Quick Answer
Choose Quilters Dream Wool for a soft, warm, and naturally breathable quilt with beautiful drape. Choose Quilters Dream Poly Deluxe for a lightweight, easy-care option that resists shrinkage and is ideal for beginners or those allergic to wool.
Understanding the Key Differences
When you're choosing batting for quilts, the fiber content drives most of the differences in feel, care, and performance. Quilters Dream Wool and Poly Deluxe are both high-quality options, but they behave very differently in your quilt.
Wool batting is prized for its natural warmth and breathability. It's also known for its ability to drape well, which makes it a favorite for garments and heirloom quilts. Polyester batting, on the other hand, is often chosen for its loft, easy care, and consistent performance in machine quilting.
Warmth and Breathability
Wool is a natural insulator. It traps air to keep you warm in winter but also wicks moisture, so it doesn't feel clammy. This makes Quilters Dream Wool an excellent choice for quilts that will be used in colder climates or for people who tend to sleep hot.
Polyester batting also provides warmth, but it's less breathable than wool. It can feel warmer and less airy, which might be too much for some users. If you live in a mild climate or prefer a lighter quilt, poly could be the better fit.
Drape and Softness
Quilters Dream Wool is known for its exceptionally soft drape. Because the fibers are scoured and super-washed, the batting is both clean and flexible. This makes it ideal for quilts that will be draped over a bed or worn as a garment.
Quilters Dream Poly Deluxe, with its microfibers, is also soft, but it tends to have more loft and stiffness. It's great for quilts that need to hold their shape, like wall hangings or table runners. The tradeoff is that it may not drape as naturally as wool.
Care and Shrinkage
Wool batting requires more careful handling. Even though Quilters Dream Wool is super-washed to minimize shrinkage, it still needs to be washed gently and dried on low heat. Some quilters prefer to dry clean or hand wash wool quilts.
Polyester batting is much easier to care for. It's machine washable and dryable, and it resists shrinkage. This makes it a practical choice for everyday quilts that will see frequent washing, like baby quilts or pet blankets.
Trade-Offs at a Glance
- Warmth: Wool provides natural, breathable warmth; poly is warm but less breathable. Choose wool for cold climates, poly for mild ones.
- Drape: Wool drapes softly and naturally; poly has more loft and holds shape. Pick wool for garments or bed quilts, poly for wall hangings.
- Care: Wool requires gentle washing and low-heat drying; poly is machine washable and dryable. Choose poly for high-use, easy-care quilts.
- Allergies: Wool can irritate sensitive skin; poly is hypoallergenic. If you're allergic to wool, poly is the safer choice.
- Cost: Wool is generally more expensive than poly. If budget is a concern, poly offers good value for its performance. Consider how often the quilt will be used and washed before deciding.
Product Facts
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Quilters Dream Wool Batting: Dream Wool is made with scoured and super-washed domestic and fine Merino wool long cut tops, blended, carded, crosslapped, and thermally bonded. This processing ensures superior cleanliness and eliminates shrinkage and felting, so your quilt stays soft and true to size.
Quilters Dream Wool Batting
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Quilters Dream Poly Deluxe Batting: Quilters Dream Poly Deluxe contains over 60 million microfibers per pound, compared to the average 5 million in other polyester battings. The high microfiber count gives the batting a softer hand and better performance, making it a step above typical polyester battings.
Quilters Dream Poly Deluxe Batting
Which Should You Choose?
Best For
- Quilters who want a soft, drapey quilt with natural warmth and breathability.
- Projects like heirloom quilts, garments, or quilts for cold climates.
Not For
- Quilters who need easy machine washability and dryability, or who have wool allergies.