What is batting with scrim?

If you’re a quilter, you’re using batting pretty often. You may have come across batting with ‘Scrim’ and wondered just what it is, and why you should use it!

Scrim is a batting-industry term for a specialized stabilizer that is used in some batting products, usually 100% cotton. Scrim can be made from either cotton or polyester, and the brand should say which they use.

It’s actually pretty great stuff. So, why should you use scrim? 

1. Scrim helps stop your batting from stretching and distorting.

Scrim is a super fine, stabilizing layer of mesh that is needle punched into the batting. It adds strength and prevents the batting from stretching while you’re working with it.

This means that you can really handle your quilt as you stitch all those layers together. I know I’ve rolled quilts up with half over my shoulder in order to get them through the arm of my machine, how about you? Scrim helps stop the batting from stretching and distorting as you do that.

 2. It’s perfect for minimal quilting and summer quilts.

Most products with scrim say you can have quilting lines 8-10″ apart – perfect for when you like minimal quilting. It’s often added to lightweight, low-loft batting, the perfect type for those airy summer quilts.

3. It doesn’t change how your batting feels.

Scrim doesn’t affect the feeling of your batting or the final quilt after washing – isn’t that great?

How do you tell which side of the batting the scrim is on?

You may be able to tell which side the scrim is on (which depends on the manufacturer!)

• Some brands have it needle punched to the back, and in this case you will want it towards the back of your quilt. The reason for that is so your needle has an easier time pushing through the top of the quilt.

• Some brands have the scrim in the middle of the batting, and in that case you’re fine either way.

I hope this has helped you understand what batting with scrim is! Happy quilting!