joe'smom

Warm and Natural is easy to wash, because it's sturdy due to the scrim. They give directions on the label -- soak, squeeze out excess water and dry in the dryer on warm. They say not to spin the batting, so I press it between two big towels before putting in the dryer. I've heard other people say they have spun theirs. It comes out nice and unwrinkled.

I've inquired to both Hobbs and Quilter's Dream about pre-washing their batting, and their reply was that they don't recommend it. But on the Hobbs packages of Heirloom batting (but not on Tuscany bats), they recommend experimenting to see if you prefer a preshrunk or unshrunk batting, so that's a mixed message; but they don't give directions. I think the important thing is to be careful and support the weight of the bat when it's wet. I've used the same method as with Warm and Natural to prewash a Hobbs Silk batting; I was careful, but it did stretch some in spots (but I was still able to use it).

Quilter's Dream wool batting is thermally bonded, and the representative said it can't be exposed to heat or it will flatten out. I remember someone posting about Hobbs Tuscany Wool, that it dissolved when she tried to presoak it. But the wool bats are said to shrink less, so I haven't tried prewashing any wool bats. I may try it with a smaller Hobbs wool and see how it goes.