Cotton is a natural plant fiber and the workhorse of sewing and quilting, prized for being soft, breathable, and easy to handle.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fiber | Natural cellulose (plant) |
| Feel | Soft, breathable, matte |
| Absorbency | High |
| Durability | Good, ages gracefully |
| Shrinkage | Yes, prewash recommended |
| Care | Machine wash; wrinkles readily |
| Common uses | Quilting, apparel, bedding |
Working with cotton
Cotton presses crisply and holds a seam well, which is why quilters favor it. It does shrink, so prewashing before cutting keeps finished sizes accurate.
Prewash to preshrink. Wash and dry quilting cotton before cutting if the finished item will be laundered, so later shrinkage does not pucker your seams.
See the Fabric Types Explained and the Fabric Prewashing Guide.