okiedee

Before I started cutting...I washed my new 100% cotton fabrics on delicate in cold water and the black parts of the print faded some...now it does not match the other blacks. I dried it in the dryer on low.

I am really frustrated with this..fabric is not cheap. I am a beginner piecer of quilts. I have not cut quilt pieces before and I have not stitched them together. I will be using a machine to piece together..but will quilt by hand.

I will need to buy solid black for some stripping around the quilt..what is a good fabric to buy? I want to stick with 100% cotton. Thanks, Dee in Oklahoma

bj

I don't speak from experience (not because I've not used it but because I mostly don't prewash), but I've heard on here and other places that the Kona black holds its color well. :-D :-D

sewcrafty

I also like the Kona black. Its really a nice dark black.

okiedee

Okay..I will Google that and see what it is..thanks so much! :-P

CarrieAnne

I love Kona too!

Mariposa

The Kona black will be great for you, and hold its color!

irishrose

A post on blacks indicated that Michael Miller Jet Black is the blackest and stays that way. Hancock's of Paducah was listed as a good source. I want to try it, but haven't needed any recently.

okiedee

Oh my...I thought you were supposed to prewash..it sure would have simplified things had I not prewashed. Can't afford to buy more of the black print fabric...I will just have to use and looks like a big lesson learned....thanks so much. :D

bj

If it's going to fade, better to fade before than after you put it in a quilt. So you probably did the right thing, just didn't get the right result!

SueSew

BJ I have read some of your other posts as I try to soak up the communal knowledge, but I still don't get 'don't prewash'
What if I do a gift quilt and someone washes it and it gets all wrinkled up in an odd way? If the fabric is going to act up, isn't it best to know it ahead?
On the other hand, right now I am sizing the prewashed fabrics into submission so I can do triangles and tame a couple unruly fabrics.
If it were for me, I could take the shriveled mess and 'gift' it to my loving lab Cherie, who could use a new blankie.
Can you explain this for me? I have read other posts and it appears to be something of a religious issue. My LQS says it is aestethetic - if you like the cottage cheese look.
Thank you
Sue