left over batting
 

I have several pieces of batting -- 15-24 inches by 72. Can I piece these together to make one large one to use in a quilt? And how would I do that?
thanks,

Yes you can piece the batting either buy the tape you iron on...JAF has that, or just large zigzag on your sewing machine

You can also sew them together by hand. I used to do that, but now I lay them up against each other (not overlapping) and use the zigzag stitch to put them together. You can't tell the batting was pieced after the quilt is finished.

I piece lots of my batting scraps. I use the widest zig zag stitch, and but the edges together. If its lofty I'll use my walking foot and loosen the tension a bit.

I do it by hand. Just but the long edges together, not overlapping, and whip stitch the edges together. Doesn't take long. My Juki doesn't have a zigzag so doing it by hand or the tape are my options.

I agree with the previous posters. Your batting can be pieced together in several ways, and it will not show when your quilt is complete.

The last three quilts I've made had pieced batting--finally using up those leftovers that take up so much room! I whip stitch them by hand.

I make sure the edges are straight, butt them up to each other (no overlap) and use a loose zig zag stitch. If your stitch is too tight you will get a pucker in your batting.

Batting is way too expensive to just toss away!

I agree!! I sew batting together all the time. I have also used this

http://www.connectingthreads.com/Too...r__D21128.HTML

which is pretty slick.

I cut about 1.5" strips of lightweight fusible interfacing, over lap both sides and cut them so that the sides will butt up against each other perfectly, then fuse with interfacing on both sides. No need to zig zag.

I glue baste, and if I know I'm going to be densely quilting the quilt, I won't even bother attaching the batting scraps together! I just glue them down to the backing a strip at a time, making sure edges meet neatly and trimming anything that overlaps. You can't tell at all in the finished quilt. I wouldn't do it for a quilt I'm doing minimal quilting on, but on something that's going to get an all-over FMQ design that's pretty dense it totally works.

I've used the tape with pretty good success.

I piece batting all the time by using the zig zag stitch. I even piece much smaller pieces together to use in pot holders or micro wave bowls. No batting goes to waste.

I do it all the time!! I bought a roll of the iron on tape but I haven't used it - it's easier to me to set the zip zag stitch length as wide as it goes and stitch them together. It the pieces have uneven edges, you can overlap them slightly and cut with a rotary cutter and they will then fit together perfectly. Quick and easy!!

I use leftover batting for placemats and small projects.

I love the tape that you iron on...I get it at Hobby Lobby or Joann's. It works like a charm!

Sure. Just butt the ends together and zigzag - I use the zigzag stitch that is really 3 stitches for each zig and zag, rather than the one that is just back and forth. But any of the methods mentioned here will work. I have just whipstitched the edges together, but it's quite tedious.

I can't wait to try this. I know I have at least enough large pieces to make 2 twin size quilts. Unfortunately I have been throwing away smaller pieces (shame on me!) Thanks all!

I use my 3 step zig zag stitch and butt the edges of the batting together and stitch them. I don't overlap them. My pieces all lay flat and you can not see a thing in the quilt.

I use to throw away the left overs from quilts. Then I someone wrote how the scraps add up and the cost is there. So i've started saving anything more than what I call a snibble. I've done a quick whip stitch to hold them, but have also found if the quilting is fairly close, that isn't needed. I've also started to do some quilts in the QAYG method which is perfect for using up those 15" width scraps. Everyone above is correct in that you really cannot tell where they are joined after the quilt is quilted and washed. I try not to think of all the batting I use to just toss. Shudder....

I always piece my batting. To get a clean edge to butt up against each other I overlap the edges slightly and then cut through both layers. The edges now align perfectly. I whip stitch mine together by hand. It doesn't take that long when you lay it on a flat surface and for me is easier than trying to keep things together zig zaggin on the machine. You can buy tape for this purpose as well but it is pricey and I would rather spend my money on fabric.

Another way to butt pieces of batting together is to use the flatlocking feature on the serger. The tape is great, too. Mmm, I will try Elmer's glue suggested earlier...a new use for Elmer's glue, lol.

On small items, like a pillow top, I don't even stitch them together. Just butt the straight edges together, pin paste, and quilt. The quilting will keep the batting in place.

Yes, you can piece them together. I do it all the time and use the iron-on tape. Absolutely no problems with it holding up.
I've saved may a dollar buy piecing batting.

Yes, you absolutely can. I use a zig-zag with a broken stitch, not a straight zig-zag. The straight one leaves a ridge where the broken one lays nice and flat. I hope you know what I mean by the broken one.

I keep most all my batting leftovers these days. I'll use the iron tape as I have lots of it on hand right now and as I cut my pieces off a finished quilt and I have the iron on anyway, I'll go ahead and piece them onto batting I've been piecing together. Once I get a decent size, I mark it with the size so when I'm looking for batting I check my rack for what sizes I have already before I go to my bolt of batting to cut. When there's more tape than batting I call it finished and toss it. That rarely happens though.

Yes, as the others have said there are many ways to put together pieces for a larger quilt. I like to keep all my scraps for when I want to make table runners, bags, mug rugs and Christmas decorations. I hate cutting into a new batting roll for small projects so having scraps handy is always good.

ABSOLUTELY. I have always used left over pieces of batting, laid one edge over the other, then used a rotary cutter to cut a straight line, then using a large zig-zag stitch piece them together I know there is an iron on product out there where you place on separate pieces of batting, then ironed on this tape to hold it together; but that's not always available when I need it, so I use the zig-zag stitch method, and it's worked well for me for years. Hope this helps.

I have a question about this, I know that Poly batting will melt if ironed, is it ok to iron 80/20 batting will the Poly in it melt?

By all means, don't waste that leftover batting! I use the fusible tape described above.

I piece mine with iron on tape...Works well...

For the most part I use the same batting in most quilts. Then, When I piece them the "new" batt is the same and quilts the same. Do be careful about mixing batting types because different batts quilt differently. I also use my leftovers in a variety of small projects. But, I never let it go to waste as it is too expensive. Another thing I am working on that uses batting scraps is to make a stitch and motif album for use when I need to choose batting, threads or quilting motifs. I am having fun doing that.

I have a fairly large collection of batting scrapes and I did no know what to do with them. Now I know-- Thanks to everyone.

you sure can. I was making a cover for my heating pad (all on the serger) this weekend and wanted to quilt part of it. I took two long pieces side by side and then since I was doing decorative stitching that would require stabilizer I placed the batting on top of that and serged (using cover stitch) them together. You can do the same with a zig zag stitch. It turned out great and now my heating pad that litterly stays out on the sofa constantly matches my throw cushions. It looks so much nicer than that blue thin bag that they are covered with. Now I'm making a zebra print one for my daughter, who is only 25 but her heating pad stays out constantly too. If you got to use it might as well make it look good

Absolutely. I whip stitch the pieces together usually, but as much as you have I'd probably zigzag it together. There's also tape you can iron on to hold the pieces together, but I'd never spend that much to hold scraps together.

I have several bolts of 100% cotton for myself, but the guild that I belong to bought a poly and with a cooler iron it worked just fine (don't ask me how I "remembered" to lower the iron temperature - lol)

I feel horrible admitting this, but I have a million tons (okay, not that much, but it feels like that much) of leftover batting. I cannot stand piecing batting but I feel guilty throwing it away so I just keep jamming more leftover pieces into containers. It really is ridiculous but I despise sewing them together...I need to just donate it already.