Bearding
by Mary
Help. I purchased alpaca needle punched batting. Not supposed to beard, but it did! I have over 100 hours in this quilt. Is there anything I can do to whisk away the bearding fibers laying on top without pulling up more? Have tried sticky tape only made it worse. Thanks. ANSWER Alpaca batting tends to beard because of its soft, silky, fleece fibers. It is so soft, in fact, that it feels like cashmere! The Alpaca is a domesticated, hoofed animal from the mountainous regions of South America. They are related to the llama family. Because their fur is so desirable, they are commercially raised in the U.S. and Australia. The fact that you're using needle-punched batting also contributes to the bearding problem. Needle-punched batting is pressed with hundreds of needles. This bonds the fibers and stabilizes the batting. Unfortunately, the outer fibers are looser, and therefore, subject to bearding. Although bearding occurs with Alpaca batting, there's good news. The fibers that have migrated through your fabric will eventually wear off, and the bearding will stop. |
