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Thanks for the reminder of alternative using of batting. I cut a pile of pieces for my Swiffer but have forgotten to use them.

I also am struggling with too many pieces of batting. I do piece them together for small quilts but I many just do what one poster said and bag them and donate to Goodwill, just to clean out my storage area. It does seem a shame to cut 20 to 30 inch pieces into shreds for a dog beds. No potholders for me either.

I keep the various batting separate under my cutting table. I'll piece the sections together using batting tape and make use of them when making embroidered pillow tops, embroidered quilt blocks, the smaller pieces I'll use to clean my quilt frame rails using alcohol as well as the wheels on the machine. Doesn't take a big piece to do that.

I make quilted tote bags & the long strips are perfect for the handles. I like a puffy handle on my totes, so that's how I use those. I also piece batting & use those in table toppers & runners, the body of my bags, & other smaller projects.

A bunch of us in our guild use batting scraps all the time to make a variety of items to sell at our 'boutique' at our Guild shows. We make all different sizes of bags from small to big in a variety of styles from cosmetic bags, bingo bags, craft bags, purses, totes, wallets, change purses. Other items include passport holders, pin cushions, sewer's scrap/thread catchers, table/candle mats, coasters. table runners, placemats, mug rugs, wall hangings, featherweight machine covers & regular sewing machine covers (they are tied on the sides so they will fit of a variety of sizes of machines), fabric boxes of various designs, crayon & color book bags, Christmas stockings, pot holders, and alot more.
We do well with the sales during the quilt shows and it is really a good fundraiser for us. All the money for the sales goes to the guild program fund.

We also use scrap batting to add if needed to the charity quilts that are all different sizes. In addition to the charity quilts each year our guild makes a few hundred double-sided placemats for the Christmas season to give to the local 'Meals on Wheels' program so that each receiver will have something nice to put their holiday meal on.

If you don't like keeping your batting leftovers do ask around as there will be someone who may have lots of uses for it :)

I pick up scraps from a long arm quilter, stitch together and give to a group that make sleeping bags for the homeless. Sometime I stitch together for charity quilts but be sure to stitch only the same batting. If you mix types it gets aggravating

I had a light bulb moment yesterday watching the video link Watson provided. Why did I not know or figure out to layer the edges and cut to get matching edges??? A little slow here I guess, but I was working on piecing batting yesterday and it worked great. Thank-you Watson. I will definitely check out her other videos and hopefully have more ah-ha moments.

Last summer I made 3 baby quilts all from scrap/stash. Spent $20 (maybe) on all 3. One of the things I did was piece the batting together. Worked great. Now I use batting scraps (pieced and strips) for practice FMQ

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donnamarie (Post 8338045)

I make dog beds for shelters. You can use a fat quarter or any size, pets come in all sizes. I used my ugly fabric and stuff them with cut up scraps of fabric and batting. Dog shelters request that you cut up the fabric into 2" pieces so they won't ball up in the washing machine. I find it very fulfilling to do something good with my trash.

Good to know. So it this "pattern" just a simple put right sides together, sew around edges, leave an opening, turn right side out, and stuff? TIA

What do you do with your leftovers?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeadowMist (Post 8337636)

I'm trying to clean up my quilting boxes and thin out some things I will probably never use (like the hundreds of little scraps of cloth that are too tiny to do anything with). I have a lot of leftover batting in odd sizes (long and thin) left over after cutting out what I needed for a quilt, most of it too small for anything unless I want to piece it all together or make potholders (neither of which I will probably ever do ;)). What do you do with your leftovers? Is it worth saving or should I toss?

don't toss it but take it to a local Senior Center to share. Many of these have classes for the seniors to learn/do quilting as well as other sewing groups. They will accept and LOVE donations of all sizes. I personally have received supplies from our local center. Many of what you think is too small are exactly what I use for my doll clothes that are given to Toys 4 Tots at our local base. Many times I have also received Yards of fabric which I use to make little girls clothing and take to a local ministry store that charges for their clothing. I have received most of this material after the quilters (of which I am a part) have not wanted the items. never toss your items. There are almost always uses for these. Thanks to all for considering this option.

I made 3 baby quilts last summer with all stash and scrap including the batting.

now I'm using some of it to practice my FMQ