Wadding
5 products
Quilt wadding from £4.49 a metre — the insulating middle layer for quilts, cushions, bags and padded makes.
Differences between cotton, polyester and blended battings
Wadding provides structure, warmth and loft inside stitched projects. Different fibre types produce distinct characteristics under the needle:
- 100% natural cotton: Needle-punched for a soft drape and traditional finish, available with cotton scrim.
- 80/20 cotton-polyester blends: Made from long staple cotton and soft polyester, offering low shrinkage between 2 and 4 percent and permitting hand or machine quilting up to four inches apart.
- 100% polyester: Resilient and shape-retaining options, including siliconised and resin-bonded fibres, well suited to items that require frequent laundering.
Matching loft and weight to upholstery or craft projects
The thickness of the padding determines both drape and volume. For clothing, an ultra-thin batting avoids unwanted bulk while providing warmth. In contrast, duvets, baby rugs and decorative patchwork often call for extra voluminous, heavy-weight sew-in wadding to create prominent stitched definition.
Polyester waddings are also graded by ounce weight, including 2oz, 4oz and 8oz thicknesses. Beyond quilting, these grades are commonly used for upholstery work, such as wrapping foam, lining pelmets, padding headboards and making cushions. Depending on your project requirements, formats range from roll metreage up to 243cm wide to pre-cut craft, twin, queen and king sizes.