Pre-Shrinking Batting

[Cagey]

I know how to preshrink fabric for quilting, but is there a way to preshrink the batting prior to quilting?

 

I like how the fabric and batting shrinkage gives texture to the quilt, but I was wondering if steaming the batting in my drier might preshrink it?  Though, I am concerned it might only trash my drier's drum.  I also like how the quilt lays so flat prior to washing.  Any thoughts or inputs would be welcomed.

 

Have a wonderful day.

 

Cagey

[ffq-lar]

If you like the old-timey crinkled look of vintage quilts, don't preshrink either the fabric or the batting. If you like only a bit of crinkle, preshrink the fabric but not the batting. If you want a nice flat quilt with no crinkle, preshrink your fabric and try a batting with more poly (or all poly). A blend that is 50/50 is a great choice with no discernible shrinkage.

 

If you want to preshrink the batting, wet it in a laundry basket in a tub, press out as much water as you can (don't wring or twist it). You can use some mild detergent but it doesn't really need to be washed in order to shrink it. Plus it will mean an extra step to rinse out the detergent. Press out as much water as you can. You can try to spin out some of the water in the washer but take care not to over-do it and tear the batting. Tumble dry on medium heat with several towels to help absorb the extra moisture. Don't over dry and remove immediately. It might take up to an hour to dry. If you're using 100% cotton, you'll be surprised at how soft it is.

 

Try to use only scrimmed batting. Warm products have a thin sheet of poly used as a scrim, embedded between the layers. Most Hobbs scrimmed batting have a chemical scrim---a liquid that's applied to one side (that scratchy side you can feel with Hobbs batting) and it's like a stabilizer. Washing removes that scrim so maybe avoid chemical-scrimmed batting when you want to preshrink.

 

Give the dryer steaming a try with a small piece. It sounds like a great idea.

[Cagey]

Linda:

 

Thank you for the input.  I have not tried pre-washing my fabric, as after buying it I want to get to piecing it.  Plus, I am lazy.  As I am still working on a remembrance quilt, using pre washed fabric I will have to see how that works with the shrinkage and the look of the quilt.  

 

I purchased about 10 queen sized quilts worth of Warm and White when it was on sale at the local store, so I will have to check that out how it works by being steamed.  I normally tumble it in the drier on low heat to get the wrinkles out before sandwiching it between the top and bottom.  

 

I will let you and the rest of the crowd know how it works out with the steaming the batting.

 

Cagey

[T Row Studio]

thanks Cagey look forward to your experiment. 

[Cagey]

Pre-shrink batting update.  I spoke with the Warm Company representative to make sure that the batting would not become a gouging mess inside my drier when using the steam option.  She told me that as Warm and White is bleached, thus is has been wet and therefore preshrunk.  She went on to say that any shrinking I have experience with my quilts using Warm and White is solely from the my fabric, and not the batting.  As I did not prewash my fabric, I will have to take her at her word.  She said their Warm and Natural would shrink, as there is no bleaching process done on this product, so it is not wet in the manufacturing process.  

 

When I get time, I will have to take two pieces pre-washed fabric, make a quilt sandwich with Warm and White, and practice some of my designs, bind it, wash it, and then see how it turns out.  It might be time to try making a whole cloth baby quilt.