I use only warm and natural, never preshrink either fabric or batting. and even go so far as to always wash my items after I am done so they get "that crinkle-look" before I give them ways. I wash after for several reasons, figure during the entire process, with my constatnt hand touching, they get a little dirty. Want to make sure all my seams are good and tight, and make sure nothing 'runs'....I personally like the crinkle-look, but also want my receivers to know what it is going to look like after washing....had one person who received a quilt I had not washed, run into all these problems, and most of all they were in tears because they thought they had ruined it. If it is an heirloom or show piece of course I don't wash, but those pieces are few and far between.....