I am making quilts for two of my grandkids and need to cut 320 4.5" squares of batting. I absolutely hate cutting batting of any kind and am wondering what you all use? I am thinking of buying a rotary cutter 60mm to see if that would be easier than using the 45mm and having to constantly push the batting down (if it is the fluffy kind) so I don't cut it along with the square. I even thought of just using sissors but that would be torture and I want to get these quilts done, not make a career of them. Any ideas? does anyone have a 60mm cutter and is it worth it? Amazon has them for $11.90 which is pretty good. Thanks for any imput.

I have one. I don't use it as much as the 45mm, but I do like it for cutting batting and for cutting thicker fabrics like fleece. And you can never have too many gadgets...right? :-D :-D

What kind of quilt requires small squares of batting? Are you doing a quilt-as-you-go? If so... can you make bigger squares, like four 4.5-inch squares at a time, which would be 9-inch squares (approximately)?

For me, if this is indeed a QAYG, I compromise between portability and convenience. I can quilt a 12-inch block on my machine easily, so I wouldn't make anything smaller than that. Actually, I wouldn't go smaller than a 24-inch block, but that's just me.

Maybe I am misunderstanding your question completely...

I think you would find the 60mm easier to use on batting.

I got these scissors from Harbor Freight for 3.99 (they might have even been on sale - I got them in the store rather than online) and they work great!

http://www.harborfreight.com/14-inch...ors-90609.html

What kind of batting will you be using? Do you have a June Tailor Shape Cut? That's what I would use, personally speaking.

60mm works for me.

What great scissors

Use a JOANNE coupon or online for the bigger rotary cutter

I've seen pre-cut batting squares for sale on eBay...

If you are using poly batting, then my opinion is YES, get yourself a 60mm.

I always use my 60mm. I love it, and it's much more comfortable to use than the 45 mm. It's the self-retracting kind, which helps too.

I go to Paducah quilt show every year and one vendor has thousands of pre cut 18 x 18 batting squares for sale cheap. From cotton to wool to silk. I buy bags of them. It's so much easier to cut from a precut piece when I need lots of small pieces. Here is a website that has pre cut Warm and Natural of different sizes. Interesting it's an embroidery shop. http://www.spaghetti-legs.com/servle...re-sets/Detail

There is now a batting scissor for sale that is much better then a rotary cutter. It's great.

I love my 60, I have much more control and it is easier on my hands.

You can just buy them precut and save the hassle. I didn't see 4.5 inch but they had 4 inch ones.

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=qui....c0.m270.l1313

It is hard to believe you would even think of cutting them with scissors. You will be amazed at how fast the rotary cutter and much more accurate AND your hands will appreciate you using the rotary cutter.

I use my 60mm cutter all the time, I really prefer it over the small 45, especially if I am cutting several layers. I also have a pair of electric scissors that I got on sale and they are great for cutting batting. They are also good for cutting fabric while it is up on my design wall. WOrth the investment. I think I paid $15.00 for them

I use my Accuquilt!!! If you know someone with one they might cut them for you.

60 mm and shape cut, definitely! But why 4.5"? Even for a rag quilt, that seems a bit small.

I'm making two rag quilts using 6'' squares and the batting is 4 1/2''. I am cutting strips and then cutting them into the squares, but it is so awkard with the 45mm rotary cutter. I don't have problems when I make a regular quilt because the batting is much larger. I guess I am just wondering if the bigger rotary cutter would make the job easier.

Are you making a rag quilt? When I do that I don't use batting, just 3 layers flannel, rag all 3 layers.

sory - didn't see your response. Like Sing, I'm curious to know what quilt requires these small squares of batting? Can you show us the pattern or a link to it?

I love my 60mm rotary cutter...don't even own a 45mm one.

Normally I wouldn't use a batting but my DIL wanted this light batting so I am using it.
I think I will get the 60mm cutter and see if I can do it easier.
Thanks to all that replied. Sometimes it helps to get imput and I was really curious about the cutter.

DH got me a 60mm rotary cutter, a pair of off set batting scissors and one of those 14" scissors from Harbor Freight for Christmas. The 60 mm cutter is totally awesome, it makes cutting fluffy batting much easier. The off set batting scissors work well too, but if I had a lot to cut, my hand would get tired. The 14" scissors were just for a joke, but I am sure they will come in handy at some point.

Try the scissors! They really work nicely on batting.

I love my 60mm - much easier to control

I love my 60mm - much easier to control

I agree, I wouldn't cut all those small squares. I would figure out a way to make bigger blocks. Either that or choose a different pattern. I am doing a QAYG with dream cotton and find for accuracy I want to cut each one individually, but mine are big enough to fit in my large embroidery hoop.

I have the 60 mm cutter and use it for Batting only. It works wonderful!!!!!!!!!!! wonder how I cut batting before?

The 60mm is great for cutting batting or fleece.

I have made a couple rag quilts that required the 4.5" squares of batting. I use a 60mm cutter all the time and like it better than the 45mm. When I made my rag quilt, I used left ofer pieces of batting which seemed easier to cut that from a large piece. Plus I was able to make my pile smaller of left over batts from quilts. I also found that if I cut 50 or so at a time and then took a break that it did not seem like such a big project. Good luck and I'm sure your grandkids will love them.

Thanks to Pocoellie for mentioning the June Tailor Shape Cut, I did a search on it to see what it was. Wow I was shocked to see I already had one of them, but had no idea how it was really used. I also did not know about sewing and cutting the triangles like that either. I will have to say, when I learn to really do all this..it will be 100% because of all you wonderful people on this board.
You know they have Computers for Dummies books...wonder if they have Quilters for Dummies?? lol

I love my 60mm. If you have some help, what if you were to use two rulers to push the batting down, leaving a very small space between them, and then make the cuts?

I love my 60 mm cutter, in fact that is the one I use the most. I don't know if you could use the Accucut for this project of yours or not. Maybe if your LFS has one they would rent or let you use it. Just a thought, but maybe they are only meant for fabric.

If you cut batting with your rotary cutter, fibers of the batting get caught up in the cutting mat and are almost impossible to remove

I use my 45mm cutters for almost everything and they cut my batting well. I've never had a 60mm cutter though, and it may work better on multiple layers. If you don't like cutting batting maybe you can find the pre-cuts from Ebay as was suggested in an earlier post? Or trade cutting chores with a fellow quilter?

definitely use a 60mm rotary cutter for batting. It is made to cut through more layers than the 45mm.

I would get a different pattern rather than cut all that batting. What is it, a puff quilt? Jan

They do and there is even a new addition. It is by Cheryl Fall