i have a lot of high loft batting leftover. would it be ok to use this batting for placemats? or would it make them to thick?

jeanette

I think it's best to keep your placemat as flat as possible with low-loft batting. Have you considered using flannel as a batting? Just prewash the flannel before sewing it into your project as it shrinks quite a bit.

I think you could get away with using a higher loft batting if you were willing to quilt the heck out of it! That might make it a bit stiff, but they're placemats so it doesn't matter like it would on a quilt that you wanted soft and pliable.

I would use cotton batting or low-loft poly for table linens. You want it flat. Of course, you COULD machine quilt it very heavily, but it's harder to quilt hi-loft batts, too!

Put a pice of top, batting and backing together..........put an x through this mini sandwich.......if you like it gooooooooooo. if not use something else..............what ever you like is the way to go :D

Jeanette,
I have had placemats with batting in them and they work just fine. There wasn't a lot of quilting done on them either. The plates are heavy enough to weight them down! (especially with food piled on them!)
Go for it.

thank you everyone for your opions. i think i may try and make one to see if i like it. i may even try the flannel. i do have some of that too. thanks again.


jeanette

Jeanette, I actually made a few placemats for our new home. They are raggedy John Deere placemates. I think I used high loft batting, I can't really remember but I wanted the quilted look, and I did have to quilt it a little more. I still have yet to take pictures of them, as soon as I do, I'll post them.

Hi, I think if you follow Suz's advice and iron it down first, it will be thinner, and when finished you can wash it and it will pop back up, nice and thick. thanks Suz for that great tip. :P

Keep the batting thin. A dinner plate would rest on a higher loft but I would question it supporting a glass with tipping. And then add the kids and . . . . . I do not like to clean up milk.

Suzanne

I make alot of placemats for my customers, and have found a 4oz poly batting to be the best. Have tried different lofts and they just didn't work as well.

yep, for a place mat you are right. a thick one can only lead to more work!! :( i guess i was thinking of quilting a quilt???

Actually, mine aren't that high. I have moved my sewing machine to the dining room table and moved my placemats. HAHA, I did this after we rushed to Joanns to catch the sale on the sewing table and cutting mat..hahaha. It's a little higher than I like, so I have to stand and sew which is new to me but isn't bad. However, I tend to stand on one leg and after a few days of sewing it begins to ache, must be the old age creeping up on me. :) Anyway, I quilted mine enough that they lay flat, but to be honest, when we eat dinner I always move the placemats. I made them to be there when we aren't..haha that sounds stupid, I know.

Heather,

Some items are just to look pretty, i.e., placemats, tablecloths, and throw pillows. Sounds like you are just saving yourself some work which in turn will allow you more time to quilt.

Suzanne

you are right. i would never use my placemats as actual placemats! they are a work of art. and any time saved for quilting is great. :P