Uses for LeftOver Batting and Thread Spools

[JeannieB]

What do you do with your left-over batting strips that are from 2" - 12" wide and several feet long? And all those plastic spools from the 2000-3000 yard cones? I don't want to waste anything. Maybe you have ideas I haven't thought of?     8-)

[Quilting Heidi]

I donate the batting to my guild.  They use it for dog beds and sometimes other smaller projects.  There always seems to be somebody that wants them.  I've not figured out anything for the plastic spools.

[Katydids]

If it is narrower than about 5" I cut it up and use it on my swiffer, I don't have carpet, so it is great for getting up the dust bunnies and threads.  I also cut into smaller pieces that I use to clean the wheels and rails with.  I also sew off the oil onto the small pieces after oiling the machine.

 

Anything bigger than that goes back to the customer.

[GrandmaLKB]

Larger pieces are pieced together for charity quilts..........a friend uses the scrapps to stuff pillows........

[bttyboopette]

I use them for little zipper clutch bags.

[Primitive1]

I donate some to the guild for use on charity quilts, I use some smaller scraps for cleaning my machine and rails, and some I am just saving hoping to make a table runner or something one of these days….

[LindaSteller]

I use extra batting, along with a layer of Insul-brite, to make hot pads and oven mitts, stuffing for pincushions, swifter mop heads, pet bedding, and donate pieces to the guild for charity quilts.  Lots and lots of uses.  There are projects you can make with empty spools and cones.  Google a few of the crafty sites.  You should find some there.

[RitaR]

if all cotton, I use them in the microwave bowl holders that are also the hot pads in one piece.  They are shaped somewhat like a bowl to give you the pot holders, and with the silver heat fabric they make great Hot pads, also.  gotta love them, they will also hold a large or small custard bowl to melt margarine, heat a dab of whatever, and you don't have to worry about spilling it or getting burned.  Just set the bowl in, put in mw, heat, reach in and take out.    Done.

 

 

 

rita

[BethDurand]

So much of what I consider to be "junk" goes to the local Boys and Girls club for craft supplies.  All empty thread spools, batting pieces too small for me to cope with, egg cartons, corners from making flying geese, you name it.  Magazines, electronics that kids can take apart.

[lkl]

Depending on the shape of the empty thread/serger cones, some are suitable to be used as handles on skipping ropes (e.g. Omni, Bottom-line).

Very kid friendly to make. Just feed each end of the rope length through the hole in a cone and knot or double knot the ends to prevent the rope from slipping out of the hole in the cone. Voila!

Donate the empty cones to a kindergarten class or brownies/girl guide group with instructions for making their own skipping rope.

Leslie

[arwing]

We're currently getting ready to move, so saving all those batting scraps for packing material!

[sewingpup]

I save the larger left overs and and stitch them together on my sit down for smaller quilts or table toppers....I use small pieces for cleaning my machine and rails....I love the idea of using some of the left overs for swifters and for dusting....gotta try that!....oh...and I have some to  my sister to stuff in the spaces around her front door to keep the drafts out during the winter...works...yet easy to open if she needs to get out the front which is not used during the winter....I use poly bat for the door for her...Lin

[GrandmaLKB]

That fusible batting tape really works great for piecing smaller pieces into larger ones.    I've used it right on the quilting frame as I go along...........adding pieces as needed.   It's not stiff at the seam either.

[pmuntz]

If the pieces are large enough for a rag quilt, I use quite a bit of extra batting for that.  Each block is quilted before assembling the whole quilt.

[zeke]

:DI do the same thing as Patty and been doing that ever since I started quilting 20 years ago.  zeke...............

[RitaR]

ROFL,  I totally forgot himself making the rag quilts.. and we just cut well over 200 pieces of batting for a gal in the guild.

 

She makes me sad.  Tried to be a friend and offered to cut one fabric for her.   Shew asked us to do more cutting for her for pay.. yeah..

We ended up cutting 5 fabrics, 2 of them a heavy

TShirt knit and a minky-like fabric.  The 3 flannel and we couldn't get the Studio with the Go template to cut more than 4 layers at the most.

 

Also spent about 3 hours with her one evening, trying to figure out how many of what size blocks she would need to equal a

quilt of a different size.   I couldn;t do math at the time as I was sick, told her so, and the next day ended up in the hospital..

 

She paid for about 2 hours work, and told himself she owes him.   We've not had a call yet,  I've called her twice.. said she'd call

me, but.   Nuther Nutter!

 

Oh well, at least God loves me.

 

Rita

[ffq-lar]

I love you too, Rita!  

 

My go-to answer for "friends" who ask for help and offer to pay? Negotiate a fee, estimate how long it'll take, and then remind them that your "accountant" recommends that to run your business professionally, the fee must be paid upon pick-up of materials. Then don't let them out of your hands until you're paid. Easy to say, but if they balk, remind them that it's not you, it's that darned "accountant". Don't worry about losing a friend--she obviously isn't a real friend anyway!