Batting, often called wadding, is a typical quilting material that provides loft and a cushioning layer to a piece.
Other projects that may be made with batting include oven mitts, heat pads, and ironing board coverings.
After considering changing my ironing board cover and maybe making my own portable ironing board for minor projects, I decided to learn more about the best and safest materials to use.
After conducting a thorough study and completing a successful recovery project, I decided to compile this useful post so you can get precisely what you need with a single click.
Table of Contents
Is Batting Safe To Use?
I wouldn’t advocate using any polyester or polyester/cotton mix batting since polyester tends to melt and flatten when exposed to heat and time.
While it is less expensive, it will rapidly degrade, and some polyester batting may even melt, leaving your ironing board with no padding or cushioning.
Polyester batting has a greater risk of issues, and even if you’re not using severe heat or covering yourself as you would with oven gloves or hot pads, you still need to protect yourself from the hot iron.
Top 4 Best Battings For Ironing Board Covers
Before you go out shopping for batting for your ironing board, there are a few things you should know.
Even though the ironing board requires cushioning, a thick batting will have too much loft and air among the layers and will not be acceptable.
Instead, use a thin batting and a couple of layers to create a smoother ironing surface and better long-term effects.
Don’t use polyester or poly-blend batting since it won’t hold up to the heat as well, and poorer blends may even melt and disintegrate when exposed to the iron’s heat.
1. Insul-Bright Heat Resistant
For ironing boards and ironing board coverings, this is by far the most popular and recommended batting.
Insul-Bright is a foil layer that protects against heat. Because the material is composed of foil, it is not suited for many applications, but it is ideal for making an ironing board or ironing board cover.
The Insul-Bright is ideal for people who want to make their own ironing board out of wood, whether it’s a large one for patchwork and quilting or a tiny one for minor seams and smaller projects.
Insul-Bright acts as a foil layer that reflects heat from the layer while also preventing moisture from seeping into the wood or underlayer and bouncing it back towards the fabric.
It is recommended that you apply another layer of cotton batting on top of the Insul-Bright to provide further cushioning and protection, especially on a home-built ironing board.
2. 100% Cotton Batting (Warm and Natural)
Another favorite of many quilters who frequently utilize batting in their projects.
Many people who manufacture hot pads, oven mitts, and other projects that require heat protection use 100% cotton batting, 100% cotton fabric, and 100% cotton thread.
100% cotton has characteristics that make it safer to use on warm–hot items.
I’ll also point out that you shouldn’t use this batting in the microwave or the oven.
Although there is some shrinking with this brand, many individuals who use it haven’t seen much change.
You may pre-shrink the batting to prevent this from happening later.
Although the batting isn’t fusible, it’s ideal for quilters and home projects.
It’s simple to use and makes a nice cushion for your placemats and other projects.
These are available in various sizes to accommodate different quilt sizes such as cot, double, and queen. Cotton provides a pleasant feel and cushion texture to the batting.
It isn’t particularly thick and is sometimes rather thin, making it an excellent batting for ironing boards and ironing board covers.
While this is a suggested batting, you should use any 100% cotton batting for ironing board covers since it can handle the heat and moisture from an iron better.
3. Hobbs Heirloom Fusible Cotton Batting
The main benefit of using Hobbs fusible batting is that it is fusible on both sides, allowing you to create a tidy placemat.
You won’t have to worry about your layers slipping and shifting while you’re stitching!
The characteristics are comparable to Hobbs cotton/polyester mix, but they are superior since they shrink when washed.
You don’t want your ironing board cover to shrink to the point that it no longer fits your board or stands. Therefore avoiding shrinkage is crucial.
What’s great about this batting is that it’s high-quality cotton batting that will work well with ironing boards and covers because it’s thin and easy to deal with.
It’s also one of the finest batting for ironing boards since it’s thin and lies flat, making it a breeze to deal with.
4. Wool Fabric Or Wool Felted Heat Mats
Wool is a versatile, natural, and heat-resistant material. Wool from old wool sweaters, wool moving blankets, or felted wool mats is a preferred batting for oven gloves in many communities worldwide.
These are fantastic since they are made of natural materials, are heat resistant, and are simple to obtain.
If you’re going to make a specialized ironing board, I’d still add foil, Insul-Bright, or a reflective substance to keep moisture from soaking through the wool and damaging the foundation board.
This is a lot more cost-effective method because these materials are much simpler to come by, and you can make your own ironing board in no time at all.
If feasible, I would combine a little layer of batting with the wool layer to make a beautiful cushioned board.
Also, if you’re using old wool sweaters, make sure they’re flat and not knitted into a design since this might produce lumps on your ironing board.
