Advice before I roll the dice...
 

I've been quilting for over 25 years and until about 2 years ago always pre-washed my fabrics. Then I just stopped doing it...maybe too much trouble. And I saw a blog where Alex Anderson said she didn't pre-wash hers.

So, I've gone and invested the equivalent of a second mortgage in many yards of Kaffee Fassett fabric to make up some of his quilts. Here's the question-

Have any of you who have used Kaffee's fabrics ever had them bleed? The colors are so intense and saturated that I wonder but still finding that inside me I actually loathed all that pre-washing, drying and folding.

And you are free to call me a dimwit for even asking, but I really want to know. And, not only about Kaffee's fabrics bleeding but who out there isn't pre-washing? Thanks for the input!

Pre-washing fabrics is a tedious job, I agree but. . . you say that the colors are over saturated and are worried that they will bleed. If you have invested a great deal of money (second mortgage kind of money) in this fabric and you will be making what I am sure will be absolutely beautiful quilts, why would you take the risk of the fabrics bleeding and ruining your quilt? JMHO!

My personal rule has been that if the quilt will be used as a quilt, then I prewash because the likelihood is that it will get dirty. If the quilt is intended as a wall hanging, then I don't prewash.

I nevre prewash and have never had a problem. From your post it is obvious that you are worried about this batch of fabric. Maybe that is a sign you would feel more secure to prewash. Perhaps you just test wash a small piece of the one you have the most concern about to see what happens??

I only pre-wash cheap (or should I say less expensive) fabric. Quality fabric I never wash and have never had a problem.

I have never pre-washed, seemed like such a hassle/waste of perfectly good time. I have never had a quilt bleed. I even made a quilt for my mom with red in it and it didn't bleed. Maybe just lucky.

It's easy enough to test a small area of the colors you are most concerned about. Simply wet a cotton swab, saturate a small area of the fabric and blot it between two white paper towels (doesn't hurt to rub it a bit). If the color transfers, prewash.

I totally agree with Pat625. However, I never prewash and I did a small table topper recently with his fabric and it didn't bleed. It may depend on the colors in each individual print.

I did have an issue with a couple of Kaffe fabric bleeding. I would prewash.

I buy from manufacturers that I know and haven't had a problem without washing. I have physical problems and all that ironing would take me forever. It's not worth the pain.