19 December, 2020

Batting Average?

I usually order my batting on thirty yard rolls and receive it, on average, within a week. That all came to a screeching halt a while back. The batting orders are running way (w-a-a-a-y) behind. I contacted the supplier that I use  as I was getting down to the last few yards and learned that there was at least a six week backlog~ yikes! I hadn't planned on that. A quick perusal around other sites revealed more of the very same thing. 

From what I understand: batting sales have been skyrocketing. It all began with a backlog on cotton products and went haywire from there; all the staying at home and quarantining has everyone back to quilting. The serious backlog on white cotton is because the company that does the product bleaching is also involved in production of PPE products and, naturally, those take precedent during the pandemic. The batting companies are caught between a rock and a hard place.  Nevertheless, I placed my batting order on December 6; at that time, the batting companies were rolling out orders that had been placed two months earlier. Wow! 

So, what to do? Small things! I've taken to quilting what I can from the batting scraps that I have on hand.
This table runner was a quick and easy project - on and off the rails in less than a morning, and used up a strip of batting trimmed away from a larger project earlier this year. Save those batting pieces!!
I'll get the binding on it today and it will be ready for Christmas gifting. I've also begun piecing batting and have had great results with butting straight-cut edges up to each other and zigzagging them together. The seams are smooth and flat; once the quilting is completed the batting joins are impossible to detect.  And sew, in the meantime I'm finishing up what I can, waiting as patiently as possible and carrying on! 
Life is Good!

9 comments:

cityquilter grace said...

well isn't that what we do anyway? patch patch patch? lol...

Quiltdivajulie said...

I have made "frankenbatting" for the last two quilts and have pieced together enough for a couple more. My big roll was delivered in October (or so) but I'm also trying to use the leftovers before cutting into it.

barbara woods said...

I ordered Christmas presents before Thanksgiving and haven't got them yet

Sherrill said...

There's a gal who quilts our QOV's for free but we provide her with the batting. I have 3 to go so went to Hobby Lobby on 3 different days and used the 40% off coupon on 3 queen size batts. I was happy to get them! Hope yours comes sooner than you expect it.

Paula, the quilter said...

I've been piecing the batting and have almost emptied my bin. Good information in this post. Thank you.

Ramona said...

Thankfully I had ordered a roll of batting right before the pandemic began. It's interesting to know why the batting production had stopped. Piecing batting works well for me, too! Love your table runner. :) Merry Christmas!

Rebecca said...

I had a delivery on batting this summer and am sitting pretty good into the new year.
If all else fails I can use flannel and old blankest like my granny did. It really helps that I am not quilting for anyone but me and those I gift...

Lindah said...

I had no idea about the batting. Will keep that in mind as I use up my partial role and scraps.
Merry Christmas to you all!

Tanya said...

I guess I'm glad I just bought a new roll and have it stacked in the corner of my sewing room! I do have all the scraps too though if worse comes to worse!