I use warm and natural batting, but the thin cotton one.

I don't think I would use polyester batting but something thinner. The flannel idea sounds great to me. You could even double it to make it a bit thicker but not bulky. Have fun making the runners.

Just saw you today too. I just finished a table topper and as I was thinking about it, I remembered I had lots of flannel from when I use to do rag quilts. So I used a light yellow flannel as my batting. I washed it and it seems fine. It isn't bulky and will be great on the table. I would rather save my cotton or wool batting for the cozy quilts we love.

I made a tablerunner last year and used warm and natural. It looked beautiful until I washed it and then it got the old fashioned puffy quilt look. So, I guess I have learned to quilt the heck out it; I think that was my probem. I have also made some recently with thinsulate and I hope that will be a good thing.

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just saw this now also. new board I can't get around. Well I have seen no batting tablerunners also. I think the ones with no batting are being made by sewers or crafters and not quilters. I use thin warm and natural. Less bulk.

Also just found this(I'm looking like a dog for a bone and can't remember where I buried it), but there is a pattern called 10 minute table runner that uses no batting. I use warm and natural(white) in mine. I like the white because it seems to be thinner and I don't want the bulk.

On table runners I use fusibile batting. It works really well. I don't use fusible on full size quilts, but on small projects I love it.

I like using either warm & natural (which I prefer prewashing by soaking, spinning and machine drying) or a type of batting called fleece as opposed to the fleece used for garments. Both are flat and seem to quilt nicely.

Sorry I didn't find this post before. I use insulbrite for table pieces because I tend to leave them on the table during meals...protects the table finish from hot bowls and sweaty glasses. Same insulbrite goes into my placemats and coasters.

I think it depends on the look you want, and the print. I recently made a runner using a poly bat. At first, I thought it was way too puffy, but after I quilted it, I liked it a lot.

How do I post a picture to a reply? Can't seem to find the magic "button".....