Batting for Hospital Quilts?
09-24-2025, 03:59 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Dual Citizen Canada & USA
Posts: 55
Batting for Hospital Quilts?
At the request of my neighbor (a NICU nurse) I am making her tiny quilts. I use Warm 'n Natural batting for my quilts but these quilts will need to be washed by the hospital (hot water). Should I pre-shrink the cotton batting? If so, any suggestions for pre-shrinking cotton batting? Just put it in a hot dryer cycle?
09-24-2025, 05:45 PM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Portage, Michigan
Posts: 9,460
I also make quilts for hospice and hospital use. I do not preshrink my batting. The Warm and Natural seems to do just fine with the hot water. I will be watching the thread to see if any one else chimes in on your question.
09-24-2025, 09:46 PM
#3
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 18,340
It's great that you are making the quilts.
While your friend works in the NICU, and knows of their need ... you should also check with the other hospital folks regarding any requirements. Such as fabric, batting, size, etc. It's best to check up front instead of a possible disappointment after you make them.
Another batting possibility you may want to consider would be flannelette. Because the quilts drape nicely when it is used, it would be nice as a wrap and not be too bulky on the wee ones.
If the hospital does not have set standards (aka rules!) .... maybe make 2 or 3 as trials ... and get the feedback from your NICU friends and her colleagues as they use them.
Good Luck!
While your friend works in the NICU, and knows of their need ... you should also check with the other hospital folks regarding any requirements. Such as fabric, batting, size, etc. It's best to check up front instead of a possible disappointment after you make them.
Another batting possibility you may want to consider would be flannelette. Because the quilts drape nicely when it is used, it would be nice as a wrap and not be too bulky on the wee ones.
If the hospital does not have set standards (aka rules!) .... maybe make 2 or 3 as trials ... and get the feedback from your NICU friends and her colleagues as they use them.
Good Luck!
Last edited by QuiltE; 09-24-2025 at 09:51 PM.
09-25-2025, 01:55 AM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Peoria, IL -- Midwest Transplant
Posts: 7,259
It sounds like you and your neighbor will be setting up a new program.
Different groups/different hospitals will have different needs and very often some very different requirements. For NICU, all cotton (batting and fabric and some say thread too) is common. Flannel is usually ok, but prewash the heck out of it to shrink first! I haven't heard any complaints about using Warm and Natural. In my previous sewing group one of the ladies was a big provider of infant quilts, while I made a couple of tops for her, she did all the quilting down and such.
You don't want too many seams or lumpy spots. Not the time to make narrow log cabins and such.
I just joined my current guild they support many groups, for NICU it just says:
NICU noted that they have new beds and have asked for quilts of larger sizes – 36×36 or 40×40. Fabric and batting must be 100% cotton. It is also okay to back a quilt with flannel, but two sided flannel is too heavy.
Which is actually good for me, I find it pretty much impossible to design anything smaller than 36x36, but I can follow patterns that small.
Edited to add a set of twin tops I made from jelly rolls for Janice the quilt lady to finish. That was a flannel back.
Different groups/different hospitals will have different needs and very often some very different requirements. For NICU, all cotton (batting and fabric and some say thread too) is common. Flannel is usually ok, but prewash the heck out of it to shrink first! I haven't heard any complaints about using Warm and Natural. In my previous sewing group one of the ladies was a big provider of infant quilts, while I made a couple of tops for her, she did all the quilting down and such.
You don't want too many seams or lumpy spots. Not the time to make narrow log cabins and such.
I just joined my current guild they support many groups, for NICU it just says:
NICU noted that they have new beds and have asked for quilts of larger sizes – 36×36 or 40×40. Fabric and batting must be 100% cotton. It is also okay to back a quilt with flannel, but two sided flannel is too heavy.
Which is actually good for me, I find it pretty much impossible to design anything smaller than 36x36, but I can follow patterns that small.
Edited to add a set of twin tops I made from jelly rolls for Janice the quilt lady to finish. That was a flannel back.
