Batting, leftovers. What is it?
 

I have left over batting in all shapes and sizes. How do I tell which are 100 cotton? I want to make bowlies and use only cotton. And from now on, my pieces will be tagged with size and content! Also is bamboo OK for bowlies? Thanks for your help!.😀

I put all left order batting in the bags that they come in or I put a note in a box telling me that all the batting is the same so that I can use it for whatever. Sorry, no answer for the bamboo, have never used it.

I would probably just buy more batting so I could be sure.
I suppose you could try a burn test on anything that is low loft & doesn't have a scrim (a scrim is when one side is smoother than the other). If it burns & only turns to ash, with no melty bits & no chemical smell, it's most likely cotton. That said, having worked years in the insurance industry & seeing what happens when people are "pretty sure" something was microwave safe, I really wouldn't risk it. They sell packages of "microwave-safe" batting (assuming you only plan to heat in 30 second increments for no longer than 2-3 minutes) at JAF. Since you only need the Craft Size & they have coupons available on their website for 40% off, I'd just get something where I knew it was 100% cotton with no chemical additives (e.g., bonding or bleaching agents).

Bamboo, as a grass, should be as safe as cotton -- again, check package labels to see if it is "bonded", meaning a chemical finish on the surface. Another test you could try is whether it melts or scorches when pressed with an iron set at "cotton".

I use my left over batting for small sandwiching with left over undesirable fabrics to practice fmq which I don't think I'll ever get the hang of! Lol

For microwave use I sure would make the investment in batting that was specially made for that purpose. You keep reading about fires from folks using the wrong batting. Warm & natural says it's 100% cotton, but that's just the batt. They don't mention the polyester scrim, which is why you can't use it in the microwave.

Just make sure you don't use any Insul-brite in something that might go in a microwave. While it's great for things like potholders, as it slows down the transfer of heat, it is all too likely to catch fire in a microwave. (The package directions are clear on this point.)

I would avoid putting "bowlies" or batting in the microwave, period. It was always my understanding that the purpose behind them was to essentially act like a hot pad and protect your hands from a hot bowl after it comes out of the microwave, and not that it went into the microwave along with the food.

Put a piece of batting in the microwave and test it before using it in the bowl holder. We use the bowl holders in the microwave to heat food but never to cook the food first.

I have used Warm & Natural or Warm & White batting in microwave bowls for 5 years & never had a problem with them catching on fire. I never put them in the micro for more than 3 minutes.