I thought I would practice machine quilting since all I have done so far has been by hand. Pieced together some potholders and I bought insulated fabric to put inside. The woman at the shop told me to put it in between two pieces of batting or it wouldn't work. I did that and basted it all together. The needle felt as if I was really pushing to get it through. The insulated piece looks like it has a shiny, almost metallic side. My question is, if I am having a hard time pushing a hand needle through, what type of machine needle should I use? The sandwich also looks kind of thick. I did use the lowest loft batting I had. Did I do this right? Any suggestions would help. Thanks.

When I bought the pot holder batting I was sent to this heat resistant type and told not to use the batting as it can be made with fibers that will melt or catchfire. Mine is a light tan in color and very stiff and the machine goes through it like butter.

This is a white material that looks as though it has a thin covering of fuzzy plastic on both sides. I don't remember what she called it and it didn't come with the tissue instructions like fusible webbing does when you buy it by the yard. Now I am wondering if my batting will catch fire.

I use Insulbrite, along with one layer of cotton batting and it has always worked great..I was told that the shiny side goes where the heat will be....I'd love to hear what others say about this as well......My favorite pot holder pattern is "Pot Handlers"....Great, decorative, very functional pot holder.....

San

Use a size 14 for machine quilting. also You only need one layer of warm and natural batting and one layer of insul bright, that is the shiny and soft sided heat resistant stuff for pot holders and trivets. It is called insul-bright. read the directions that came with the package it will tell you how to layer it.

I think that is what she may have called it - insulbright. This looks the same on both sides and I bought it by the yard with no instructions.

Insul-brite has the instructions rolled in the bolt with the yardage. If you did not get instructions it may not be real Insul-brite. Does it have a metallic layer in it? It sounds like you were trying to hand quilt it. You will have to machine quilt it. 2 layers of batting would be too much I think. I would go back to the store and find out exactly what it is.

I use insul-brite and one layer of batting and don't have a problem machine quilting.
Have fun and show some pictures.
D

I too was told not to put batting in mine.

Instead of throwing them out, my family members give me their old jeans. I cut 2 squares to use for the lining for pot holders and a jeans needle to FMQ.