Hey everyone. Today you're going to learn why your batting has a grain, and why loading it the wrong way can leave you chasing ripples you did nothing to deserve.
Here we go. Most folks think batting is just a soft cloud. No direction. No right way to turn it.
It does have a direction. Just like fabric.
Pull gently on a scrap. One way barely gives. The other way stretches. Really stretches.
That stretchy way is across the width of the roll. The stable way runs along the length. If you have never tested it, go try it right now. You will feel it in about two seconds.
Why it happens
Batting is made in long webs. Fibers get laid down, punched, or bonded as that web travels down the line.
That process lines a lot of fibers up in the lengthwise direction. So the length holds together. The width has more give.
Think of it like fabric grain. Lengthwise grain is steady. Crosswise grain has a little wiggle.
Batting is the same idea, just softer. And softer means it can move even more when you pull on it.
If that stretchy direction is working against you, every pass stretches it a tiny bit more. The top and backing do not stretch the same way. So something has to give. Usually it gives as a ripple. Or a wavy edge. Or a center that will not lie flat no matter how nice you talk to it.
I have done this. Oh my goodness, I have. I blamed the quilting. I blamed the top. It was the batting direction the whole time.
What to do about it — on a longarm
This part is super duper easy once you know it.
Load the stable direction along the rollers. That means the length of the batting runs the way the quilt advances. The stretch runs side to side, across the frame, where it has less room to travel.
Before you load, do the pull test at the edge. Tug both ways on a corner. Mark the stable edge with a small safety pin or a clip. Just like that, you will not have to guess halfway through loading.
Then load it smooth, not tight. You want it flat. You do not want it drum-tight. If you pull that stretchy width snug side to side, let it relax a minute before you start quilting.
Slow down here. It's not a race.
What to do about it — pin basting and domestic machines
No longarm? Same rule, just turned for your table.
Let the stretch run the short way of the quilt. Put the stable length running top to bottom, along the long dimension of the quilt.
Lay the batting out flat first. Let it rest and bloom. Smooth from the center out with flat hands. Do not tug the edges to make them reach.
If you need extra batting, remember your overage. About 4 inches per side is a good working plan. That gives quilting room to draw the sandwich in a little without leaving you short.
Pin with even spacing. If you are quilting on a domestic machine, use a walking foot and support the weight of the quilt so gravity is not pulling that stretchy crosswise direction while you sew.
Completely up to you how you baste, by the way. Pins, spray, or thread are all fine. The direction is the part that matters here. Get the direction right and your favorite basting method works better.
When it matters most
It matters most on big quilts. A wall hanging might forgive you. A queen or king will not.
It matters on long, narrow projects too. Table runners. Bed runners.
It also matters when you join scraps. Match the grain when you butt two pieces together, or that join can quilt a little wavy.
And do not be hard on yourself if a quilt still waves a little. We're not reinventing the wheel here, and you're your own worst critic. Most of the time that ripple is a material doing what materials do — not you doing something wrong.
If I can do this, y'all can do it. Test the pull. Mark the stable edge. Load that way every time. You'll be surprised how many mystery ripples just never show up.
Thanks so much for spending a little time with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 120" Wide Batting Roll - 30 Yards at Linda's Electric Quilters.
