Stitchnripper

I've been reading with interest all the opinions and results on washing vs. not washing. I mainly do not wash before I use the fabric unless I suspect that it will run. I recently found a box of scrap squares at a flea market. I used my treadle to make a quilt top out of them, turning them into quarter square triangles about 4 inches square. I used a quilting fabric from Hancock's (with a coupon of course!) and polyester batting because I found a bunch of brand new packages at a Good Will store. I finished it last night and washed it in the machine, regular cycle, short wash, with two color catchers. The water turned brown and the color catchers turned light brown. But, it doesn't look like any of the patches ran or bled. I measured before and after and it didn't shrink. The way I dried it was to lay it on the bathroom floor - which is heated - so that is the result of my experiment. I'm not saying this will happen every time, but I couldn't really wash those small squares. maybe whoever cut them washed them first. Just thought I'd put my 2 cents in!!

erstan947

We need a photo!. I try different processes too. Some work, some it really doesn't matter and some.....well I won't do that again!:)

Stitchnripper

Exactly!! Will post photo soon.

Candace

If your quilt squares were a cotton blend or poly they wouldn't shrink. And you used a poly batting...that also doesn't shrink.

Stitchnripper

Well that may explain it. The backing was 100% cotton though but I guess I quilted it close enough.