Granny Cats Longarm Quilting Service: Batting for Children's Quilts

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Batting for Children's Quilts

When we think of batting, we think about things like dimension (loft, thick or thin), cost, warmth, etc. I keep quilted samples of the batting I carry on hand so my clients can determine the look they might like best. However, there is another vital thing we need to consider for use in baby, children, and invalid quilts.

When I am given a cute baby top for quilting, my first question is always "what are you considering using for batting in this quilt?" Years ago, I had a co-worker whose daughter was badly burned by sleeping too close to the fire with a non-fire retardant blanket. This memory is one reason I am biased as to what type of batting goes into a child's quilt. (I do tend to make very strong recommendations.) Children tend to drag their quilts around for years, and that favorite "banky"
being drug around is more likely to find a flame to ignite it.

You may not be aware that the worst batting you could use for a child's quilt, or an invalid's quilt for that matter, is polyester or a polyester blend. Put a match to either of these, and they will burn very quickly and melt. The melt is what actually sticks to the skin and causes the most severe burn damage. Children who have suffered from polyester burns go through very painful therapy, including debridement (scrubbing the polyester from the body).

A couple of years ago I found an article by Beth Kurzava in IMQA (International Machine Quilters Association) magazine. The full article can be read at: http://www.imqa.org/media/uploads/2011/11/17/files/BattingArticleFall2011_1.pdf

Beth performed burn tests on several types of batting. In each test, she lit an 8" square of batting, taking photos for 3 seconds. Below are her findings.

Polyester burn - 3 second lapse from start to finish

Cotton/poly blend - 3 second lapse from start to finish

I have had some customers who have believed that 100% cotton is the way to go, but Beth's testing shows that this is not the best choice either: (100% cotton burn sample - 3 second lapse from start to finish.)

So, I am sure you want to know what is safe to use. Well, there is 100% cotton, flame retardant batting out there, and the one I carry and recommend for use in children's and invalid's quilts is Dream Angel (by Quilters Dream Batting). The burn sample below is a 100%cotton fire retardant batting, but the manufacturer is unnamed in the article. (These photos also show a 3 second lapse from start to finish.)

Below is a photo quilt that I made for my granddaughter Emily - you can bet that I used a flame retardant batting for this quilt. Life is too precious, and she is too cute! (Sorry, but I could not seem to make the program display this one upright.)