OK, maybe I'm asking the obvious, but I've never seen this addressed in a book, and our teacher never told us to do it in our class.

The first few quilts we stretched for quilting didn't stretch well. There was extra fabric in spots; not horrible, but enough for us to notice, even though we stretched them on the DR table and used binder clips to keep them taut. On the last three that we have done, I looked at the batting as we took it out of the package and it had all kinds of wrinkles and waves. So, I took them to the ironing board and pressed them with steam. Those quilts stretched beautifully and had no hint of bunching after they were quilted. This is definitely going to become an item on our checklist going forward.

Thanks,

Darren

Hmmm never thought of that. Thanks!

I often press my batting...it lays down so much better that way!

I press Warm & Natural with steam - not just to get wrinkles out, but for shrinkage before making the quilt sandwich.

I never thought about until I did my last quilt. The Warm and natural had wrinkles in it galore. I used my hands to try and smooth it out. I didn't end up with wrinkles after quilting, thankfully. I think it would have saved me a lot of aggravation if I had iron the batting.

I iron the top and bottom so I might as well iron the batting too. Less wrinkles is always good!!!! LOL!!

Since you can't press the poly batting, I just let it relax. Lay it out, go watch a tv show or do something else for about an hour and it smooths out some. Or, if it's a smaller quilt I hang it on a design wall to sandwich and the wrinkles fall out more quickly.

I alway iron the folded area of the batting when I use warm and natural. makes it much easier to manage.

Never thought of this before, mainly b/c I used only poly batting and made just one quilt with warm and natural, which seemed to lay flat, but I have to check next time. Anyway, thanks for this idea.

Yes I would want the batting wrinkle free.

If that meant laying it out for a day or two or even steam pressing. Why go to the trouble of making sure your top and bottom are pressed and have a wrinkled middle.

Isn't it wonderful to figure things out by yourself! Great job!

I press the folds on poly and warm and natural by laying a damp dish towel over the fold line and to prevent the batting from stretching I just set the iron on the fold till it relaxes with a warm iron.

The last quilt I made was the largest, so used a packaged queen size bat. I too unrolled it and noticed tons of wrinkles and deep folds. I struggled with pressing this huge unweildly mass. Some areas were noticably thinner than others and there was actually a hole in one place. I had to make a patch for that and sew it in place by hand. From now on, I'm using it off the roll. Sewing sections together will not be nearly as awful as dealing with a wrinkled packaged bat.

I usually start with spritzing it with water and putting in the dryer for a few minutes on medium. If there's a stubborn wrinkle I will sometimes touch that with the iron. But usually it's fine from the dryer.

I have a roll of Warm and Natural right now and always press the fold to flatten it. I have used the bagged binding and pressed it also.

Joann's usually has a sale on batting around this time of year, I think I paid $6.99 a yard for 90"+ wide batthing.

JulieM

This is what I was wondering. Couldn't you just put it in the dryer for a little bit to get the wrinkles out? Would it work on poly batting too?

Yes, the dryer works great for poly batts. Use low heat for about 15 minutes, and spread it out when you take it out. Smooth the wrinkles left, and let it cool. I've had to heat some twice.

I just toss mine in the dryer for a few minutes to relax the wrinkles.

I think that this is a step that is as important as keeping the top and back wrinkle free :D:D:D

I either iron or toss the batting in the dryer and then finish by smoothing it out with my hands.

Never thought of ironing my batting till now! I use the warm and natural and have only smoothed it down with my hands. Hope to remember this tidbit next time I sandwich a quilt!

by putting it in the dryer does it shrink the batting if it has cotton in it?

I put my Wm & Nat in the dryer on low --dry not wet -- for about 10 minutes. Came out smooth, no wrinkles and did shrink a little.

I always press Warm & Natural before sandwiching. So far, so good!

Ditto

I cut the size I want then throw in dryer on low fir 5 minutes. I get it out and start my sandwich. Works to get out wrinkles and and preshrinking.

I have read that on poly batting is recommened that you lay it out at least 24 hours ahead of time for it to breath and go back to it's natural shape and lay flat.

I steam cotton batting's as they sometimes shrink a lot. If I am using a poly batting I toss it in the dryer for about 5-10 minutes. Usually takes out the worst wrinkles.

I have put batting into the clothes dryer and had some luck. However, I use a clothes steam presser. It works great, just don't get your hand in front of the steam.

I agree the batts lay so much flatter after being in the dryer for 10 - 15 minutes.

Actually you can press the poly batting. Just on low heat or with a cloth over it. I like the idea of pressing the batting. I have only done parts of it in the past. I am definitely going to try this on my next quilt. Thanks for the idea.

Haven't had to no problem do lay it out overnight

Good Morning & Happy Thanksgiving I put my batting in the dryer with a wet towel & all the wrinkles & folds come out just on low for a few minutes. Happy Quilting , Shirley :-P

this sounds like an easy and sensible way to smooth out batting. I am going to try it.

Believe it or not, you can press the poly batting. I have always done it. I spraybaste my top to it first, then steam press...turn it over & do the same with the backing to it. Not many pins, no wrinkles on front or back, first washing softens and not alot of shrinkage. All the steaming takes care of that. So much easier to SID or FMQ! :thumbup:

I use a lot of fusible batting for small projects so I guess my answer is yes - Happy Thanksgiving

thanks for the insight!

I have to admit I have now switched to fusible batting so I can't press it or put it in the dryer. I just smooth out any wrinkles when I sandwich it and it is a little sticky even before fusing. Up here in Canada, we pay $30 and up for a large can of 505 so in the long run I think I will save money. It's so nice to quilt without worrying about all the safety pins. The fusible batts are not a lot more and I wait until Connecting Threads have their batting sales. Also I like the fact that I can use up small pieces by fusing them together. Just my 2 cents.
BTW, Happy Thanksgiving to those quilters stateside. I like our earlier Thanksgiving as I think yours is too close to Christmas.

kwiltnutt

Totally agree...This is how I do it too.......

re - batting wrinkles.. for my sewing/quilting group, we use JoAnn's poly which is on a roll. It isn't the greatest to be sure, but it is what we can afford for a charitable group and is 48 inches wide.

About half way through the roll, the batt has always become twisted and has terrible deep folds in it. Putting it in the dryer does not help this.

HOWEVER, sprinkling it a bit with a few drops of water or putting it in the dryer for a few minutes with a damp washcloth will fluff it very nicely. I find it fluffs so nicely, it gathers up the batting a bit, so be sure you give yourself enough room, if you precut it for a quilt. This does work great and I am always bringing home the quilt and batting before we send the quilt to the next group of people to work on it - the "tie people".

Julie LOVE IN STITCHES - 3cats. Port Orange Florida

I am a winter Texan and in our park we have commercial driers. We put them in on low and they relax and quilt beautifully. No lumps

Myself I use mostly blanket's and I wash and dry them and
put them right down on my backing and I have had no problem with doing that all nice and smooth . :D

Ditto