Last edited by Iceblossom; 09-25-2025 at 01:58 AM.
09-25-2025, 03:28 AM
#5
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2024
Posts: 116
This is so kind of you to be making quilts for the tiny babies in the NICU.
I worked in hospitals for 30+ years and the NICU used quilts to cover the incubators, to muffle sounds and block light. They loved colorful quilts!
Sometimes when a baby went home, the quilt was gifted to the family.
So I would follow all instructions given. The quilt sizes at my facilities were bigger than you listed, as ours went over "Giraffe" style incubators.
As far as the materials, cotton fabric and either cotton or cotton-poly batting is fine. I preshrink my Warm & Natural using the manufacturer's instructions by placing it into a plastic laundry basket and then dunking that into a bathtub full of hot water. I allow it to soak 15-20 min, then I squeeze it out with my hands as much as possible.
Tumble dry on low-medium heat.
If your batting doesn't have scrim it's going to shred in the dryer, so instead you'll have to let it air dry - I assume you could lay it out on a towel after squeezing moisture out.
When you're all done with your quilt, wash it in warm water using a hypoallergenic baby detergent (unscented).
The NICU nursery will be so delighted to get your quilts!
I worked in hospitals for 30+ years and the NICU used quilts to cover the incubators, to muffle sounds and block light. They loved colorful quilts!
Sometimes when a baby went home, the quilt was gifted to the family.
So I would follow all instructions given. The quilt sizes at my facilities were bigger than you listed, as ours went over "Giraffe" style incubators.
As far as the materials, cotton fabric and either cotton or cotton-poly batting is fine. I preshrink my Warm & Natural using the manufacturer's instructions by placing it into a plastic laundry basket and then dunking that into a bathtub full of hot water. I allow it to soak 15-20 min, then I squeeze it out with my hands as much as possible.
Tumble dry on low-medium heat.
If your batting doesn't have scrim it's going to shred in the dryer, so instead you'll have to let it air dry - I assume you could lay it out on a towel after squeezing moisture out.
When you're all done with your quilt, wash it in warm water using a hypoallergenic baby detergent (unscented).
The NICU nursery will be so delighted to get your quilts!
09-25-2025, 03:51 AM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Peoria, IL -- Midwest Transplant
Posts: 7,259
@dpendleton Nice to hear your side of the story, with both the quilting and the hospital experience and bringing up the different needs and uses. Which also goes to why they all have different requirements. Here in Peoria we also have St Jude and they have their own requirements. Project Linus chapters have their own preferences/requirements, as does Ronald McDonald House.
The twin quilts I pictured were made to that donation groups sizing and preference for flannel on the back. They were meant to go home with the infants and had put in a request for "related but not identical" sets for the multi-births. I had two $1 packs of strips so least I could do was whip up something... and Janice was happy to quilt them down and bind them.
Since I work large, I target my donation projects to aging foster kids and young adults and/or houses in transition or starting over. Some of those groups prefer poly batts as being low allergen. I just do as I am told! Pretty much all donation quilts should be made in mind of heavy washing.
The twin quilts I pictured were made to that donation groups sizing and preference for flannel on the back. They were meant to go home with the infants and had put in a request for "related but not identical" sets for the multi-births. I had two $1 packs of strips so least I could do was whip up something... and Janice was happy to quilt them down and bind them.
Since I work large, I target my donation projects to aging foster kids and young adults and/or houses in transition or starting over. Some of those groups prefer poly batts as being low allergen. I just do as I am told! Pretty much all donation quilts should be made in mind of heavy washing.
09-25-2025, 04:16 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 607
what a lovely project!
in my city, all the hospital laundry is trucked to the next city where all the industrial laundry companies are, I'm not sure if they take handmade items for washing and if they would make it back to the same place...
in my city, all the hospital laundry is trucked to the next city where all the industrial laundry companies are, I'm not sure if they take handmade items for washing and if they would make it back to the same place...
