Although the batting is not visible it is an integral part of the quilt. You may make a complicated design on the quilt top with intricate embellishments but if the batting is not placed properly then everything is undone. You can now get polyester batting but the traditional choice is cotton for the quilt sandwich, which should be preshrunk. You can do that by putting it in warm in your bathtub or washing machine. Remember not to wash, just submerge the batting in water and then place it in the drier at low heat. Polyester batting does not really require preshrinking but it is better that you go through the process to be doubly sure.

You will also find fusible batting in the market. All that you need to do with this type is to layer the quilt top, batting and backing and fuse them together. To fuse all the three layers together use a steam iron and set it on wool or cotton setting with steam on. Iron the quilt from the center to the outer edges, all the while ensuring that you keep the iron moving and pressing each area only for 2-3 seconds. These is actually a temporary fuse; if you made a mistake or see a crease, simply lift the fabric and iron again as instructed. Once the entire area of the quilt is covered and you are satisfied that you have done it right, allow the quilt. Fuse one side at a time and once the quilt cools down, you may then start quilting.