My daughter's tablecloth is large, pieced, she didn't want batting in it, I just bought a cotton/ poly blend sheet (for $4) & backed it, did some stitch in the ditch quilting- she loves it & had been using it for 8 years. My mom never wants batting in the runners I make for her, I just back them & quilt. I've also used muslin for ( batting) in many projects that just needed a little more weight, body but not bulk, works great.