My mom and grandmother used blankets from the dollar stores when I was small. And they quilted by hand. When my mother-in-law gave us some "itchy" blankets that my kids hated, I used them as batting. Since the blankets had a pattern, I turned them over so that the pattern faced the back of the quilt. I was using a cheap cotton for backing, which means the pattern showed through the backing. Not that it mattered, but it gave the backing some interest. The quilts were utilitarian, so using the blankets turned out to be a good idea--they were heavy and warm. My mil complimented me on my frugality. And I was able to put the blankets to good use at a time when we couldn't afford to waste anything.

Keep in mind that sweats are a knit and stretch, your cotton pieced top won't, could cause problems. I usually end up creating my own problems that I didn't foresee - I don't need to start with incompatibility in fabric, but that's just me! Good luck with whatever you choose. Might want to do a sample on say a sweat sleeve and a piece of cotton to see how it works. Be sure to let us all know. Patty

I like to use new materials for batting. I spend so much money on fabric, it is hard to put something that may wear out quicker than my my top.
I have used Polar fleece, especially for cancer quilts, they make a warm and soft quilt.
Poly is pretty inexpensive to use, purchase it on a roll, I think it is less likely to have thin spots on it.

Great ideas you guys. I know you are suppose to wash the flannel before you use it but do you wash the fleece first also?

I have used these sheet blankets many times! Works great

I've picked up a few fitted mattress pads at the Good Will store and used those. Cut the corner stitching off so it lays flat. I p/u a King size for $3.00 and was able to do a few lap quilts. Very cheap... umm thrifty.. LOL

I don't understand how sweatshirts could possibly be used as batting--wouldn't the sleeves, hoods, etc. just make huge bumps and valleys in the finished quilt? How would you join them together to make a flat batting? Old blankets,mattress pads and so forth sound great and surely it would usually be possible to find them at garage sales, Goodwill/Salvation Army, thrift stores.

Dana

i have used old mattress covers - the quilted kind. they make very soft and pliable quilts

I use ugly fleece.

Cut out the front and back flat areas to whre you have even squares, slpice it together with the zig zag stitch, don't over lap! Of course you'd have to have enough old sweats to be able to have enough for the size quilt you need. Use the rest of the shirt for dust rags. It really works. If they are well used then you dont have to worry whether or not if they'll shrink with the tops.

I have used flannel sheets in the past that were used. I loved the feel of the quilt. I actually prefer it this way than with regular batting but don't have anymore flannel sheets!

Kyia

yeah, I've seen flannel sheet sets on sale that would give you 2 pieces of flannel. You couldn't buy the yardage for that price!

I have used old baby receiving blankets and sewn them together. They were cheap at yard sales and worked great.

Thanks everyone for all the great advice! My DH just lost a lot of income from a consulting job and I don't have the money to buy quilt supplies anymore. Now I'll be able to piece from my stash and quilt using old thrift store blankets! I'm so glad to know this works and that so many people have tried it.

I've used towels. They work great, a little hard to quilt in some areas when threads are very dense. Thrift stores always have lots of large towels.

Batting substitute
 

I have used moving blankets on sale for cheap cheap. Worked very well

Some long arm quilters refuse to quilt for you if you don't use a manufactured batting. But if you quilt your own, you can suit yourself. If you don't want a heavy quilt, choose accordingly something lightweight to put inside, or put nothing. I make baby quilts with a top and a flannel back, because I want to make my baby quilts more like the 'receiving' blanket one uses around a baby indoors, rather than the cozy quilts for colder situations.

But for a heavy quilt-- the heaviest quilt I made was with nylons. I had 2 sisters, a mother, a grandmother, aunts, and women from the office who all gave me their nylon stockings (the older women) and pantyhose (the younger women) that they otherwise would have thrown away because they had runs in them. I wrapped a piece of the leg around my hand, and put it flat into a pocket (or envelope) that I'd prepared for it, using a 4" square print sewn around 3 sides to a 4" square of old sheet. Not turned inside out, just with the raw edges of the seams showing. The next pocket was sewn to the first at the open side of the first in order to close it, right sides of the prints together (the seam at the back on the old sheet side). I used the panty parts cut into pieces for filling too. I sewed strips of the square pockets to the width I wanted, then sewed the rows together with the prints right side together again . After it was double bed size, I put flannel on the back, and sewed long lines diagonally (to make an X in each square) to hold the front layer with its nylons and the back layer together. This construction was not my idea. My grandmother taught us to do it, my mother had a quilt that grandmother made her in this way. It was beastly heavy though!

My son loved the one I made. When he grew up and moved out, he asked me if he could have it. We had used it a lot for family camping trips, as a pad under a sleeping bag. Folded a couple of times, it was so thick that you didn't notice if you were laying on a stick or a stone. :-)

I volunteer at the animal shelter doing laundry...towels take forever to dry...thus require more effort for the dryer to do its job...Actually fleece washes and dries best of all.

I never thought of flannel! I have some King flannel sheets that we no longer use. Thanks for the heads up.

I have used inexpensive/used blankets as batting. Also used cheapest walmart white or off white fleece - it's very thing - and regular fleece in white or off white for batting. Or you can use just the thicker fleece in any color or e pattern that looks good with the quilt top. Flannel is one of my favorite backings, but it must be pre-washed and machine dried twice because it will shrink considerably.

If you have a machine with the "three step zigzag" it works great for putting batting together.

I have used mattress pads for quilts and it works very nicely.

My grandmother recycled worn-out blankets by using them as quilt batting. If you go that route, you can probably find them at estate/tag sales, garage sales, Craigslist, etc. In California (where I live), thrift shops aren't allowed to accept used bedding.

Walmart online has pellon quilters touch batting 9 yards 90 inches wide for under $23. I use this a lot and make almost three queen size quilts out of one bolt. And I save gas and time not running around looking for thrift shops or yard sales. Time is a little short these days.

I am not all that fond of used bedding myself. Yes, I know it can be washed but until you get it in the washer, it is still being handled.

Wonderful ideas

Costco gets some nice fleece blankets in -- I bought the king size and backed a couple of quilts for MIL -- they were real cuddly and wear well. I have seen them in thrift stores, too.