tessagin

I've always done this. Hot water and hot dryer. If you don't have a mesh bag an old pillow case will do. throw in some color catchers and old white cotton towel.

Sync

Pat, I pre-wash all my fabric (hot water & hot dryer) this includes my fat quarters. There has been some fraying but not enough to worry about .... at least with the FQs I have washed.

ManiacQuilter2

I am odd man out. I have never washed my fabrics being yardage or fat quarter and it would be so inconvenient now without my own washer and dryer in an apt complex. I do test a small piece of fabric to test if it is a bleeder.

quiltingbuddy

Yes, I also wash all my fabric no matter the size. If they are going to shrink or bleed I want them to do it before they go into the quilt. And yes they fray a bit in the dryer but not enough to matter.

Jeanne S

Like others, if I prewash precut fabrics like FQs, I just gently swish in the sink and hang up on clip style hangars to drip dry--no washer or dryer due to fraying.

QuiltingHaven

I wash ALL the fabric in the warm/cold selection on my machine. I put the fat quarters and other cut up pieces in lingerie mesh bags and use the color catchers. When they come out of the washing machine I lay them on the washing machine and just straighten them out a bit and put them in the dryer on low for 10 minutes then I lay them out on the washing machine and hand press them, then hang them up on my wooden laundry rack to finish drying. Yes, some shrink but not much. Charms shrink in one direction (usually 1/4-1/2 inch) but stay the 5 inches in the other direction. I also take the batting out of the bag and shake it out gently and put it in the dryer for 15 minutes with 5 dampened wash clothes. Take it out and lay it out flat on an unused bed to finish unwrinkling. Now, I am not going to worry about the thread shrinking.....sigh.

GingerK

I will give my fat quarters a good rinse in very warm water. If there is any bleeding, I rinse again and again. I squeeze as dry as possible and throw into a hot dryer with a towel. You would be surprised at the amount of sizing that comes out, with only a clear water rinse. You don't necessarily have to 'wash' them.

craftypete

Thank you all so much for your advice
Pat