Originally Posted by IAmCatOwned

Can you machine wash and dry wool batting once it is in the quilt? I'm thinking of the front loader at a laundromat, not a home toploading machine (no, don't have a frontloader at home).

Originally Posted by Buckeye Rose

Is there anything like a scrim the wool? I would worry about how close I would need to quilt in order to secure the wool and for it not to shift or bunch up.

Originally Posted by Nilla

I use Hobbs wool batting sometimes. I throw it in the washer and dryer afterwards to give it the crinkly look. I haven't had any problems.

Originally Posted by Petalpatsy

When I very first starting quilting I hit Ebay for wool batting, and wound up buying actual wool batts of Corriedale, a few pounds worth. They were a great deal, as the lady was selling her little group of hobby sheep and sold them just for the price of processing she herself was charged. They are just fabulous. Except of course for how I've never used them for anything because of all the fear of shrinking, shifting, bearding! I've read that bit about enclosing them in cheesecloth before, and I think, man, how would that help? It doesn't seem to me that cheesecloth would enclose anything with less diameter than a stick.

Originally Posted by Prism99

One of the problems historically with wool for batting is that it tends to "beard". It used to be that quilters needed to encase a wool batt in cheesecloth before layering. Wool batts also used to shrink a lot. Modern wool batts from Hobbs and Quilter's Dream are treated to prevent bearding and to minimize shrinkage (they shrink only about 3% now, perfect for quilts).