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I'm at a loss as to why I'm having bearding on quilt backs.  I believe I have the batting between the top and back sandwiched properly (pimples down dimples up) 80/20 batting.   I'm using glide 40 in the top and a glide 60 magna bobbin in the bottom.  New needle with each quilt, size 4.0.  I'm new to long arm quilting (March 18)  and I own an APQS Freddie.  Also,  When I first got my machine I practiced with Warm and natural cotton batting (dirty side up) sandwiched between quilting cotton using glide 40 in the top and I believe superiors prewound bobbins (cardboard sides)  that come in the sampler that comes with a  new machine.  Size 4.0 needle.  There was not one speck of bearding.  It's my understanding that 80/20 is the go to batting for most quilts.   Does anyone out there have some wisdom they would like to share?  It would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you in advance.:)

 

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Horse:  What are you using for backing fabric?  Loose weaves will show batting and look like bearding.  In my experience, MODA fabrics in dark colors don't perform well.  The "wrong" side tend to be very light in color in relation to the "right" side.  When you quilt, the woven fabric thread will roll over, and look like bearding.  It isn't.  I'd guess that any other fabric with light "wrong" side, will perform the same way.  You might need to be more selective about your backing fabric.   Jim

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Thanks Jim.  The backing in two of the quilts was dark  and quality quilting cotton.   The batting and backing was supplied by the customer (80/20).  In hindsight they could have used black batting as their quilt tops were dark also.   The thing is, this bearding/pokeys is also showing up on guild charity quilts that I have been doing.  I realize that the quality of the materials the guild supplies isn't always the best, but I still get bearding here and there.   They usually supply 80/20.   I just finished one with a flannel backing (dark brown) and white batting.  As you can guess there are pokeys here and there in the backing.  I dont know what the batting is in that one.  Its very slubby (little balls/pills) on both sides so it wasnt easy to discern which side was up or down.

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I always get pokies with 80/20 batting. Always. There is no up/down with 80/20 so unstitching and turning over the batting won't help---BTDT. When I use it I check the back very carefully with the starting stitches. I have gone down a half-size for the needle, always start with a new one, and watch closely. If the pokies are manageable (only a few in a pass) I keep going and when I groom the back I poke those pokies back in with a used machine needle. Very easy and effective, but time-consuming. But I hate 80/20. Luckily, my customers are embracing wool and double batts.

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For my own quilts, I use a single layer of wool or a layer of cotton on the bottom and a wool or poly on top. Cotton batting is wonderful stuff, but I longarm and want my efforts to show!  Double batting can be many combos, usually cotton on the bottom and something fluffy on top. Tuscany (Hobbs) has a lovely cotton/wool blend that I love. I use whatever my customers bring, with only a couple on the "will not use" list---which are Fairfield poly (horrible, uneven stuff that if they insist, I have them take it out of the package and inspect for holes and fist-punches) and bamboo, which I don't accept because the linty-ness does a job on my breathing. Double batting is great to quilt on, but it does add weight to a quilt. Most of my customers use doubles for show quilts and those Judy Niemeyer quilts that need the depth for the quilting to show.

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Double batting shows the quilting beautifully, but be careful if you use rulers.  They have a tendency to catch on the hopping foot because the batting is so thick.  For normal quilts one layer is best.  Try Dream poly if you don't want pokies.  Hobbs 80/20 used to be nicer to use.

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