Batting-before and after
 

I'm starting to sew again after a few years hiatus and have been trying to learn about batting. There have been a lot of discussions about this and one issue is whether or not to pre-wash or not and does it shrink. I would love to see some pics of a finished quilt, large or small, with batting not pre-washed, before and after it was washed, so I can see examples of the puckering that happens when the batting shrinks a little. Anyone have any pics or links where I might see what a difference it makes? TIA!!

I have never pre-washed the batting I use, which is usually polyester if it is going overseas to the tropics ( where I lived and made most of my quilts there), but since being back in the US the past few years, I have used Warm and Natural. I have Hobbs 80/20 for my next one which plenty people recommend. Still, don't plan to wash it.

I have been struggling with this too. Check out the experiments on this site. Be sure to look at all three, and read her comments. I found it helpful. http://funthreads.blogspot.com/2012/...ts-3-of-3.html

Thank you for that website. Very interesting!!!!

Never heard of running a batting thru the dryer before laying out. She has proof though!

OH thank you so much for the link! Very interesting info.

Interesting - especially when she said that they all shrank 3/4 of an inch in both directions of a fat quarter -
on a 72 inch length - that is three inches of shrinkage -
on an 84 inch width - that is also three inches of shrinkage.

I didn't notice if the person had washed the fabrics before using them -

Thanks SO much for that link! How on earth did you find it? It's a bit reassuring for me about not pre-washing as the post-wash wrinkling doesn't look as severe as I'd thought it might be. The idea of shrinking 3" on a 72 or 84" long quilt seems like a lot tho. The biggest I'll be doing will prob not be longer than 60", e.g. lap and baby quilts. My brain being somewhat handicapped now.....as in not real clear (!), how would I figure shrinkage on e.g. 60", 48", and 36"? So at this point, the post-washing wrinkling doesn't seem so bad but the shrinkage is more worrisome.

I think the reason I'm feeling anxious is that I'm working on what is basically my first baby quilt and procrastinating seems safer but isn't getting it done!

i've made a few hundred quilts over the years- i have never (can not even imagine) pre-washed a batt. there are a vast variety of batts on the market- some shrink= some do not= some shrink alot- some very little- some are lofty- some are flat- some are best suited for machine quilting, some for tied quilts & some for hand quilting.
check with some of the companies & pick up swatches- which you can experiment with & try out to see what you like, don't like-
every time i show a picture of a quilt it's been washed if the binding is done- it has not been washed if it still needs binding.

I agree that I cannot imagine prewahing and drying a batting. I'd rather spend my time quilting.