alot of problem with bearding. But I agree, sometimes the fabric is a contributing factor.

I haven't posted before, so here goes!

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I love using 80/20 and only have problems when a certain type of backing is used. I loaded a quilt last night that has this backing (cheap, I think) and it is truly a shame since it is a large quilt made of all batiks. The top obviously cost a fortune so it's too bad when people don't see the need for the same quality on the back! This back is also pieced with a seam down the middle and the one side of the backing is quite "bowed". I'm going to have to be real careful for the whole job of quilting this. It really is a beauty though!!! I hope I do it justice. I am going to find out where this type of backing is sold though...I have a sneaky suspision. Wish me luck!!!

Sandra:D

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I use lots of Hobbs 80/20 but I do use the bleached on a roll and it's beautifully smooth and even throughout. The only fabrics I've had a problem with batting pokies are the Kona Cottons and some really flimsey flannel. I always use size 4 needles. I have noticed a big difference between my roll batting and the natural color in the packages. jeri

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  • 3 months later...

Well today I am experiencing for the first time BATTING POKIES on the back. I have only sewn one seam across and one circle and may begin frogging soon. I believe it is the BACKING fabric causing the problem. Batting is store bought 80/20 heirloom and I haven't had this problem before but there is always a first. I'm not sure whether to suggest a different backing fabric or should I try a different batting. It is a large meander and freehand and I could try the warm and natural. She wanted a soft quilt without alot of stiffness. I didn't plan on heavy quilting. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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Tammie,

Your backing may be upside down. This is the only time I get batting poking through the back. If it is nothing short of turning it over will help. If the quilt is going to be washed and dried that should take care of the problem. I have had to take a pin and poke them back in before.

Myrna

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Thank you ladies,

I did turn the batting over ( after frogging a bit) and I went to smaller needle (3.5) and still very small pokies.

This is the very first time I have had this problem. I noticed that you can almost see through the fabric on the backing and it even has that FEEL if you know what I mean. Very thin like. It seems to be poking less.

Do you think these very small pokies will go away once it is washed? It is a utilitarian quilt meant to be used. Customer wants it machine binded. I may can try to poke it back in also with a pin?

This was disappointing to me. In fact I am having an eventful week when it comes to quilting disasters. Seems when it rains it pours. I am working on my Christmas quilt and getting pokies of thread sometimes. I DO NOT LIKE THIS IRON ON STABILIZERS SOME USE. The stiffness makes it a horrible experience. I'm not sure I care to do another one with this in it. The holes and stiffness are a tention nightmare when you have alot of thread changes.

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