Patterns By Jen: Batting Buster Day 1

Welcome to day one of the Batting Busting blog hop!

Who has extra batting lying around? I have scraps that are too small to be sewn together for wall hangings or miniatures, even mug rugs can be tough if the batting piece is too thin. It feels like such a waste to just toss them. That's what inspired the idea of a Batting Busting Week. I hope you enjoy the fun and unique ideas we are sharing with you!

Who doesn't love a cold beverage on a hot summer day? A Can Koozie is a great way to use batting scraps and some fun fabric.

For this project I actually used a scrap piece of Insul-Bright®. I *really* hate the thought of tossing those pieces and felt this would be a great way to use it up. I grabbed some scrap flannel, too. This is a fun project to make and use up scraps at the same time.

Supplies

4 1/2" x 9 1/2" focal fabric

4 1/2" x 9 1/2" flannel or quilters cotton

4" x 8" insulbrite or cotton batting

coordinating thread

Assembly

Using your focal fabric, fold right sides together, short ends together.

Sew short ends together using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Repeat with flannel backing.

Press seams open.

Turn focal fabric right side out. Slip it inside the flannel piece so right sides are together.

Pin top edge. I like to match up my seams first. The find pin the other side.

Once I have those to pinned I find the half way mark on both sides of the first pins.

***NOTE*** If you are using directional fabric make sure you are pinning the top of the koozie.

Carefully sew a 1/4" seam, making sure not to catch the other side underneath your needle.

Pull the flannel right side out.

Tuck the flannel inside the focal fabric so that the wrong side of each piece is together. I like to press the sewn edge before the next step to give me a good edge to work with.

This step takes the longest. I don't like to sew the Insul-Bright® directly into the seam allowance because it gets too bulky. Instead I tuck and manipulate it after I've sewn the top seam. It takes a little bit of time and patience, but you should be able to move it around until it is laying flat inside and up against the top edge. Pin in place and top stitch through all 3 layers.

Next press a 1/4" seam allowance on the bottom of the flannel and focal fabrics.

Pin really well along the bottom making sure to catch the Insul-Bright® to hold it in place.

I like to push my pins all the way in, that way I know if I catch one of them I am getting too close to fabric underneath and I need to adjust it so I don't accidentally catch it.