SPLICING BATTING SCRAPS

I mentioned in a previous post that it is a rare occasion when I will splice together batting scraps for use in a quilt. However, when I do use batting scraps in a quilt, there is a way to splice them without creating a gap or a ridge where the two pieces are joined. This is how I do a batting splice.

I quilt as much as I can with the first piece of batting working my way down the quilt. I stop quilting about 6" from the edge of the batting. Flip the top up out of your way and lay the second piece of batting on top of the first piece. Cut through the two pieces of batting with a wavy or serpentine line as shown in the picture. Make sure you are going out to the edges (top/bottom) of the two pieces of batting.

When you finish the cutting line remove the small loose scraps and fit the wavy line back together. At this point, you can use spray adhesive to keep the batting pieces in place if you are concerned about them shifting during the quilting process.

I will use the process if the quilting is of medium scale and fairly consistent in density so I won't have to worry about the batting coming loose with repeated washings and daily wear and tear. I will splice batting (only my own and never a customer quilt) on small projects, baby quilts, and even throw size, but I'm reluctant to do a splice on a full bed size quilt. I don't like the idea of a potential weak area going all the way across my favorite king size quilt ... especially when I know how my husband pulls the covers!

ELEPHANTS, BATTING, AND TUCKS, OH MY

And a busy day it was, but very productive. I notice you all must be a stumped as me as to what to do with those left-over batting scraps. Not a word or suggestion from anyone as to what to do with them. I'll share some of my favorites and the one use I don't like.

First, the use of batting scraps I don't like ... seaming all the scraps together to use as a full piece of battting in another quilt. I don't like the way the batting stretches with the seaming; I don't like the bump or lump it leaves along the seam line in the quilt sandwich. Having said all of that, I will in an emergency splice batting together in a quilt of my own, but never in a customer quilt. Tomorrow I'll go through the directions for my method of splicing batting so there are no lumps or distortion of the batting to interfere with the overall finished look of the quilt.

So, what do I do with my batting scraps. My customers always get their batting scraps back whether they brought in their own or purchased batting from me. That helps eliminate my batting scrap stash.

I keep bags of like batting together ... all the 80/20 in one bag, 100% cotton in another, etc. Periodically, I will go through the bags and sort by size. What will work for place mats, pillows, baby quilts ... what can be spliced together for a quilt project. After this initial sorting, I will have small pieces that are ready for cutting into smaller pieces for ...

• the local schools to use as erasers for their dry erase white boards (I always carry one with me when I teach classes and workshops for guilds, conferences, and quilt shops.)
• mop rags for wiping down my longarm table ... oil drips and dust
• the longarm "diaper" ... place a batting scrap under the machine to catch the overflow drips while the machine is not in use
• and ... I always have my box of 5 1/2" squares going for the on-going coaster projects

I'll let you in on a little secret. You can use the same technique I used yesterday to make a pot holder. I would be cutting my squares in the 8"-9" range. I would also use Insul-Bright for the batting to help reflect the heat and protect my hands more than regular batting. I also like to use this batting for table mats and place mats to help protect the family heirloom oak tabletop. Another stash busting tip ... use your orphan blocks for the backing and inside lining of these pot holder projects. You would still need to to the woven 4-Patch for the front side so you can get inside easily to turn the pot holder.

And now onto the elephants. Kristie and I have been working the last few days on a project - trying to figure why her purchased digitized files are not going through. Well, after many attempts and much sleuthing on both our parts, we figured out that her server is thinking I'm trying to pass on a virus or I'm trying to send her spam. So, the emails with the files were being blocked. by her server. Just one more thing to check if you're having any trouble with the digital downloads from Mountaintop Quilting.

In the process of all this problem solving we talked about an upcoming quilt project she has for a customer. The client wants elephants quilted on the quilt. Kristie sent me some pictures of the blocks and I came up with two possible designs for her to use on the quilt.

The first one is fairly simple with a pretty quick stitch out as she works across the rows. The second one is more complicated but larger. It measures at almost 20" in pattern height and a little more than 24" in pattern width. You can cover a lot of "miles" pretty quickly when a pattern is designed to that height.

