Have you prewashed the Hobbs cotton?
 

Reading on the label the shrinkage is up to 5% I've decided I need to prewash this king size batting before I assemble my wedding gift. Has anyone words of wisdom for me?
MaryKatherine

You should really do a search on here and hear the mess that others have had when they've tried to prewash batting. It's not a good thing. You would be wasting your money from what I've read because after that; you have to throw it away.

I'm not familiar with that particular batting but does it have a scrim? If not, I would think it would be difficult (impossible?) to wash or machine dry. I personally have not pre-washed any of my bats, but once I doused it with water and dried it ... not so much for the shrinkage but to get the wrinkles out. That was a W&N bat.

If it has a scrim I would wet it while flat (in the tub perhaps) then dry it. I have a top load machine and I can't fathom the mess I would have if I machine washed it with an agitator (even on the "delicate cycle which agitates just a few turns then stops for a few minutes).

If it doesn't have a scrim ... I wouldn't wash or dry it.

5% is an awful lot, even for cotton.

Warm and Natural washes and dries beautifully.

I've also had other bats totally shred like wet Kleenex when they hit water.

Read the label - it should indicate if it can/should be washed - or not.

3-5% is standard shrinkage for a cotton batting. Is this an all-cotton Hobbs batting? If it's 80/20, then I honestly would not worry; I've never gotten more than a soft 3% or so shrinkage. I have heard of other people presoaking (not washing) Hobbs 80/20 and drying in a dryer to shrink before layering, but I've never done it.

If you don't want any shrinkage, I would switch to a polyester batting.

I've only used Hobbs 80 cotton 20 poly batting and have washed it without any problems.

Wash isn't the correct term because you just soak the batting in your washing machine, DO NOT AGITATE, then turn to the spin cycle. I don't put the batting into the dryer, I just lay it on the floor or over the dining room table to dry complety. Putting a plastic sheet or tablecloth down first is a good idea.

Throw it in the dryer in low with a damp towel for 10 minutes...as long as it's 100% natural fibers.

This is the Heirloon Natural with scrim binder
I don't mind shrinkage but I don't want the quilt to shrink, hense the prewash
MK

You mean don't immerse it in water? Just add a damp (wet) towel?

Last year I took a quilt to a long arm quilter to finish for me and prewashed the flannel (good quilt quality) and pre-soaked the Warm & White batting. I thought it looked okay but when she looked at it, we realized that it had been felted by putting it in the dryer (I've not had troubles with the Warm & Natural batting before and I always pre-soak & dryer dry it before quilting them on my Bernina). Anyway, she advised me to not pre-soak batting.

If it has a scrim, you should be able to soak it and then dry in the dryer. It is the batts without scrim or bonding agents that fall apart in water.

1. Load the Hobbs cotton batting into a TOP LOADING washer, evenly distribute the mass.
2. Fill washer with lukewarm water.
3. Agitate the machine BY HAND a couple of times or push the batting up and down to thoroughly wet it, DO NOT let the machine cycle.
4. Let it sit for a few minutes (5-15).
5. Set machine to spin cycle/gentle to remove water.
6. Fluff in an AIR COOLED dryer (no heat) for about 5-10 minutes.
7. Remove from dryer immediately and drape it over the floor, sofa, table, whatever, overnight to finish drying and to remove wrinkles.

I've done many, many of the Hobbs 80/20 battings this way over the years with no problem.

Jan in VA

I haven't used that batting, but I have used 80/20s, including one from Hobbs. I put it my top loading washer in warm water, fill it with water, soak it a while and spin the water out. I then dry it in my large dryer on the regular cycle. I am the lone person who likes a smoother quilt, so I want all shrinkage done. One mistake, I must have forgotten what I'd put in the washer and washed one, which means it was agitated twice. There are several unusable areas. I foresee a couple of baby quilts out of that queen size batt.

I have never pre washed batting. I guess 5% shrinkage is not enough for me to notice a difference. I haven't so far.

I guess I assumed that if the quilt is quilted, than the batting doesn't have much room to shrink???? I know that there is some shrinkage but I've always liked the crinkly look of a quilt. I have seen on quilts that were very densly quilted that they don't become crinkly after washing but then again, I don't think they are snuggly quilts either! JMHO!:p

Now I know why I stick with Quilters Dream batting. Quilts washed in cool water = the batting shrinkage is minimal to 1%. In warm water the cotton was only 3%. I've never prewashed batting.

Hobbs batting will be just find to "prewash". I do it often for my customers. I put it into my top loading washer with enough hot water to cover it and let it soak (do not agitate) about 10 minutes. Spin the water out then put it into my dryer on high heat and dry about 20 minutes. It comes out very nice and soft. This will shrank the batting so the finished quilt will not shrank as much it is washed.

If I want to 'shrink' my batting I spray with water and throw in the dryer. Never wash because it will fall apart....

read the comments....majority states dont.

Not successfully. I did agitate accidentally which I shouldn't have done. Batting came out in pieces and clumps. Completely unusable.

Someone already mentioned it - Quilters Dream says only 1% shrinkage. I did like how it washed up. I was amazed when looking at how much shrinkage some batts have - esp bamboo batting!!! My friend used that on a quilt and she said her queen size quilt shrunk 6 inches!!! YIKES!!!

Someone correct me, but when using cotton, it'll shrink and the quilt will still have that crinkled look (which i absolutely love!!!) But, is it possible to make a quilt that after it is washed, is still smoother/not crinkled like a quilt is when we first finish it.

My understanding is you can get a quilt to look like that if you preshrink the batting or if you use a polyester batting (polyester does not shrink).

I also like a smooth quilt.

And for the record - many of the old 'utility quilts' - were made from much used fabric - and they did NOT pucker after they were washed. So - if a person says 'I like the puckered look' - well and good - but that it not necessarily a vintage look.

For a "smooth" looking quilt I'd prewash all the fabrics and use a good poly batting like Quilters Dream. There should be no shrinkage at all when the quilt is washed.

I usually don't dry any of my quilts in the dryer, just throw an old sheet over our deck railing and put the quilt on that. If In case it was raining I'd lay the old sheet on the floor or on dining room table and put quilt on that to dry indoors.