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littlehelen_gw

Batting Question

littlehelen_gw
10 years ago

So I had a 60% off coupon for Joann's for Vet Day and I needed batting. I normally pick up warm and natural 100% cotton, but I needed to have white batting. I purchased 4 yds of 108"- Pellon Nature's Touch 50-50. It clearly states on the directions to pre shrink and not to machine wash or dry before quilting. Ok, it's been pre-shrunk...but I think it may take to the next ice age before it's dry! Hubby squeezed as much excess water out as possible, but it's going to take forever and a day air drying. Has anyone used this before and if so, did you eventually put it in the dryer?
this may be like watching paint dry... :-)
V.

Comments (9)

  • jennifer_in_va
    10 years ago

    Well, I don't normally pre-shrink anything, so I'm not sure I can offer any advice. But I'm confused by the directions... They say to pre-shrink. Okay. But isn't it really the heat of the dryer that does the shrinking? If you don't machine dry it, then it seems to be that you just washed the batting, not shrunk it. JMHO??

  • calliope
    10 years ago

    grrrr......what conflicting directions. Why didn't you get the warm and white, just a bleached version of the warm and natural, or did not the store have it on hand? It's so much easier to be familiar with how a batting handles, rather than switching off.

  • magothyrivergirl
    10 years ago

    No particular experience w/ that product here--but....My opinion, for what its worth to you - it may fall apart if you machine wash or dry it --- it is not a 'woven fabric' and it may not withstand the spinning and tumbling of the machines. It is 50% polyester, so shrinkage would be minimal; perhaps the washing instructions were provided, as required, and they weren't really recommending prewashing/preshrinking.

    Another vote for Warm and White. I buy it with coupons or sales at Joann's. I almost completely use the White. I also like the Warm Blend - a poly /cotton blend -- more expensive than 100% cotton. It looks slightly off white -- but works great under white fabric.

  • calliope
    10 years ago

    I use it under white fabric as well, and it's always been my default batting. However, that being said, I made a really unexpected discovery. I don't shop at Wal-you-know where, but had to go there to pick up an item absolutely nobody else in town stocks anymore, so OF COURSE I wandered by the quilt department. I had a request for a quilt with no, or very thin batting, and found they had some in twin bed size for five dollars. What? It was not true to size, and yeah, quite thin, but handled beautifully for its purpose and I'm thrilled with how the quilt turned out. I bought it again for the quilt I posted a picture of today, since it's going to Mexico where the climate (in this part) is not cold and I needed a light-weight batting. Of course I got the last package in stock and the other size I needed was out of stock. I expected that. LOL.

  • littlehelen_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Calliope...yup directions are conflicting...hence my confusion! However the directions were in caps, Prior To Use...Soak in warm water for 20 minutes...squeeze and let dry...it will happen sometime in this century!
    Marsha...yup..I wish they had the warm and natural in white, but it was not in stock at the store...good point in that it's not woven...hmmm hadn't thought about that! So I think I'll just let it air dry.
    Thanks all... I'll watch this closely and see how it performs in action.
    V.

  • calliope
    10 years ago

    However the directions were in caps, Prior To Use...Soak in warm water for 20 minutes...squeeze and let dry..

    What a pain in the rear! If that was a necessary step, why in hay didn't they do it at the factory and then sell it? (because that would be a pain in the rear for them, instead of you and they'd have to part with a little bit of profit margin)

    Maybe you could roll it in a sheet to absorb as much moisture as possible first.

  • mary_c_gw
    10 years ago

    HMM - that's a batting I would avoid, LOL.

    I do expect a bit of shrinkage after quilting, but I am totally unwilling to pre-shrink any batting. I will give a shot of steam from my iron (not touching the batting, of course) on a really stubborn wrinkle that won't smooth out by hand - but that is all I will do.

    I suspect that was a " Cover Their A$$es" type of direction. No one in their right minds should try to wash a quilt batting - they just aren't sturdy enough until sandwiched and stitched.

    I'm sorry you have gone through this!

  • calliope
    10 years ago

    Four yards of 108" material would be nine by twelve feet. Good grief, lady.....where on earth would one hang/lay a nine by twelve section of batting to dry? That's the size of a room sized carpet.

  • littlehelen_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    You are all correct! I should have re-thought this before buying...live and learn. I am happy to report though, that it is drying incredibly fast...,it's just about dry and will be ready for me to start quilting by the weekend, when I intend to start. I figured it was a good name, Pellon, so all would be ok...

    Calliope - love your comment...LOL ...I have a drying rack that I placed in the bathtub, folded the batting and hung / folded it over the rack..(although I could have used a forklift to place it on the rack-yeah it weigh more than a rug). It seems the water is just draining out, but the size is ridiculous...I should have cut it first, but anyway...,it seems to be working out ok. Will report back once I start the actual quilting. I hope someone new to quilting reads this and learns not to do what I just did...I'm laughing at me as I type this.. oh my lol :-))
    V.