I've used felt squares to practice fmq on when I didn't want to make practice sandwiches.

All the replies to this thread is giving me some confidence, and also, I never would of thought of using fleece throws for batting ( go figure ). Take these ladies advise, they've been there and done that. I've just started to try FMQ'ng myself and the comments here are being noted.

I took a snoop at the thrift stores today, and was finding $8 - 10 sheets, and left a little disappointed. It occurred to me later that the sheets were equivalent to more than a couple meters of fabric. Duh! :shock: Perhaps I will go back and grab a few then. :)

I love the IKEA idea, I will check them out. I usually avoid the bedding section, the feathers freak my lungs out, but maybe I will send DH in with a description and stand in Kitchens and shop,.. I mean cheer him on. ;)

I sure wish Fabricland had Muslin for $1 -2 a yard. It was $12 a yard today. Even with the 20% off for members, I still felt ripped off, and I didn't even buy any.

I had a brief idea today on the way home though. Edmonton has a "reuse center" where you pay $5, and leave with all you can carry, and one of the things they have donated is fabric..... mmmm. potential. :)

I have pieced batting in the past, but I'm a little embarrased to say that my "stash" of batting was used up with a 21" x 30" sammy... it's less a stash, more a stashette.... I really need to start quilting some more, so I'll have more scraps. :)

I will see if any of the shelters around here want any. The one closest is the town vet, and they're... uhm... not very good with our animals... but the others may be good. There's a rescue about 100miles away though I'm thinking of, they're always short, aren't they?

I've been using all sorts of colors. It's actually how I empty old bobbins of their thread, and with my sewing machine addiction, I have a lot of old threaded bobbins. :)

Tartan, I LOVE your idea with the water soluable thread. I grabbed some today on the way home, you're right, not cheap, but I think it may go further than the fabric and especially batting if I can't reuse it. The lady in the quilt store asked what I was using it for, and she loved your idea too.

I've been making draft catchers and stuff, I guess I'll outfit the trailer with a full set of pot holders and placemats too, then start making fur baby blankets with the other sandwiches. :) I hadn't thought of the market bags, that would make a ton of sense. The bought ones just don't hold up, and if I'm not allocating (unused) stash to them, they're not that expensive to make.

Oh! this is a fabulous idea! I like the quilting better than the piecing anyway. :)

When I try to fmq without batting, I find often the machine skips stitches (more than one machine, so it's likely my technique, but it doesn't happen with batting in place. weird. So to date, it's always had batting in place for practice.

Check... been piecing the batting. :) Ran out. Again.

I know I should just go for it, I just find it funny when I want to try something new, then "fall back" to the safety zone (swirls) and do it on one quilt (or in my case, more often a smaller quilted project)

Do any of you find that even the washed worn sheets at the thrift stores are harder to pierce and a little weird for FMQ as a result? Or does it not matter because it's just practice?

I have been using fleece remnants since I live in Florida and don't use it much but buy it on sale just because it's so pretty and cozy looking!

my hushand gives my his dress shirts. I also dig through my closey each season and see what i can throw into the scrap pile.i always have lots of scrap batting . i was also thing rag quilt / fmq easch one prior to sewing them together

I have been practicing my FMQ by making table runners. I keep a practice sandwich by my machine in case I want to try a new stitch before actually working on the runner...

Always check the clearance tables!

I got a large piece of felt. Loaded it and quilted. I used contrasting thread so that I could see what I was doing. No need to sandwich this if you are just looking for muscle memory.

Visit yard sales for old sweat shirts, old blankets, etc. Also, the Army and Navy stores sell blankets for about $5 each. Visit thrift stores for old blankets, old sweaters, etc., which you can use for batting. Then, donate them to a shelter. Use your imagination as to where else you can find useable, cast-off items.