Hello all, This is my very first visit to Block Central Forums, and am hopeful that I will be able to chat along with all the other members here. I have been self-taught via the internet on how to create a patchwork quilt, most of the information has been from the Block Central Website - it's been a great help. I have a question in regard to the wadding of a quilt - I have a cotton quilt from Adairs, which is just sitting in the linen cupboard and has never been used, I thought that it would make the perfect wadding for my patchwork quilt. However, I was not sure whether this would be adviseable or if there would be any problems I would experience in using this instead of off-the-roll wadding. The quilt is just plain white cotton cover, cotton filled and summer weight - only 17mm thick, piped around the outer edges and has minimal, large sections of quilting lengthwise. Would anyone be able to tell me if this would be suitable? Many thanks to anyone who may be able to assist. Please let me know if I need to include any more information. Thanks, Janet

Hi Janet

I'm sorry I don't know the answer to your question. I just wanted to say welcome aboard.

Janie

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Betty2Max,

Hi Janie,
Thank you for the welcome....I have started making a queen size quilt for my first project and am thoroughly enjoying it. I am hoping someone will be able to answer my question, as I thought it seemed such a waste to have the lightweight quilt in the cupboard and not using it....also it would save me buying the batting as well. Nice to have you welcome me. Hopefully will be able to chat some more over time.
Kind regards,
Janet

Hi, Janet,

to BC ...

May you make many quilts and many friends here ...

In answer to your question ... I do not know, as I have never tried it. I do know that historically quilters used to recover worn quilts to make them useful again.

I think it would depend on how you are planning to quilt it. Tying might be easy with this type of batting option. Hand quiting might be difficult, especially for a beginner, with this. Or are you planning to machine quilt? You would have to carefully secure the quilt sandwich so that it will not slip, bunch and wrinkle.

An option might be to make your top into a patchwork duvet cover ...
http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/quilted-duvet/index.html

Hope this helps or someone else drops in who has more experience with this type of batting ...

Welcome Janet. If I understand you are asking if you can use an existing quilt for the batting of the top you are making, is that correct? That is an age old technique, to re-cover an old quilt. Have you thought about how stiff it will be? If the quilt inside is quilted and then you add more layers of stitching, which will no doubt have to be machine quilted, it is going to get stiff. The heavier the stitching the stiffer the quilt. Have you considered using the top as sort of a duvet cover for the quilt in the linen closet? I have seen that done quite a bit. I am not trying to steer you in one direction or another, just trying to help you make an informed choice.

Hi Janet and WELCOME to the forum! I have to agree with Pat and Meg. My grandmother would take old quilts and use them inside new ones but she was not a quilter ...she was more of a recyler. She cut up old clothing into patches and sewed one square to the next until she had a top. Then she made another "top" to use as the bottom (or she used an old sheet). She sewed it all together like making a duvet or a huge pillowcase... inserted the old blanket or quilt. Then she sewed up the final edge and tied every so often throughout the quilt using heavy thread, string or yarn. That would keep all the layers together.
But these were very heavy... to hard to machine or hand quilt. They were utility quilts for camping. If you took apart your old quilt to reuse the batting I would think it would work if it is a polyester batting. Cotton would probably fall apart on you.
If it were me, and I was doing my first quilt, I would buy batting. It would save a lot of time and work. And I think you will be happy with the look of your quilt.
Hope this helps,
Deb

Hi all, Thank you all for your helpful answers to my question. As this is my first time at making a patchwork quilt, I think I might be as well to buy the batting and see how well I can do with that before I try using the quilt for batting. I didn't think about it being stiffer because of the existing quilting on the quilt I was considering using for the batting. That does make sense, and I do want it to turn out nicely. I will let you know how I go with it, I have only completed half of the blocks, so still quite a way for me to go yet. I could be back before finishing it as the next step of piecing it together with the sashings is also going to be very new to me....anyway, I'll give it my best shot and if it turns out ok, I will try to post a pic of it here for some constructive criticism. Again, thank you all so much for your input it is much appreciated.
Kind regards, Janet

Now don't be a stranger, Janet. Hope you will regularly visit with us.

Hey, Janet! Welcome!!

I have a question/suggestion: the quilt you bought from Adairs, is that a solid colour quilt? If so, you could use it as a base on a bed with smaller seasonal quilts on top, as toppers. Just a thought. I've thought of doing that, myself, though I don't as yet have a wholecloth quilt.

And I agree with the others, buy batting/wadding - cotton like Warm and Natural is great, especially for a beginner. The cotton fabrics stick to the batt and it's easier to quilt. Poly might be less expensive, but it's poofier and harder to hold the layers together when quilting. It does make for a lighter weight, though. I have used both, and much prefer cotton.

Keep asking those questions!!

Gerda

Hi Meg, Gerda, Thanks for the welcome. It's been lovely to come on here to ask a question and be met with such helpful information and support with my project. I am sure I will be visiting often and look forward to chatting. The detailed information on the Block Central website is what finally prompted me to "have a go" at making a patchwork quilt. I live in the country and it's not always easy to get to classes etc., so this site has been fantastic for me. With people such as yourselves willing to assist I am sure my project(s) will be rewarding and now more enjoyable!! Thanks so much again for the warm welcome Janet