Pokies with wool batting after washing?

[Pat C]

Has anyone has problems with wool batting "pokies" appearing on a quilt after multiple washings?  One of my customers heard after several washings wool batting will come thru where the quilting was stitched.  She didn't say if this was specific to any particular brand of wool batting, or any other specifics about type of thread, fabric, washing conditions.

I've been singing the praises of wool batting but honestly have not experienced multiple washings.  I've had some cotton battings that poked thru as I was quilting, leaving little white balls here and there, but she said this wasn't while quilting, it was the washing that caused it.

 

Thanks for any info you can provide!

[ffq-lar]

I would discount anything your customer "heard" since if this was a regular problem it would be all over every quilting blog, website, and quilter's Facebook. The quilting world is huge, but the communication is instant and widespread because of the internet.

 

I have several small pieces with wool batting, but they are seldom washed and done carefully when they are.

 

I've never heard of it nor have I had any customer issues with wool batting. As far as the wool coming through the stitching holes after washing, I imagine that I'd be more concerned about felting rather than bearding when a quilt with wool gets frequent washing.

Just my two cents and worth about that much! 

[RoseCity Quilter]

I use Hobbs Washable wool and have tested it. Made small practice piece, washed in washing machine on delicate and air dried. Everything was fine so then I repeated, still fine. Packaging does say do NOT dry in dryer...

[lsequilter]

I have a customer who experienced an extreme case of bearding with a wool batting. That being said if was DEFINITELY user error. The batting is thermal bonded. The quilt was washed several times in HOT water and dried on COTTON in the dryer. This caused the thermal bonding to no longer hold the fibers together. The back was batik and the fibers migrated through the back everywhere. We ended up unquilting the entire quilt and requilting with a cotton batting. Since this incident I make sure to discuss the properties of thermal bonding with my customers. I luv wool batting and use it in my own quilts. As stated earlier if this was a universal problem the industry would be all over it. Use it with confidence if treated properly.

Linda

[lkl]

I tested wool batting by washing and drying a small table topper in very hot water and hot dryer setting. I had no issues with bearding and only minor shrinkage. I use it as a sample to show customers the result after a harsh laundry treatment. 

Leslie

[Pat C]

Great information ladies.  Thank you so much.

I figured if there were issues I'd have seen them on this forum already.

As mentioned above, if treated properly there should be no issues.

 

Thank you!!!

[Quilted Turtle]

Many years ago I had trouble with bearding, but I didn't realize at the time I shouldn't dry it in the dryer. It needed a good shave...

[Busy Quilting]

I had trouble with "bearding " from a pure wool batting more than ten years ago. It was gentle machine washed.

I now use wool/poly on a scrim in all of my quilts and they have been through the washing machine numerous times.

[Amina N]

My dry cleaner washed and dried both of my cashmere filled quilts instead of dry cleaning them as I had instructed ... the cashmere filling clumped up and i don't know how to solve this problem, can anyone help?

[Gator]

Hummmm, I have never heard of cashmere batting so I don't have an answer.  You may have to take the quilt apart and replace the batting.  Hopefully, someone will have an answer. 

 

[StanHansen]

Quote

I have a customer who experienced an extreme case of bearding with a wool batting. That being said if was DEFINITELY user error. The batting is thermal bonded. The quilt was washed several times in HOT water and dried on COTTON in the dryer. This caused the thermal bonding to no longer hold the fibers together. The back was batik and the fibers migrated through the back everywhere. We ended up unquilting the entire quilt and requilting with a cotton batting. Since this incident I make sure to discuss the properties of thermal bonding with my customers. I luv wool batting and use it in my own quilts. As stated earlier if this was a universal problem the industry would be all over it. Use it with confidence if treated properly.

Linda, thank you for sharing your story. The fact is that people usually don't know how to wash the material correctly and wash everything the same way. And then these people tend to blame their vacuum cleaner that is not working very well. But sometimes the problem is really in the bad vacuum cleaner. Fortunately, I have one a Shark Duoclean lift away cleaner which is very functional and comfortable in exploitation. You can read a detailed review about it on https://petsmatters.net/shark-duoclean-lift-away-review/ that discusses the advantages of this model and many other aspects.