Preparing Cotton Batting?
 

I'm going to use Hobbs Heirloom Cotton Batting in my next quilt. It has been out of the package for days and the wrinkles are not exactly falling out and becoming smooth. Also, I'd like to preshrink it some.

Does putting it in the washing machine in warm water, spinning the water out and drying it in the dryer on low sound like it would get the wrinkles out and preshrink it some? Or do you think that would ruin it?

The packaging doesn't say anything about it. What is your experience?

Don't wash it! It will fall apart. Lay it out somewhere to relax over night, then just go ahead and quilt it. You may have to do a lot of hand smoothing. Why do you want to pre-shrink it? Cosmetic shrinking is usually done after the quilt is finished and bound.

Would it work to spary it down and then dry it on low?

Just wondering and I will pay attention to this thread. As I'm working on quilt where the quilt back has been preshrunk but the batting and top have not.

Hobbs Heirloom does not have a scrim to bond it together. It is a soft piece of cotton fluff. You are going to have to treat it gently.

I haven't worked with the 100% cotton, but I often prewash my Hobbs 80/20, particularly if the fabrics in the top and backing have been prewashed. I put it in a rinse and spin cycle, then toss it in the dryer, and it comes out very nice. When using the batting in quilts where the fabric has not been prewashed I don't want to shrink it, but I do want to get rid of the wrinkles, so I just toss it in the dryer on air fluff for about 15 minutes, and the wrinkles just disappear.

I spray my batting down pretty heavy with water and toss in the dryer on hot.

I put the batting in the dryer, wet a towel, throw it in the dryer and turn it on. I also do this sometime for clothes that are wrinkled (instead of ironing). The dryer can run while I am getting ready for work.

I put mine in the dryer. I use a steam setting works great. I agree with lakekids a damp towel would work well also.

Here is what I have done with Hobbs battings for years:

Fill your machine; load the batting in; turn the machine off; let it sit for 10-15 minutes; set the dial to spin. Take the batting to the dryer; set on air dry and whirl about 10 minutes.
The batting will still be damp so just lay it out over the sofa overnight and it will be perfect for you in the morning.

Jan in VA

Okay, here is the report on what I decided to do... I put the batting in the washing machine with warm water. I had to convince it to get under water! :p I let it set for about five minutes, drain, and spin on the delicate cycle. (I have no idea if it spins differently on the delicate cycle or if that is just for the agitation speed which I did not allow it to do, but just to be sure, I put it on delicate.)

I put it in the dryer on low heat for about 20 minutes. It was still damp when I took it out. I layed it out on a bed overnight to finish drying. In the morning it was dry, all of the wrinkles were gone, and it is still in one piece.

The wrinkles are out now, and hopefully it will shrink less after it is quilted and washed.

Thanks for your guidance ladies! :)