I wash all finished quilts in warm water and dry in hot dryer. I prewash my backing and dry my damp batting in the dryer. I use mostly pre cuts for the quilt top so don't pre wash those. I've never had someone say they wish the quilt was flat and smooth anyway. And for a gift I want the quilt to look the same when the person washes it for the first time.

I like mine to look the way they look coming out of the washer and dryer. Is that puckery? I use cotton batting and don’t prewash anything but flannel. I don’t have any allergies or sensitivities. I know any quilt I give away is going to need to be treated like regular laundry. No one i give to is going to do anything special. I wash them the way they would and the gift card says requires no special care and if you wear it out I will make another. I like that look myself. I can appreciate the talent it takes for dense quilting and I like to practice doing it but I don’t really like it on quilts that are meant to be snuggled in

I make my bed runners double sided, but without batt, don't need the warmth or weight. That said, even that quilting has some dimension which pleases me. Quilting stitches after all are all about the play of light on our work.

I use very thin batt, currently Hobbs Thermore, ultra thin, and it can be split in half from that. Less room taken when stored, and I like to layer quilts on the bed when cold, as opposed to one thick quilt. So I guess in my current incarnation my quilts are flatish. Which doesn't get into ironing seams open so you start flat in the first place :)

I don't think I fall into either camp. I don't want the distressed 30s look of the puckered as possible (and I don't believe that is what they really wanted either...), and I'm not a fan of a lot of close quilting. I prefer a puffier batt and less quilting than currently popular. So I guess what I want is full and soft :)

I think I'm with Tish05. I don't want a flat as pancake look but not a waddled up look either.

I like the puffier look. I only use high loft polyester batting. I have no problem quilting quilts with my 9" throat machine.
When I spread a quilt on my bed most of the puffiness smooths out.

For donation and give away quilts I use 80/20, W&N or project fleece and or polyester batting. I am finishing a give away quilt with high loft polyester batting for a Lady that lives in a cold part of U.S.A. and probably would like it to be warm.

I wash and dry all finished quilts. Once I give them away I don't worry about how they are taken care of.

Like every part of quilting we make it like we like it.

I prefer the "cuddle" quilt look. That's what most of my quilts are made for. I do charity quilting and want them cuddly. When I went into quilting after my husband passed and wanted something that gave me peace. My quilting does that. I have always been a competitive, driven person and I wanted no more of that in my life. I do appreciate the beautiful work that others do, it's just not what I want to do.