I always pre-wash. I still get the puckery look, because the batting shrinks. I have never understood this argument about not pre-washing to get the puckery look. Almost all old quilts were made from fabric scraps that were prevously parts of clothing. Of course it had been pre-washed! My theory is that quilts that do not have the puckery look either have never been washed or were made with polyester batting, which doesn't shrink.