A throw quilt is the hardest-working quilt in the house. It gets draped over the sofa, folded and unfolded daily, washed more often than a bed quilt, and expected to look good through all of it. The batting inside has a lot to do with how well it holds up — and a pre-cut throw-size package makes getting started refreshingly simple: no measuring off a roll, no piecing batting scraps, just one layer sized for the project.
What This Batting Is
Pellon® Polyester Batting in the 60" x 60" Throw Size Package is a quilt batting — the middle layer of the quilt sandwich, between your pieced top and the backing fabric. Its fiber content is 100% polyester, and according to Pellon it adds loft, body, softness, and definition to quilted projects.
Each of those qualities shows up in a finished throw. Loft is the thickness of the layer. Body is the gentle substance it gives the quilt so it drapes rather than flops. Softness is how it feels in your lap. And definition is how clearly your quilting lines stand out — a batting with a little lift lets stitch patterns read with dimension instead of disappearing into a flat surface.
Loft and Shrinkage: The Two Numbers That Matter
This batting has a loft of 1/8 inch. That places it in low-to-medium territory: not a high, puffy batting for a comforter look, and not paper-thin either. For a throw, that modest loft is a practical sweet spot — enough thickness for your quilting to show and for the throw to feel cozy, while staying easy to fold, store, and push under a domestic sewing machine presser foot.
Shrinkage is 0–3%, which is low. A finished throw made with this batting should stay close to its planned size after washing, rather than drawing up noticeably. That low shrinkage is one reason many quilters use polyester batting as it comes out of the package, without prewashing: there is little size change to compensate for, and the finished quilt keeps a smoother, less crinkled look than a high-shrink batting would give. If you prefer a softer, more lived-in texture, that is a fabric and quilting choice — the batting itself will stay fairly true to size either way.
How to Use It
Start by opening the package and letting the batting relax flat for a few hours, or overnight, so any fold lines ease out. Smooth it on a clean, flat surface, lay your backing fabric right side down beneath it, and place your pressed quilt top right side up on top, centering all three layers. Because the package is 60" x 60", it is sized for a throw top up to that dimension — your top should be no larger than the batting and backing beneath it.
Baste the sandwich with pins, spray, or long hand stitches so the layers cannot shift while you quilt. Then quilt as densely as your design calls for, keeping one limit in mind: the recommended maximum stitch distance is 4 inches apart. Quilting lines, stippling, or grid patterns spaced no more than 4 inches apart keep the batting evenly supported across the whole throw, so it stays smooth and secure through years of use and washing. Once quilting is finished, trim the excess batting and backing flush with the top and bind as usual.
Care for a Throw That Gets Washed Often
This batting is washable by hand or machine and is dry cleanable, following the care needs of your top and backing fabrics. That washability suits a throw's real life — movie nights, pets, and everyday use — provided your quilting respects the 4-inch maximum spacing, which is what holds the layer in place through repeated laundering.
For a square throw that needs cozy body, clear stitch definition, and minimal fuss from package to binding, this pre-cut polyester batting is a straightforward, dependable choice.
Shop the Pellon® Polyester Batting 60" x 60" Throw Size Package. at Linda's Electric Quilters.
