How do you preshrink batting?
 

I'm one of those people who does not really like the crinkly look. I have lots of warm and natural 100% cotton batting. When I had a top loader washing machine I could preshrink it, but now that I have a front loader, am not sure how to do it.

I have had one suggestion to soak the batting in quite warm water in the bathtub and then pretend I am stomping grapes to get the water out and then to dry it. I haven't tried it yet.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to preshrink the batting?

Thanks.

Aileen

I'm curious on learning more about shrinking battings too!

However, please tell me how you did it in your top loader (which is what I have).
I did a small piece once, and just ended up with a mushy blob which I pulled apart ever so carefully, and once dry it appeared that there were sections where the batting had become so thin .. and other areas where it was thicker.

So please do share any tips for pre-washing via a top loader!
THANKS!!!!!!

Hi QuiltE:

For a top loader -- put in the piece of batting and fill the tub with hot water. DO NOT let the batting aggitate. Just turn the machine off and let the batting sit in the hot water for 10 or 15 minutes. Move the dial on the washer to spin. Spin it out. Put in the dryer on a hot setting and dry. It always came out just fine. If you aggitate it it will just break apart.

Hope this helps, and I hope someone has an idea of how what I can try.

Aileen
That's what I do.Put in bathtub, fill with water. Let the water out while the batting is still in the tub. Push out as much water as possible also while still in the tub. Roll up in several towels and stump on it. Then throw everything (towels and battng) in the dryer on medium and dry it.

Thanks AMH .... Simple enough!
One question ...
When you put it in the dryer, I usually shake my clothes .... so for the batting I don't think that would be a good idea ... so what do you do?

Thanks Eisy. Guess what I'm going to try when I get home from work.

QuiltE: I don't shake it out, but I did open up the dryer occasionally to make sure that it was kind of separated, and to clean out the lint trap.

Thanks AMH ..... I have some ready to sandwich and will give this a try soon!
OK ... another question!
How large have you done in this way? (double? queen? king?)

As to how to handle the pre-shrinking in a front loader...I think I saw something on the W&N site the other day regarding pre-shrinking. Might want to check there to see if they have specific instructions for front loaders.

why not just purchase batting that does not shrink (or has much less shrinkage than warm & natural? there are so many great battings on the market these days- it just to me makes more sense to buy the batting that is right for my project than to try to go through all the hassles of pre-shrinking a batt.

I mostly use high loft polyester batting and would never prewash batting of any kind.
I love the crinkly look.

What you need is a friend that likes Warm and Natural batting so you can trade for some that doesn't shrink. As for me, I love a good crinkle. All my lost points and mismatched seams get lost in the crinkles!

I prewash W&N all the time as I don't want the crinkly look. I fill a large plastic container/bucket/bowl with hot tap water and soak 5 or 10 minutes. Drain, pressing down on the wet batting to remove as much water as possible. Then I hold it up and squeeze it from the top down WITHOUT twisting. This get so much more water out. Put through my front loading machine on the Drain and Spin Cycle (13 minutes). Then into a hot or warm dryer for about 30 minutes. Comes out looking better than when I started. :-)

Just make sure your batting can be prewashed on the packaging, some do not lend themselves to prewashing

Warm and Natural is not 100% cotton. It's needle punched through a polyester scrim. It's more like 88 - 12.

You could also just spray it down good with a spray bottle and put it in the dryer. It doesn't have to be soaking wet and the dryer is what really causes shrinkage.

That is exactly what I do. I can't imagine myself trying to get a wet batting into my washing machine to let it spin: too heavy for me, when soaked.

I've done it.

I put a piece of batting 90 by 100 into the front loading washer and put the setting on handwash. Ran it through the cycle and put it in the dryer and dried it. It took a couple dry cycles to dry it. The end measurements are 75 by 96.

It turned out just fine. Had to go to work so couldn't take it out of the dryer when it was dry, so I'll have to put it back in with a damp towel for a few minutes to get whatever wrinkles out.

Aileen

I have a top loader and put the batting in with a little detergent and use the gentle cycle. Always use low heat to dry.

This is what I was thinking also. Just get batting that doesn't shrink.

Same here!!! :D My quilts always look SO much better after washing!

This is how I preshrink mine. I do a lot of hand quilting and it seems to make Warm and Natural softer and easier to hand quilt when it's been preshrunk.