Hi Holly,    
  
   ³ Warm & Natural 100 percent cotton is best for machine quilting; Hobbs 
Heirl   
   ³ 80% cotton - 20% polyester blend is FANTASTIC for hand quilting.. it's 
like
   ³ knife thru warm butter, it quilts so smoothly.   Maybe if you try one of 
th
   ³ Hobbs batts next time, you'll have an easier time of it??
I am considering taking a batting class offered this summer at a local
quilt shop.  They will offer a kit that includes a sample of every batt
that they can find.
The problem that I was having hand quilting the cotton batt was that I
was bending and breaking needles rapidly.  A friend and I tried every
brand of needle we had between us.  A couple of weeks later another
friend overheard my complaints.  (both of these women teach at the local
quilt shop)  She asked what size needle that I had been using.  Up until
that point I hadn't thought of changing the size.  Anyway, she said she
always uses a #8 needle when quilting a cotton batt.  She gave me one out
of her kit, and I immediately stopped hating my project.  I had been
using a #10, and the #8 made a world of difference.  I have another PIP
(project in progress) that also has a cotton batt.  I changed the needle
to an #8 there also.  It is my "Centennial Quilt", and I wanted the
cotton for the old fashioned look.  I am 1/4" quilting it, but even then
I had been bending needles.  The star quilt had crosshatching that went
through alot of seams.
Thanks for your opinion.  I really do like to know what works well for
others.  BTW, I will have a block for you by the end of next week.  And
since I had recently won, don't even put my name in the hat.
Sylvia
   ³
   ³ Just another opinion for you to consider.  :-)
   ³
   ³
   ³ :)---Holly--
   ³
   ³ hollys@geocities.com  http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/4201
   ³
   ³ --- DLG Pro v1.16/DLGMail v2.63
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