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.

I spray baste all sandwiches and iron them after, particularly if I fold them and get back to quilting them later. Works great (I use 70/30 Quilters Dream batting).

Try laying it out for a bit (easiest way). If it doesn't work, you can iron (press) it. There isn't a problem with poly batting unless you have the heat super high or you are really ironing it hard (I think of how my grandmother ironed my grandfather's white shirts - like she was angry!). I have often done a light pressing with steam and not had a problem.

Ironing should not be a problem UNLESS you used Thermore. It will puff up to a three inch thickness. It was designed for comforters and winter coats. The heat will activate it and then it becomes impossible to quilt.

I often leave my sandwiches folded for a while before quilting. Never had a problem.

If you're quilting on a DSM, you might want to iron it.

If you're quilting on a longarm, you can load it, spritz it lightly with water and let dry overnight, then quilt.

Would it help in the future to roll up a batting set on pool noodles or some other tube thing? I'm thinking of the tubes that rugs are rolled around. It should be fairly easy to acquire one of these tubes from a local dealer. If you were to use a tube, surely there would be fewer wrinkles? The tubes could also fit nicely into a closet corner until you get back to the project.

I would lay it out overnite and then start quilting the next day.