Where to Buy Batting by the Roll: Formats, Brands, and Per-Quilt Math

Every quilter hits the moment when packaged batting stops making sense: you're finishing quilts regularly, the per-quilt cost is adding up, and you're tired of pressing out package creases. That's when you switch to buying batting by the roll — the way longarmers, guilds, and frequent quilters have always bought it.

Why Rolls Beat Packages

  • Lower cost per quilt: roll pricing typically undercuts packaged batting meaningfully once you quilt more than a few times a year
  • No fold creases: batting comes off the roll flat and frame-ready — no relaxing, misting, or tumbling
  • Cut to fit: every quilt gets exactly the length it needs; odd sizes stop forcing you into the next package up
  • One consistent lot: matching loft and hand across a series of quilts or a guild project

Understanding Roll Formats

Format Typical use Who it fits
Wide rolls (96"–124" x 30 yd) Queen/king quilts cut crosswise with no piecing Longarmers and high-volume quilters
Mid rolls (45"–96" x 9–20 yd) Throws, twins, baby quilts Regular quilters stepping up from packages
Specialty rolls (fusible, wool, insulated) Basting-free projects, custom work, potholders and bags Quilters with a specific technique focus

Which Brands to Buy on the Roll

Hobbs — Heirloom 80/20 (the longarm volume standard, in regular and fusible), Tuscany Wool for custom work, and a full polyester weight ladder from drapey 6oz to lofty 16oz — see Hobbs rolls & boards. Quilters Dream — Dream Cotton in multiple lofts, Dream Blend, and Dream Wool, all with clearly published quilting distances. Pellon and The Batting Company — dependable cotton and blend rolls at sharp price points, plus interfacing rolls for bag and garment makers. Browse everything in the batting rolls collection.

The Per-Quilt Math

A queen quilt needs roughly 3 yards of 96" batting. On a 30-yard roll, that's about ten quilts per roll — and the per-quilt cost typically lands well below buying ten queen packages, before counting shipping saved by ordering once. If you finish six or more quilts a year, the roll pays for itself quickly; a guild or longarm business recovers the difference even faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is batting cheaper by the roll?
Per quilt, almost always — roll pricing spreads cost across many quilts and eliminates paying for packaging. The more you quilt, the bigger the spread.
How do I store a batting roll?
Horizontally on a rack, under a bed, or standing in a closet corner in its bag. Keep it dry and out of direct sun; batting on the roll stores better than folded batting because nothing creases.
What roll width should I buy?
Match your largest common quilt: 96" covers most queens cut crosswise, 120"–124" covers kings, and 45"–60" rolls suit baby quilts and throws economically.
Do batting rolls ship free?
Rolls are oversized freight, so they're a common exclusion from free-shipping offers — at Linda's, most orders over $125 ship free but oversized rolls may carry a shipping charge shown at checkout.

Related Reading

Shop: Batting Rolls · Hobbs Rolls & Boards · All Batting