MissBarkey

Should natural batting like cotton, wool, bamboo or combinations of such, be washed before using it in a quilt? I don't know for sure myself, but it would make sense. I guess in my long learning curve in the art of quilting I missed this bit of information.


Thanks for any answers to the question from a still-learning-to-be quilter.

Buckeye Rose

I don't wash mine, but some do.....it usually depends on how wrinkled or lumpy it is.....sometimes just spreading it out and letting it "rest" will remove the lumps, bumps and wrinkles.....if you wash in a machine, don't agitate or you will have a large mess.....machine drying will help shrink it if you are looking for a smoother look

Lori S

Never pre- wash a batting, it will shred in the agitation. You can pre- shrink a batting if you do not want that antique crinkly look . Poly battings never need to be preshrunk as there is no shrinkage in poly. Most manufactures list on the package the expected shrinkage, and guidelines for preshrinking if desired. They also indicate on the package recomendations for how far apart the it should be quilted.

LynnVT

ACK! I can't imagine doing that. Hoping nobody says you have to, because I never have and don't ever plan to.

bearisgray

READ THE PACKAGE DIRECTIONS!!!!

I know I just yelled - but that is the best place to find information.

I wash warm and natural - I prefer a flat look - and once because one of my cats anointed it. I wash warm and natural on a short gentle cycle and dry it in the dryer on a gentle cycle until it's almost dry.

I also have shredded a couple of battings - There was no label on them and I thought they looked washable. The ended up like shredded kleenex!

Again - it depends on what you are starting out with and what you want to end up with.

I think MOST battings do not need to be washed - especially if you don't mind some shrinkage.

NanaCsews2

Washing batting first-never have, never will. Love the look of a washed and dried quilt made with warm and natural and warm and white cotton batting. Not to mention so many little sewing seam mistakes magically disappear into the wrinkle-age.

Prism99

I don't prewash batting. For people who want a completely flat look (no batting shrinkage), it's a lot easier to buy a poly batt than to prewash a cotton batt. Some traditional cotton battings cannot be pre-washed; they will fall apart in water, or the surface bonding agent will dissolve. A cotton batting such as Warm and Natural can be prewashed because it is needlepunched through scrim.

I personally like the antique look for my quilts. Antique quilts were made using cotton batting, which shrinks just enough in the wash to give a softly krinkled look. Modern cotton batts shrink anywhere from 1 to 3%, which is just right for me.

auntpiggylpn

I agree, the wrinkles help hide my not so perfect stitches when I hand stitch my binding to the back.

irishrose

I want the smooth look. Several of my family members want the heavier feel of cotton, so I preshrink mine. I usually use an 80/20 cotton/poly that works well. The only one I turned into shreds was a brand I had never used and I washed it instead of skipping the agitation. Whoops! I can still get some baby quilts out of it and I'll use the rest for crafts, so it's not a complete loss.

Rose L

Never!!!!!