Wadding and fabrics for quilts come in all designs and sizes, but you need to know how to pick the suitable material for your project. If you are a beginner or need some refresher course, read on to see some of our recommended tips.

To choose the right wadding for quilting, determine how you plan to use the quilt and your method of quilting. If a quilt receives frequent use, such as a child's quilt, the wadding should be sturdy and washable. Consider a different wadding if you are making a wall hanging, which will probably never be laundered. Keep in mind that thinner waddings are easier and work well with hand quilting. In machine quilting, a thick wadding is not a problem.

If you prefer working with natural fibres, silk and wool wadding for quilts UK wide are also available in shops. Both are, however, far more costly than cotton or polyester wadding, and silk is not readily available. Wool is a delight to work with because it is lightweight and simple to manipulate. Silk wadding necessitates specialised procedures, so familiarise yourself with them before attempting to work with it.

When shopping for waddings, you can purchase them by the metre with varying widths or by the package, which comes in craft size (35" x 45"), king size (120" x 120"), and other sizes in between. Purchase a wadding size that can be cut a little larger than these dimensions, as shown in the patterns in this series. Before binding the quilt, the excess will be trimmed away.

You can either buy wadding in fixed package sizes of a standard crib, twin, full, queen, and king-size or have them trimmed down to your preferred size. You can either have your custom size cut at the store or cut it yourself at home with this option. While it adds a phase to the process, if you quilt often, off-the-bolt may be a more cost-effective and easy option in the long run.

The most common quilt wadding is made of cotton or polyester wadding for quilting, but wool, silk, bamboo or a poly-cotton blend are all fair game. It also comes in combinations that are organic (recommended for baby quilts) or made from recycled fibres. Nevertheless, the choice is yours – fibre types are usually determined based on personal preference. However, there are a few things to think about. Waddings made of cotton, wool, silk, and bamboo all shrink to some extent, and the packaging may indicate how much. This is why, when making a quilt sandwich, you want it to be slightly larger than your quilt top. Cotton is the cheapest choice, but it's also the most comfortable, and its heavy weight can surprise you.

If you're using cotton fabrics for your quilt top and back, 100 per cent cotton wadding is a good fit. It will give your quilt a nice drape and make it incredibly soft and comfortable. Cotton wadding is warm but not overly so, so it is a great one for all seasons. Most of the time, they are used in quilts for babies and children, but they can also be used for other projects. Cotton wadding can be very thick, so it might not be appropriate for quite large quilts. Quilting stitches may be achieved in a very sparse manner. You can quilt 8-10" apart for a softer feel or quilt densely for a more structured quilt.

If your budget is tight, then polyester wadding for quilting is the one you need! This type of lighter and fluffier compared to natural fibres. At the same time, they are lighter and warmer as well. Other good things with polyester wadding are that it is mould and mildew resistant and hypoallergenic and fire retardant.

Consider wool wadding for quilts UK manufactured if you're looking for a more natural alternative. It's lighter and loftier than cotton, and it's known for its warmth. Since it is smaller, it will be ideal for big projects. Design-wise, a taller loft will give your quilting stitches more 'pop' than those with thinner layers. The drape of wool wadding is similar to that of cotton wadding, yet it has more volume, which gives more warmth.

DIY project enthusiasts and expert quilters will agree to one thing: all materials should be of the highest quality. From fabrics to wadding for quilting, they should be inspected for quality checks. It would be best to ask fellow crafters where they source and the average cost of these materials. This way, you can settle for a single shop that can cater to all your needs – no need for store hopping all the time!