I agree, Sandpat. I even prewash, and dry, my batting. I remember years ago when I first started quilting, a friend at worked asked if I would make a small quilt as a gift for a friend. No problem, until I threw it in the wash to get out the pencil quilting marks. The batting shrunk and I ended up with an "antique" quilt (fortunately the colors were all muted so it looked right). I panicked until I brought it to work and waited for my friend's reaction. After all, she had paid for all the fabrics. Well..she loved it. PHEW!!!! But since then I prewash everything that's going into the project. If I could prewash the thread, I'd probably do that, too!!
Just sewing the appliques on the quilt now. Have the binding to go (anyone have any extra Robert Kaufman purple patina handpaint batik AMD-7016-6???) some embroidered names and dates, and it's ready to give. Hopefully I can post pictures if we ever get a camera that actually works.
bev. :]