gardenslug Posted August 23, 2008 Report Share Posted August 23, 2008 Need help!!! Have a wool batting and need to know if I should do something to subtly shrink before I use it. It is for my own quilt (as I only quilt for myself and a couple of friends quilt here with my help); so am open to suggestions from anyone with experience with wool batting. Know I should not dry in dryer, but no directions on package and I need direction. Any help would be very appreciated. Marilyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 23, 2008 Report Share Posted August 23, 2008 First off what is the name brand or is this a home made wool batt....depending on that will be able to answer your questions better. Name brand batt....I don't pre-wash, I want my quilts to look antiquey so I let the batt and fabric do what they want....however, I wash in cool to luke warm water and line dry...very little actual shrinkage, but it does antique nicely. Also depends on how close you have your stitches together, the closer the stitches the less shrinkage I get....if it has big open spaces it seems to draw up more...or at least that's what I see happening. The last quilt that I posted was had wool batt in it...and it had been washed in the pictures.... Home made batts, I have used two...each one was a PITA so I will never use one again...very uneven layers and was hard to get an even stitch....had to finally just do a meander on them and let it go...both quilts shrank pretty much the same as the name brands, but then again I washed in the cool to luke warm water and line dried.....if you keep them out of the dryer, they won't felt and they shouldn't shrink but maybe 10%... At least this has been what happened to me....I'm sure just like with other battings where will be good to horror stories....but until you try it and see what happens you will never really know if you like it or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted August 23, 2008 Report Share Posted August 23, 2008 I only ever used Quilter's Dream wool batting and the directions are on the package. I did not prewash it. It seems like there was only very minimal shrinkage; not really noticible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 I'm like Sandra and have only used QD wool batting. I did not preshrink either and it did not shrink too much at all, very little in fact. I love how it washes up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenslug Posted August 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 Bonnie, Batting is Hobbs Tuscany Collection. Only wool LQS had. Has anyone ever used this? Thanks for all info about close quilting and big open spaces. I try to make my quilting as evenly spaced as I possibly can. Also, love the antiquey look after washing a quilt. I learn so much from this site. Marilyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 Originally posted by gardenslug Bonnie, Batting is Hobbs Tuscany Collection. Only wool LQS had. Has anyone ever used this? Marilyn YES!!! and its wonderful...its what was in the white quilt I just did....it did shrink a tiny bit...width wise, but length didn't shrink any at all....it was washed in cool water and actually air dried in the dryer to damp, but finished across the line.....LOVED the way it drapped and it will be so snuggly....this winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenslug Posted August 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 Bonnie, Looks so good and I am looking forward to the warmth without the weight of a heavier batting. You are a real "quilt saver" for those of us who are rather challenged at doing this. Have had my machine about 2-1/2 years, but could not get to basement b ecause of some health problems that are all better now. Thank the Lord for good doctors; and for "quilting online friends" who are so willing to share. Maybe this next year, I can take some classes. So far have not had tension problems, but I only use So Fine and Bottom Line thread. Have others, but have had good success with these and am a little wary about venturing out. Reading these posts gives me courage. Marilyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merelling Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 I have used both QD and Hobbs wool batting, and both turned out great. I love the warmth of wool batting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 I love, love, love QD wool, it sews like butter and drapes nicely. I'm like Bonnie, I like the antiquey look. QD wool doesn't shrink any worst then 100 percent cotton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 I used Hobbs Tuscany Wool recently... I did not prewash as instructions said shrinkage would be minimal and prewashing not necessary. It is quite wispy so I don't know how it would cope with being washed. It was actually sandwiched with Hobbs Polydown as well. I washed the quilt afterwards on a low temp to remove pen marks then dried briefly in the dryer on cool with tennis balls then pinned it to the carpet... It did not shrivel up noticeably at all - a very nice result! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Ok, I'll ask? What are the tennis balls for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Connie, I think the theory is that the tennis balls will keep the fibers fluffed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 And before Tennis Balls....my mom use to use clean tennis shoes...so I guess we have come up in our little world.:P:P she even put them in with the bath towels...to get them fluffier....but that was before she discovered fabric softerners...or before they were invented. :P Okay, I'll go back to quilting...all I am doing here is dating myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Originally posted by Bonnie And before Tennis Balls....my mom use to use clean tennis shoes...so I guess we have come up in our little world.:P:P she even put them in with the bath towels...to get them fluffier....but that was before she discovered fabric softerners...or before they were invented. :P Okay, I'll go back to quilting...all I am doing here is dating myself. At least she had a dryer!!!! LOL I never hear the end of how my mother did diapers with a washboard in the bathtub and had 3 children! Two of us in diapers at the same time. I had two in diapers and did use cloth but told my hubby that all I wanted when I got home from the hospital was a washer for our apartment! Everybody was appalled that he would get me a washer but I was thrilled! Those same people were equally appalled when he gave me an iron for Christmas...they were two of the best gifts I have ever received! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Oh, I agree....and iron and a washer....very good things to have, and bless his heart he understood. I SO want a cloths line....have the washer and dryer, but I WANT a clothes line...to dry my sheets and shirts on....I'm so easy to please... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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