Lay it out for a few days or iron it?
 

I put my quilt sandwich together a few weeks ago and had to fold it up and put it away in a drawer because of work. Wanted to start quilting it today and it is quite wrinkled from being folded and put in the drawer. Should I iron it or maybe lay it out for a few days? I don't want to mess it up, so I will wait until I hear from those more experienced than I. Not sure how to get rid of the wrinkles.

I would start by laying it out for a while. If it doesn't settle out, then I would Iron it.

i would just lay it out on an unused bed for a week or so. smooth it a bit every day or two. i have had this problem too. time doesn't run smoothly in my life and many times over the years i've had to fold, pack or stash a WIP until we are settled, unpacked or crises, whatever has passed and my time is my own once more. i would not iron it.

What is the downside to ironing it, if the batting isn't polyester? I'm curious.

I had no problem pulling out a sandwich and immediately ironing it. Twice I've done that, in fact, and let me tell you, it was NO fun unpinning to get everything very smooth again and then re-pinning. That was before I discovered spray baste. It was still fine. I always use cotton batting, so never a risk of melting under an iron.

How about trying to just steam with the iron and not letting the iron actually touch the sandwich?

I fold and wad my sandwiched quilts up all the time and don't iron them. I think it might make a difference on how you plan to quilt them. Since I quilt in sections the only thing I care about is the section where I'm working and that can usually just be smoothed out with my hands. I guess I don't understand why a whole quilt that's been sandwiched has to be wrinkle free. I glue baste so not every inch of surface is attached to the other like in spray basting. If I'm making donation quilts I often will glue baste several at one time when I have big tables available and then after they dry, fold and store them until I can get them quilted.

I iron my sandwich as I'm pinning it - right on my island. I can't stand those wrinkles in batting, and since I use cotton batting I iron them right out as I'm layering up all three layers.

I don't think the polyester batt is that sensitive to heat. Just keep your iron not so hot and don't leave it in one spot. I iron polyester clothing all the time. It wrinkles up if the iron is too hot or I leave the iron in one spot too long.