Batting in Table Runners
 

If I want a flat look on table runners, should I prewash the batting (Warm and Natural)? Or would a 20X42 runner be small enough to remain flat after washing? What do you all do? I don't want it to crinkle.

I like to use cheap flannel from my batting for table runners.

if you are using warm & natural---you can pre-shrink it if you want to---if you do not want to---the more quilting you add the (flatter) the runner will remain- very little quilting allows lots of area to (shrink) lots of quilting keeps it flatter.
often i use either pre-washed inexpensive flannel or a very thin polyester batting in runners (polyester batting does not shrink) i still do alot of quilting to keep it all flat. w&n although a fairly flat batting does tend to 'shrink up' cause alot of crinkling...alot of quilting will help with that...my mom does not like the one runner i made her with w&n in it (the first one i made) i learned from there...& try different things...

I use fusible fleece and lots of quilting.

Fusible or non fusible fleece. Stays nice and flat.

I use Warm and Natural is lots of table runners. Preshrink the batting! I soak mine a good amount of time (overnight) to ensure all the fibers have gotten saturated, then spin and toss in the dryer. Note you may have to periodically submerge the batting as Warm and Natural has a tendency to float.

:) DITTO to all above!!!

I use Warm and Natural batting for all of my quilts, but I have to say that recently I tried Quilters Dream all cotton batting and love it for table runners, place mats etc. It's not quite as thick and the shrinkage is so slight that you'd hardly notice.

I just finished a 14 foot tablerunner, thats right I said 14 foot. I used cheap flannel and washed it twice in hot hot water to shrink it.

I use flannel too. Works great