Quilting Regina Posted November 25, 2015 Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 I've seen posts on this site with suggestions for inexpensive alternatives for practice fabric, but what about inexpensive batting. Do you use something different for practice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judyday Posted November 25, 2015 Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 I save my scraps of batting and sew them together with an edge to edge stitch. Probably not the best surface but works for me and I don't waste much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dramaqueenB Posted November 25, 2015 Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 I wait for a JoAnn's coupon and buy super sale cotton batting to use for sample or practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted November 25, 2015 Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 Join a local guild. Then simply quilt their charity quilts. They will be happy the quilt sandwiches are quilted, and you will have gotten some good practice. I am sure you will see all your errors, but nobody will notice them. The best part is you give away all your errors, never to see them again. My guild usually has around 5 quilts available for quilting each month. I just got one to try some different designs I have been practicing on paper. I look the quilts over, as I have a general idea of the designs that I wanted to try. This time, I know that it will probably not be done until after Christmas, as I am working on presents now. Once those are done, I will get to the charity quilt. In the end, the guild benefits, the ladies that love to bind the quilts while watching TV get some fun (shoot me in the head), I get to increase my skills (for free), and the individual gets a quilt made from the heart of many. A true win win situation. Cagey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Regina Posted November 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 Thanks Cagey, judyday, and dramaqueenB. Great ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Regina Posted November 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 I wait for a JoAnn's coupon and buy super sale cotton batting to use for sample or practice. Do you remember what brands you've used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted November 25, 2015 Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 I forgot to mention this earlier. Visit you local quilt store that actually does machine quilting. They normally have batting remnants that they will sell cheap. As explained to me, they never piece batting together, as customers pay for and expect a full sized single piece of batting in their quilts. You can usually pickup a 96 by 30 to 40 inch piece of batting for about a dollar. Roll your eyes, and say ask whatever would you do with all those pieces sitting around, and you may get two for a dollar. Now is a good time to do it, as everyone is trying to get their quilts quilted before Christmas. Then all you have to do is to piece them together; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry6QTj3fA1s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvPYvdawMWc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k304o_FIe60 Those should give you a good idea of how to put them together. Someone with a longarm, will have to tell you how to wind it up on the rollers so it does not get pulled apart. I have a George, so I do not have that issue. Good luck and balanced threads. Cagey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Regina Posted November 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 Thanks, Cagey. Very helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbams Posted November 25, 2015 Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 You can join pieces of batting with Heat Press Batting Together iron on tape: https://www.connectingthreads.com/tools/Heat_Press_Batting_Together__D21128.html I have used it several times (once when the quilt was already loaded and mostly quilted, and I was running out of batting!), and it works very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Regina Posted November 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 Thanks, dbams. I'd never heard of this. Good to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dramaqueenB Posted November 27, 2015 Report Share Posted November 27, 2015 Quilting Regina, The inexpensive cotton I get on sale at JoAnn's is usually Warm and Natural brand. They have white and unbleached (natural) for the same price per yard, and various widths for your needs. I often buy a whole bolt, when they have the 60% off coupons. And like someone above said, it's also great to save large scrap pieces and then zigzag them together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted November 27, 2015 Report Share Posted November 27, 2015 Is Warm and Natural considered a "good/quality" brand for quilts in general? Cagey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 I save scraps for classes if I can. It's practice and save wasting them. I don't even sew them together. I usually purchas King roll so I get some good size scraps. Other than that just get inexpensive batting from Joanns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.