Product Review: Katahdin Premium Batting and Batting Seam Tape

Have you ever used Bosal's Katahdin Batting (Made in the USA).  I remember the first time I saw the name I figured it must mean something but I didn't know...nor did I know how to pronounce Katahdin. It is pronounced, "kuh-TAH-din."  Now we can all act ed-u-ma-cated :)

This is what the packaging says,

"At the Northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail stands Mount Katahdin, the highest peak in the State of Main.  IN the native Penobscot Indian language "katahdin" means "The Greatest Mountain".  Like Mount Katahdin, we believe you will find our Katahdin Premium Batting to be the greatest, highest quality quilt batting available today." 

Below is a sample of hand quilting using Bosal Katahdin Premium Cotton Batting 3oz Summer weight.

Hand quilting done by none other than the IHAN East Coast Head of Operations and "Master Hand Quilter", Mary Jane.  She whipped this up as a sample / trial run.  MJ is going to be doing a whole cloth quilt soon and she wanted to make a sample block before she selected her batting. 

I asked MJ how she liked working with  Katahdin Batting and this was her reply, "It needled very nicely and was soft.  It holds the design well and had a consistent, even, smooth texture and it has no voids.  I really like it"

I asked another trusted and  experienced quilter, Madalene Murphy (she writes one of my favorite blogs- Working Wall to also write a review for Katahdin Premium Batting because I know she uses it.  This is what she wrote,

"I have a new favorite batting. I just finished my third machine quilted wall hanging with Katahdin summer weight--their lightest weight batting--and it is now my batting of choice. Because it has no scrim, it is extremely soft so that the quilt drapes beautifully and it is very easy to sew through. But whatever kind of needlepunching they do to make the cotton hold together, they have found the secret of making a product that holds its shape and that I love to work with. I will also be using the autumn weight--slightly heavier--in some projects, but I will definitely keep a good supply of summer on hand."

Madalene Axford Murphy

It sure is good to know some talented and experienced quilters when I need a review for a product that I personally don't feel I can review with confidence.  I don't have near the experience Mary Jane and Madalene have and they are women I trust when it comes to honesty and being forthright. (Can you imagine how I managed to attract these ladies?  giggles)

Katahdin Summer 3oz Premium Batting  is Lightweight, 100% Organic Natural Cotton Batting Ideal Weight for hand quilting but stable enough for Machine Quilting. 

Katahdin Autumn is a Premium  Midweight 100% Organic Cotton Batting Ideal for Machine Quilting and Crafts.

Katahdin Winter is a Midweight 100% Polyester Micro-Denier Batting Ideal for Machine Quilting and Crafts.

Katahdin Peemium Batting is available at IHAN  in the following sizes: 45" x 60", "72 x 90", "90 x 96", and "108 x 90" and by the roll, 90 inches X 30 yards. 

While discussing Batting....I think I'll also tell you about Bosal's Batting Seam Tape.  It is the only Batting Tape I'll use.  I love the weight of it and I have found it very easy to work with. 

Waldo and I are working on a quilt as you go project for charity.   The batting needed to be cut 10" x 10" so this gave us an opportunity to use up scraps of batting we had. 

You can see in the photo how nice the Batting Seam Tape works and you'd never know it was there once you cover it with fabric!  So, there's another tip for ya :) 

Smiles,

Kelly

Applique Giveaway & Master Applique and Hand Applique Follow Up

Before I go any further, I need to clarify something I wrote in my post about Mary Jane's Baltimore Album quilt.  The center block is an Elly Sienkiewicz design, the leaves and berries surrounding the block is what I was supposed to point out as being MJ's design.  I sincerely apologize to Elly.  Thankfully Elly didn't catch this and write to me....I'd have been so embarrassed!

I loved reading all the comments about Mary Jane's Baltimore Album Quilt.  So many of you guessed correctly, my favorite is block number 9, the one with the bird. 

I put everyone who left a comment into a little bag and drew out a name. 

Karen Kay Buckley's Perfect Scissors Small 4"

A great gift for applique just might be a wonderful 4" pair of Karen Kay Buckley's Perfect Scissors....and the name I drew out was.....SARA! (I'll give ya three days after that...I'll draw another name)

Sara, e-mail me with your full name and address and I'll send you Karen Kay Buckley's Perfect Scissors....might I just add that Karen's Perfect Scissors honestly rock big socks....truth!

Thanks for reading and leaving comments :)

Smiles,

Kelly

A Master At Work - Part II

More photos from PA.  What can I say...I take hundreds of photos and I've spared you over 200 of the other's I've taken.

Even thought I only had 24 hours with my dear friend Mary Jane...I was very grateful for those 24 hours.  It doesn't seem to matter much what we do....we just like causing trouble and being together.  Do you have friends like that? 

You may remember an earlier post, A Master At Work.  If you don't you can click on the link and review those pictures.  I swear Mary Jane is an Applique Master.  I got goose bumps when I saw this quilt finished.  Many of my PA friends have done a Baltimore Album over the last year....and they are just amazing stitchers.

 I took close up photos of many of the blocks...hopefully you can see the quilting and the applique...isn't this amazing?  The center is her own design...I can't even begin to imagine cutting and stitching that many leaves and berries and having them all look like they are where they belong.

Center Block (1)

Close up of Center Block (1)

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Mary Jane designed the outside and the corners as well.

Of course it is hand quilted!!

Look how amazing her stitches are....I know she will cringe when she reads what I've written....but it is true...she is a Master in my mind so I'm sticking to my "Applique and Hand Quilting Master" title I've given her :)

This is Mary Jane....my dear friend...a woman I respect and truly admire....I'm fortunate to call her my friend. 

I numbered the blocks because I'm curious to know which one is your favorite and which block do you think is my favorite?  Go ahead....take a guess...leave a comment.....there just might be a little prize involved :)

Smiles,

Kelly

The Antique Quilt Collection of Patti Shores in Wyalusing PA...and More

Back home but clearly my mind and pix are still in PA!  Below is something I took a photo of from Nanny's house.  She had this sitting on a table in her living room and I always loved it....thought I'd share this picture with others who would appreciate the sentiment.

This is a view from Waylusing Rocks....isn't it absolutely beautiful there?

Here the boys are throwing skippers down at Homets Ferry.

This is a photo of what we can see from the deck of our cabin...our little paradise in PA.

Ok, now on to the quilts!!!  This was hanging in the lobby of the Wyalusing Chamber of Commerce.

The Blue Heron Gallery is hosting "The Antique Quilt Collection of Patti Shores from May 6-June 12, 2011".  These are the photos I took of the show.  I did take pictures of the descriptions next to the quilts but they did not come out as clear as I would have liked so I omitted them from the post.

The show was really neat and again I'm so grateful that Peggy De Martino gave me the tour...Thanks Peggy!!

Smiles,

Kelly