Quilted Coasters
 

I am making quilted coasters for Christmas gifts. They are 5 inches square with cute Christmas fabric. I have two questions: How much quilting should I do on the squares, and should I include some sort of water-proof material in with the batting so the moisture from a glass won't leak through to the table? Thanks in advance for any suggestions you have for these questions.

I'd quilt them pretty tightly so they have some rigidity. Nobody likes a floppy coaster.

Placing waterproof material inside the coaster may be an exercise in futility. Natural fabrics wick moisture, so even if you had a waterproof layer, moisture would spread through the entire coaster if it's a natural fiber. Another option is to make the coasters out of an impermeable material like vinyl, but then any stitches would puncture the material and compromise its waterproof quality - and, you've already chosen the fabric, so this is a moot point.

The biggest risk with glasses on moisture-sensitive surfaces is condensation running down the outside of the glass. A fabric coaster would absorb that minimal amount of moisture without becoming waterlogged and would protect the wood with its "blotting" qualities. If a drink is knocked over, it doesn't matter how the coaster is constructed.

I've done fabric placemats & didn't use any sort of moisture barrier. Unless someone spills their drink, the batting should be sufficient to prevent moisture rings on the table. I used a high loft poly batt.

I agree that you want to quilt them at least every 1".

For me, water wicking through the fabric and the holes stitching makes has always been a concern for me. If you are quilting through all the layers, I don't think that you can make it fully block any water leaking through. You might experiement with gluing on a thin layer of cork that you get at craft stores on the back after it is done, but that would ruin the look of your quilting on the back. You might also want to try using two layers of bat with a layer of thin vynal that you get at Joanns in the middle. That would let the top bat absorb water and the second bat absorb any leaks. You may want to try different ways and pour some water on them and see if any or how much water leaks through. I know that people use quilted coasters all the time, but I only use coasters that I know will block 100% of the water on top of my good wood furniture.

I just made quilted cozies for my glasses and coffee cups. No quilting on the bottom. No leaks and helps hold on the hot or cold whatever the use. Just used cotton batting.