I was going to buy Warm & Natural batting but there is a rather high shrinkage factor. Do you wash it before you put it in the quilt? And if you do, how do you wash it?

It shrinks a little, not tremendously. I do not prewash it. I don't prewash my fabrics either. I like the way it looks after washing and it kinds shrinks up a little.

I use Warm and Natural all the time and have not had a problem with shrinkage..like Jim's Gem I like the small amount of shrinkage there is...not sure where you heard there is a high shrinkage factor but I'd say that it's definitely not true.

If you buy the W&N in a package it should have the % of shrinkage on the package. I think W&N is only 3%. I buy it off the bolt now so I can't look on a package and tell you. Maybe someone else on the board can.

I prewash my Warm and Natural. I put it in the washer in hot water and keep pushing it down into the water because it will flost. I just soak it, and DO NOT AGITATE. Then I spin it out and put it in the dryer. It is easier to hand quilt because its softer. I also prewash my fabrics. If a fabric is going to shrink or color bleed, I want to know that before I use it in a quilt.

i use this batting probably 75% of th time. i do not prewash ever. it does not shrink enough for me. i also like the "old" quilt look.

If you don't want shrinkage, try the Warm blend. Made by Warm & natural, but 50% poly. Less than 1% shrinkage and can be quilted up to 10" apart. Works fine for machine quilting-have not hand quilted it.

I have never washed my warm and natural and haven't had a problem with too much shrinking.

I never pre wash warm and natural either. I love it! It's my favorite to use.

I do not wash mine, but I do hang it and steam it and let it hang for 2 days to get it to fall out properly! No wrinkles!