09-26-2025, 09:23 AM
#8
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Dual Citizen Canada & USA
Posts: 55
Lots of questions & suggestions so I'll do my best to answer a couple; I posted the question since I've never washed a quilt in very hot water. The hospital does wash everything in hot water before it goes to any floor such as a NICU or cancer ward.
I was curious to know if anyone had pre-shrunk cotton batting before.
Thank you to everyone for the suggestions posted. I would like to emphasize I have specific guidelines by this hospital to use for materials. All hospitals are different; a different hospital will probably have different guidelines (materials, batting, sizes). As suggested, yes do check first before sewing to know the hospital will be able to use it.
It is actually not a new program, it is an ongoing project. The sewing is done by family & friends of the NICU staff. The project is new to me, not to the NICU of this hospital.
So for anyone curious, my specific requirements are:
1. Flannel fillers make great blankets (check with a local hospital first); however, the requirements for this NICU is for warmth. So a batting is a requirement; it is just my choice to use Warm n Natural as the batting
2. Only 100% cotton fabrics for the front & back of the quilt sandwich: no flannel (not even cotton flannel) & no fleece fabrics for the top & back of the quilt. Again, check your local hospital; some hospitals allow fleece & flannel to be used.
3. Sizing: not the "normal" size quilters think of as "baby quilts; my son was a preemie. These are incredibly small babies.
My little quilts are approx. 20" x 24" (again check with your own hospital ICU before sewing)
I used to make "fat quarter" quilts for my preemie son. I used a fat quarter of fabric & made it into a layered quilt.
4. Although I do make tiny pieced quilts, for these NICU "quilts" I just cut out colorful pieces of cotton quilt fabric, layer them into a quilt sandwich & finish them as if they were a full size quilt.
*Just to emphasize, these are unique requirements to just one NICU; standards are more restrictive for items sewn for any ICU or cancer ward. Nursing homes would be a great place for fleece/flannel blankets/quilts.
And animal shelters; animal shelters are always in need of blankets for cats & dogs.
There is a specific project that is very needed by NICU's across America, but I will make that a separate post
Thank you all for your support
I was curious to know if anyone had pre-shrunk cotton batting before.
Thank you to everyone for the suggestions posted. I would like to emphasize I have specific guidelines by this hospital to use for materials. All hospitals are different; a different hospital will probably have different guidelines (materials, batting, sizes). As suggested, yes do check first before sewing to know the hospital will be able to use it.
It is actually not a new program, it is an ongoing project. The sewing is done by family & friends of the NICU staff. The project is new to me, not to the NICU of this hospital.
So for anyone curious, my specific requirements are:
1. Flannel fillers make great blankets (check with a local hospital first); however, the requirements for this NICU is for warmth. So a batting is a requirement; it is just my choice to use Warm n Natural as the batting
2. Only 100% cotton fabrics for the front & back of the quilt sandwich: no flannel (not even cotton flannel) & no fleece fabrics for the top & back of the quilt. Again, check your local hospital; some hospitals allow fleece & flannel to be used.
3. Sizing: not the "normal" size quilters think of as "baby quilts; my son was a preemie. These are incredibly small babies.
My little quilts are approx. 20" x 24" (again check with your own hospital ICU before sewing)
I used to make "fat quarter" quilts for my preemie son. I used a fat quarter of fabric & made it into a layered quilt.
4. Although I do make tiny pieced quilts, for these NICU "quilts" I just cut out colorful pieces of cotton quilt fabric, layer them into a quilt sandwich & finish them as if they were a full size quilt.
*Just to emphasize, these are unique requirements to just one NICU; standards are more restrictive for items sewn for any ICU or cancer ward. Nursing homes would be a great place for fleece/flannel blankets/quilts.
And animal shelters; animal shelters are always in need of blankets for cats & dogs.
There is a specific project that is very needed by NICU's across America, but I will make that a separate post
Thank you all for your support
