Batting on a roll for frame machine quilting?
 

JoAnns recently had a sale on the batting they sell on a big roll. I wondered if any of you who do mid or long arm quilting ever buy batting that way and install it on your frame so that you are always ready to quilt the next top? It seemed like a good idea to me (I only have a Pfaff 1200) but I didn't buy it because I just wasn't sure how it would work out. Any pros or cons for any of you who have use a big roll of batting? Thanks for any advice given!

`I buy my batting by the roll but don't have it on the frame. It is folded in half so not as easy for me to roll it out. I keep it standing up and measure it out as needed. I also buy it by the package when I need a diff size or fiber. For the most part I used Warm and Natural or warm and white. I just bought a king poly batt as I wanted a bit more loft for my dad's king size quilt.

I don't have a frame or anything but I totally buy batting on the roll, I like the queen rolls usually 90" wide by anywhere from 25-40 yards. Amazon and Wal-Mart are my favorite places to get batting, usually you can get a great deal and get it delivered to your door ;) My last roll I got from Wal-Mart came out to $4 a yard, it's $9 at JAF

I buy it by the roll but custom cut for each quilt.

I bought and have 2 rolls hanging under my longarm at all times. One natural and one white. As long as you are able to get on the floor to cut the length it is immensely convenient to not have to pull the roll out, just unroll it to length

I also buy by the roll (have 3 downstairs right now) but found that having it on the below frame rack was a pain--my legs won't handle being under the frame. I roll it out on the carpet, measure for the quilt and use my laser level/square to give me a cutting line. I think it's cheaper to use bat by the roll. I buy packages for special orders of poly, etc.

I bought a big roll of Hobbs 80-20 batting in a roll at the beginning of the year. It is folded in half on the roll, so you can't just 'mount' it on the frame. (I have a Juki on a Gracie frame.) I do have it under my frame, though, so when I'm ready to quilt I roll off the right size piece and cut. It will definitely save you money if you can find a place to put it! :)

I buy my batting on a roll and again as someone mentioned, its folded in half. I have my attached to a rod in my rafters as my sewing room is in the basement. I have it just over my cutting table so when I need to pull some down I release the straight pin holding it from coming down on its own. I acquired a long metal shop ruler and shop clamps to hold the ruler across my cutting table as I cut across it. My cutting table is 4' x 8' so can't reach across it even on the shorter side. The ruler gives me a clean, straight cut too. Also I can see when I might need to order another roll by having it up where I can see it all the time. Plus I didn't have anywhere else to stash it when I didn't need any batting.

batting
 

I currently used rolled batting. love having it under my hq16 its very handy. just pull out what you need and cut for the project. it is folded, but you allow for that in the cutting. I also purchased it from Joann fabric during a great sale. I also have some dream green batting that I had ordered and waiting to put that on roll also. enjoy quilting.....

one time I bought a roll, unrolled it, unfolded it and rolled it onto the bar. Will never do that again! It's near impossible to get a look underneath if you have a problem, or to check tension. And unless you are carefull and mark increments, you'll never know just how much you have left on the roll. I wrote a number ever two feet as I was rerolling it, so I knew what I had left.

It was also a drag because I always had a full frame of batting, even if I had a quilt that was 60" wide. I use to try to trim it as I advanced, that was drag one once in a while I'd get off track and cut it in to far . . .
It was a ton of work and took a lot of room and wasn't worth it.

So now I keep the folded roll on a bar hung on the wall, cut off what I need and deal with it that way. And often I cut it and rotate it 90 deg so I only have to cut the shorter dimension to fit the quilt.

At the last class I took, the HQ instructor emphasized that the lower roll is for storage, and you are not to use it to hold batting that you are quilting on. Mostly because you can't flip things up to see what is going on underneath. You also want to make sure you aren't accidentally stretching your batting as you roll the quilt. I would also pull several feet loose so that it had no tension on it when I advanced the quilt.