I wonder which one Kristie will choose. Which would you choose? You can help Kristie make her decision by voting in the poll on the sidebar.

The last subject for the day ... the dreaded tucks in the back of the quilt. Rarely do I notice them before I am ready to take the quilt off the machine. I don't get them very often any more, (knock on wood) and I have a theory about that which you will want to watch for a future post about preparing backings that are square and straight.

One of the quilts I did for a friend for her granddaughter's Christmas present had a tuck in the back of it. Rachel got to unwrap her quilt for Christmas, but we told her she'd have to wait until I fixed it before she could take it home for her bed. Fixing Rachel's quilt was on the list of jobs today. Fortunately, the tuck was in a corner rather than the middle so I was able to basically work "from the center out" to the corner dropping the blocks back in, re-ditching the framing border, and then finishing up with the piano key border.

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts and comments about what causes those dreaded tucks to suddenly appear in the back of our quilts. We load the same every time; we use our clamps the same every time; we're usually consistent in the amount of tension between the bars every time; we check the distance between the take-up roller and the bed of the machine as we quilt. It is a mystery, and every time it happens to me, I am on a search working my way down the check list as to what could have made that happen.

Share your theories regarding the "dreaded tucks" with the rest of us in the comment area ... and don't forget to help Kristie choose her elephant pattern by casting your vote in the poll.

BATTING SCRAPS AND CHARM PACKS

There isn't a one of us quilters that doesn't have bags (lots of bags, usually) of left-over batting scraps from our quilting projects. What to do? What to do? Oh, What to do with all of these scraps that aren't the right size for any of our projects. Too small for lap quilts; wrong fiber content for baby quilts; not the right shape for a pillow sham; too puffy for a place mat or wall hanging. What to do? What to do?

I've had an idea kicking around in my head for quite some time thinking it through just how best to do this project. And the best part about this project is that is combines the use of two problem areas in my stash room - charm packs and left-over batting scraps. So, today was the day to as they say, "get 'er done!"

First, I cut up several left-over batting scraps into 5 1/2" squares. There's lots more batting scraps left yet, but I did fill the box.

Second, I pulled out the charm packs that I was least likely to use in the near future for any pressing project. The collection I used today was a charm pack from the 2008 Thimbleberries Club Lodge and Lakeside project for this year. I decided not to do this year's project since I still have last year's project, and the year before that, and ... well, you get the picture. The UFO list is for another day. If you don't have any charm packs waiting to be used up, this is a good stash-busting project. You need squares cut at 5 1/2".

Third, I sorted my squares into sets of six. One square will be used for the inside lining. You could substitute a plain muslin square for this patch if you're wanting to conserve fabric. Another square will be used for the backing. The remaining four squares are folded in half and woven together creating a four patch.

Fourth, I layered the squares/batting into a stack ... inside lining on the bottom - wrong side up; batting square; backing square; woven four patch unit. I pinned the stack together and then I was ready to sew.

Fifth, I sewed around the stack 1/2" from the edge.

Sixth, I trimmed any excess batting from between the seam allowances.

Seventh, I trimmed the corners on the diagonal to eliminate bulk.

Eighth, I reached inside the center of the 4-Patch and turned everything right side out so the raw edges of the seams were inside. I used my bamboo stiletto to gently poke out the corners trying to get them a square as possible.

Ninth, I top stitched around my new project ... a coaster ... 1/4" from the edge.

Not bad for a day's work! Well, I did complete more than four today and, I took time to get the process down in picture form in my photo album Free Pattern Charm Square Coasters with abbreviated directions in the captions. You'll have to watch for a posting announcing the free pattern available as a PDF on my website when we get it up.

I've seen this technique used in different ways. It makes a charming decorative ornament - skip the inner lining and batting - add a ribbon tie. A friend of mind follows a similar process to create the coasters in terms of layering, but hers are in the shape of a circle. It is part of her welcoming package to all new-comers joining in her private retreat.

I have some other ideas about how to use left over batting scraps, but I'd like to hear what some of you readers are doing with your batting scraps. Drop a line in the comments and share your ideas about great ways to use up those pieces of batting we just can't seem to just toss in the garbage.