How do I dry batting after pre-shrinking?
 

I have about 10 yards of Warm and Natural I bought years ago and have not used it because it says to pre shrink it before using. I know I can soak it in Hot water in the bath tub on sheet to lift it buy but how do I dry it? I don't want it to fall apart before it gets put into my quilt and I don't think it will shrink all the way if I just dry it in the sun. It's going into a quilt thats for a gift so I don't want it to scrunch up too much when they wash it the first time. Oh yeah its 90" wide I'll probably cut off a little more than I need and only deal with that for now. Thanks for any help you can give me!!

I would put it in the washer to spin most of the water out. Then throw it in the dryer on warm to hot. I don't like the crinkled look on my quilts, so I always pre-shrink my batting.

I'm just the opposite. I love the crinkled look so I never preshrink batting, but I agree with Sandybeach. Spin cycle sounds like your best bet for getting the bulk of the water out and then I'd stick in in the dryer. I think I'd check the lint trap frequently just in case.

before I put the entire piece of ''raw'' batting in the washer/dryer, I would cut out a 12 inch piece and see what happens!! I think the top and backing fabric are needed to hold the batting fibers together.....

I never pre-wash any fabric or batting and have very little shrinking issues....but I LOVE the old fashioned 'wrinkled' look that you get after that first washing and drying of a finished quilt

I preshrink mine ( warm and natural) all the time ... toss it in the dryer.. after you spin out the excess water! It one of the reason I buy Warm and Natural as it does hold up to the dryer. Do stop the dryer periodically and reposition... about every 8 -10 minutes.

I don't prewash my batting, but I seem to remember reading that if you do, then you put the batting by itself in the dryer, you end up with a huge ball of cotton, pretty much useless at that point. I hope you research this method before trying anything...perhaps you could baste it to a sheet, wash and dry it, then remove the basting?

I don't usually pre-wash batting, but I did once, just as Lori S did. W&N holds together very well.

I agree...spin twice and then pop it in the dryer. The scrim on W&N holds it together with no problem.

I have never washed batting either or pre-wash fabric. I have never had shrinkage problem. Thank goodness!

I use W&N all the time as well and have never pre-shrunk it. Guess I don't follow instructions well, eh? Then again, I like the crinkly look of quilts also.