Whenever I buy 100% cotton batting, I preshrink it. To do this, I put it in the washer with warm water, do NOT let it aggitate but do let it soak for a while as it seems to take a bit to really get the fibers wet. Then, spin it out, carefully handle it when transferring it to the dryer and dry on low heat. I think you might still get a tiny bit of shrinkage/puckering when your finished quilt is laundered but it sure isn't much. I love the feel of the Hobbs 80/20 and just recently used the Quilter's Dream green batting (recycled). It was very soft and plyable , easy to work with- can't tell you if it will beard or not. It did make for a pretty heavy quilt, however. I think you're going to have to experiment and like some others have said, decide what YOU like
good luck and enjoy the journey.