After Frankensteining bating
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Davenport, Iowa
Posts: 4,375
I've been working on Frankensteining my batting scraps together today to use 13x19" pieces for Kennel Quilts. Many pieces are too small or just barely enough for 5 x 5" squares. Flannel Rag Quilts need 7 1/2" pieces so that's eliminated. Thought about drink coasters, but I don't make those. Or should I simply bag these up and donate them to DAV? Suggestions please.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 928
I tend to have more strips than chunks of leftover batting, but I can make use of pretty much any strips 3-4" wide or bigger. I'd be inclined to go a bit larger if they're chunks - maybe 4-5" in that case. It all depends on how much effort I'm prepared to put in. With these smaller pieces, I do try to pair them up with slightly larger ones (I've never tried to make a "string batting," for example) to camouflage the surgery scars and I make battings that are smaller overall, mostly for MOW placemats. I've done a few of these lately and even when I know exactly where the joins are, I haven't been able to feel them through the fabric. I imagine the same would hold true if you were going to make QAYG blocks (not blocks that are going to have exposed edges like the rag quilts you mention).
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 17,889
We have a lot of LAs in the guild. They always have big batting scraps to bring to our free table. Very big pieces. If I need batting for projects I get a bag of the pieces. i don't save batting leftovers. I take them back to guild.
#4
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 10,722
I use small batting pieces for a lot of things. I use them to line the Christmas ornament boxes, as spacers between my china so the plates don't get scratched, any time I need packing materials for any reason. I don't save small pieces but the ones I do save usually get used.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 608
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 4,005
I use the very small pieces, cutting them up into 3x3 pieces to clean my quilt machine wheels and quilt frame rails. They're also great for dusting with as they seem to collect all sorts of lint, dust, cat hair. The larger, longer pieces I'll connect together using batting tape or a zigzag stitch.

