Please tell me I'm not the only one with a HUGE stash of scrap batting. The amount I've saved is almost shameful. I keep telling myself I'll use it for the next quilt or for charity quilts. Well yesterday was the day to start using it because I forgot to buy batting when I went into town a couple of days ago. The drive into town is 20 minutes. Then there would be the actual shopping time and as we all know once your in the store the hunter gatherer kicks in and before you know it an hour has passed. So I decided to save time and money by piecing together some scraps.
Layering the scraps of batting over the quilt top on the wall makes it easy to see when I'll have enough for this quilt.
Looks like these are going to need a lot of trimming.
Yah! Three pieces of batting is all I'll need to piece together. That's pretty good. I've made some in the past with up to 10 pieces. It's tricky but doable. I'm curious if quilters have a limit to how many pieces of scrap batting is to many for one quilt. Do you have a limit?
All of the batting scraps I chose have one factory cut edge. The factory edge will not need to be trimmed, thank goodness.
Now I remember why I avoid piecing polyester batting, it's not easy.
It will also dull a brand new rotary cutting blade. This rotary cutting blade was due for a change anyway.
Cutting the three pieces took about 30 minutes. This time includes the smoothing and folding. It would be much easier if it were cotton batting. But as you all know I'm allergic to cotton batting.
If it were cotton I could use the batting tape to quickly iron the pieces together. A hot iron and polyester don't play well together so these will need to be sewn together. Years ago I used to do this by hand to avoid the having a small seam in the batting. Time and age has taught me I really don't care what's inside the quilt that no one one can see. My machine is set the longest and widest zigzag available and it's pedal to the metal!
It can be a little tricky because once you butt the two pieces of batting together it's hard to see where one stops and the other starts. So I try to keep a small gap in between the two. This gap is quickly pulled together by the zigzag stitch.
The seam is very visible but once in the quilt who will know besides you and me. I'm not telling anyone are you?
Just to be on the safe side the Frankenstein batting is placed back on top of my quilt top. Looks like I'm ready to start my marathon quilting. I'm going to do my best to get this quilted in one day. Wish me luck!
#piecingquiltbatting
#quiltingtip
#christmasjoyquilt
