pinkcastle

I wash my cotton batting. I'm not much into the antique, crinkly look. However, it does depend on what type of batting. I'm going to use wool in my next quilt and according to the instructions I don't need to wash it.

bearisgray

Again - read the instructions.

The package of Quilter's Dream (purchased maybe 6 or 7 years ago) had the instructions to NOT WASH in small print on the back of the label.


I don't quite know how to interpret a statement like "5% shrinkage", but I think

I suppose one interpretation would be - if I had something that measured 40 x 60 inches = 2400 square inches
it could shrink to 2280 square inches - a loss of 120 square inches - and usually the package doesn't indicate if that's overall, lengthwise, or crosswise

So if the shrinkage was only one way - you could lose three inches off the length, or two inches off the width, or a less noticeable overall loss if the shrinkage was both lengthwise and crosswise.

So if it went to maximum shrinkage, and the shrinkage was only one way, I could now have an item that measured

40 x 57 or 38 x 60.

That is the extreme case scenario.

Guess that could explain the crinkles - - - - - but if it crinkled, the overall quilt is now smaller.

Deborahlees

I don't prewash my fabric and don't pre wash my batting (warm and natural) figure they will shrink together....the only time I would consider prewashing fabric would be red and/or inexpensive flannel......but if the whole quilt is flannel, such as a rag baby quilt....will not prewash at all....so everything shrinks together.......

bearisgray

Not everything shrinks at the same rate.