Piecing Scrap Batting
 |
| Starting to join the scraps together |
Switch your machine's foot to one suitable for a wider stitch and set your machine stitch to double overlock (stitch no 8 on the Bernina 440QE). I'm using stitch length 2.1 and stitch width 5.5 but you can adjust this to suit your needs. You can also use a zigzag stitch if you prefer. If you can set your machine stop to needle down - this will give you more control of the fabric should you stop sewing.
Butt the edges of the scrap pieces up to each other and sew them together using the overlock stitch. There's no need to pin the batting scraps - just adjust your sewing speed to one that's manageable for you to bring the two pieces together by hand as you sew. Add additional sections of batting scraps to achieve the required sheet size.
When you're sewing the scraps together it's okay if they overlap in places, it won't make too much thickness when the sheet is finished, in fact, it is better to overlap than to leave a gap.
 |  |  |
| Butt edges together as you go | That seam is lying flat | Add more scraps as needed |
This technique is really great and, depending on the weight of the top and bottom sheet fabrics, the seams won't be visible through the finished quilt. Of course, if you're making a really special quilt as a memory, a gift or to sell then you wouldn't want to use pieced batting but for an everyday quilt, it works really well and saves you money.
 |
| The finished batting sheet |
Piecing Scrap Batting
Featured On:
Clicking on an image will take you to through to the new page of crafty goodness :)
Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.
Great idea Chrissie!
ReplyDeleteI use this technique when I want to piece my batting pieces for my free motion quilting practice sandwiches. I haven't try to put the patched batting in a quilt. Yet. :)
Give it a go Kati - as long as the fabric has a good weight and colour to it (something thin and very light coloured might not work so well) and if it's not going to be a really 'special' quilt then it works well. And if it cuts the costs a bit it can't be bad!
DeleteHave always wondered how to keep the joinings flat, thanks for the tutorial!
ReplyDeleteIt's well worth trying it out - there's always so much batting scrap lying around! :)
DeleteThis certainly looks faster than my current method. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWorth a go Jen, hope it's useful to you :)
Deletegreat idea, thanks!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Becky, hope you find it useful :)
DeleteI do this all the time and it works great!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a money saver and saves wasting all that excess doesn't it!? :)
DeleteI've always either sewed the pieces together by hand or machine but last week someone showed me another great way. She used the stitch in the ditch foot, running it in between both pieces and zig zagged.....no overlap and perfectly sewn. I'm just waiting for my foot.
ReplyDeleteOh I have that attachment too for my walking foot - I'll give it a go next time, great idea :)
DeleteChrissie,
ReplyDeleteI do this all the time for my utility scrap quilts and it has worked like a charm. I use the zig zag method, but am going to try your overlock stitch to see the difference. Thanks for sharing
I alternate between zig zag and overlock, just depends what mood I'm in and I think the overlock just gives a slightly firmer hold in all directions in case there's any stress on the batting in use. It would break my heart to get rid of all those left over scraps, you wouldn't believe what I keep and sew together! :)
DeleteLooks easy enough, even for a non quilter like me. Does the double overlock stitch look similar to the finish on an overlocker, for neatening seams? I have a 440QE, but haven't tried that stitch yet.
ReplyDeleteIt's so easy Pam - and yes the d/o stitch is very similar so in using it to butt 2 fabrics up to each other it creates a straight line stitch down each piece of fabric with a zigzag between the two. Plain zigzag works well too I just think the d/o makes it all a bit more firm. I use this method a lot, there's so much waste batting with every quilt I make so I join them all up into large sheets again - having said that I never used pieced batting in anything that I'm going to be selling that just wouldn't be ethical. :)
DeleteThanks - I already use the zig zag method using Stitch 9 on a Pfaff 4.2 - the overlock method sounds intriguing
ReplyDelete