Want to use up small leftover pieces of batting?
Submitted by Marje Rhine, technical pattern editor for American Quilter magazine.
If you missed it, here’s Part 1.
I like to join them for use in doll quilts and wallhangings, but needed a quick method for joining the pieces so they would lie flat without a bump, instantly giving away the secret that they had been pieced.
I tried butting straight edges of the pieces together then stitching together with a zigzag that catches both pieces. This worked OK but the batting tended to stretch as I sewed.
![](https://preview.americanquilter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/batting1-resize.jpg)
I’ve come up with what I think is a better method.
- Layer the batting, right-sides together (or same-sides together) along the straight edge.
- Using a short and narrow blind hemstitch, sew the pieces together. The straight lines of the blind hemstitch should run just along the raw edges of the batting with the occasionally right-left stitches catching both pieces.
- Open up the batting and pull slightly. The stitching should hold the length of the seam and almost disappear both visually and to the touch.
Brilliant!!!
An even better method is the new product they have to iron tape them together. No sewing required so no bumps no pulls.
I’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR LEFT OVER BATTING ALSO, BUT I USE A ROTARY CUTTER TO MAKE SURE PIECES ARE JOINING STRAIGHT AND USE A LOOSE SLIP STITCH BY HAND. THIS WORKS VERY WELL, IT’S QUICKER THAN YOU THINK, AND LEAVES NO INDENTATION.
I like this idea!!! I join my batting too and sometimes get that stretched look – thanks for the tip!
I do a longer and wider zigzag on mine. I will try your method next time. I just pieced my scrap batts, labeled w/ size, recorded then in a book, w/ my bk’g yardage and samples, so I’m set for a while.
Great idea, KHB
I’m going to try this!
Before I started purchasing the rolls of batting, I would join the smaller sizes by overlapping the edges with about 4 inches of over-lap. Then I would use a scissors to cut a wavy line through both layers. Then with needle and thread I would stitch what was dubbed the “monkey stitch” on a fairly large scale to hold the pieces together. This process removed the lump of overlap of the straight edges and has prevented the separation of the edges during use or laundering. The availability of the king-size batts does remove much of the necessity unless one wants to make a king-size spread with pillow tuck.
this works also if you overlap the 2 pieces like wallpaper front to back (or right sides facing up)and cut – they do not have to be straight! Remove the scraps and butt them together for a perfect fit! use the scraps for stuffings.
I butt my straight edges together and sew with a multi-step zigzag (sometimes called multi-stitch). I haven’t had problems with stretching.
This would be more helpful of the photos could be enlarged upon clicking them. It’s hard to see the detail in these small photos.
Hi Kristen, I tried resizing the images and got them as big as I could. See if this helps. Thanks for the suggestion. Thanks, Betsey