for table runners and tree skirts, I use flannel - plain old flannel (on sale or with major coupons, I buy it for about $2 per yard). It gives it a little bit of fluff without making it 'wobbly'. (My go to rule is if I can sit a delicate wine glass on it and not have it wobble.) Being 42" wide, it works for most of these projects and for a custom extra wide skirt, I buy the wide flannel. I joke about how I want to put my money on the tops, not on the inside. And since I am in the business of making money with these items, I try to keep the costs down. When I do a show, I do offer matching potholders/trivets for when they are using hot dishes and with these I do use insulbright.