Hey everyone. Today you'll learn how to join two batting scraps into one flat piece — without a ridge hiding in your quilt.
Here we go.
Here is the surprising part.
You do not need a full, fresh piece of batting for every quilt.
Two good scraps can become one good batting. Just like that.
But there is one rule. Never overlap them.
I learned that the hard way. I overlapped two pieces once. I thought, more is better, right? Oh my goodness. That ridge showed through the top for the whole life of the quilt.
Why it happens
Batting has thickness. We call that loft.
Stack one piece on top of another, and you double the thickness in that spot. The quilting stitches sink in around it. The top fabric tents over it.
You can feel it with your hand. You can often see it in good light.
And washing does not fix it. The ridge stays.
The fix is simple, y'all. Butt the edges together. Edge to edge. No overlap. No gap.
When the edges meet flat, the join nearly disappears.
What to do about it
First, cut straight edges.
Lay your two scraps on a cutting mat. Overlap just the messy edges. Cut through both layers at once with a rotary cutter and ruler. Now both edges are straight. And they match.
Take your time here. It's not a race. A crooked cut makes a wavy join.
Now pick your joining method. You have three good options.
Option one: the zigzag join. This is my go-to for machine work.
Butt the edges together on a flat surface. Set your machine to a wide zigzag. About 5 to 6 millimeters wide. Set the stitch length around 1.5 to 2.
Sew right down the seam. The needle should swing left into one piece, then right into the other. Back and forth. It laces the edges together.
Use a walking foot if you have one. Go slow. Let the machine travel. Do not pull the batting through. Pulling stretches it, and stretched batting relaxes later.
Option two: fusible batting tape. This is the fastest way.
Butt the edges together. Lay the tape centered over the join. Press with your iron, following the tape's package directions.
Here is the honest trade-off. Tape is quick and easy. But it can leave a slightly stiff stripe where it sits. On a soft, drapey quilt, you might feel that stripe.
For a wall hanging or a utility quilt? It works really, really well. Completely up to you.
Option three: the whipstitch. This suits hand work.
Butt the edges together. Use a needle and thread. Take big, loose stitches that cross from one piece to the other. Think of it like lacing a shoe.
Keep those stitches loose. Tight stitches pucker the join. Loose stitches hold the pieces and stay flat.
Here is what I use and why. For most quilts here in McKinney, I zigzag. It is flat. It is soft. It washes well. For a small project when I am in a hurry, I reach for the tape. Both are available at lindas.com.
And listen. It doesn't have to be perfect. You're your own worst critic. If the join feels flat under your palm, it will quilt flat too.
Run your hand over it before you baste. That five-second test tells you the truth.
When it matters most
This matters when your scraps are the same batting.
Join like to like, folks. Same fiber. Same loft. Same thickness.
Join a thick poly scrap to a thin cotton scrap, and you have a new problem. One side drapes soft. The other side feels firm. They will also shrink differently in the wash.
It matters in the middle of a quilt too. Place your join away from the very center if you can. The center gets the most handling. The most folding. A join a little off to the side lives an easier life.
It matters less for small projects. Placemats. Table runners. Pet beds. Those are perfect places to practice. Use up those scraps. Learn the feel.
We're not reinventing the wheel here. We're just refusing to waste good batting.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Thanks so much for learning along with me, folks. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop Heat Press Batting Together Tape (White) at Linda's Electric Quilters.
