i have noticed from the threads on "how neat are you" that many prewash and iron new fabric before using. the only fabrics i have done this with are ones that i am afraid will run like black, red, purple etc. is it really necessary? what if 1/2 of fabric in quilt is prewashed and other pieces are not. will it "shrink" unevenly? I am just curious b/c I have been told both ways - wash and not wash.

I always wash my fabric.

My older fabric was all washed; not so fabric bought in the last few years.
Have used them together, no problems.
If I'm making a dark quilt, I don't even bother prewashing fabrics I know will bleed.

I'm too lazy to wash my fabric! It's all I can do to keep up on the laundry.

I would either prewash everything or nothing. I would hate for some of the fabric to shrink and not the others after the quilt is completed.

Always wash my fabrics before using. Recently made a baby quilt and reached into the drawer and snipped fabric from a fabric collection that was tied together with a ribbon and tag. Didn't occur to me that I hadn't washed nor used any of my charm packs or jellyrolls because they are put together in such a tidy package. Also, had used adhesive spray to baste the quilt (it was great) and decided to wash the quilt when completed because it was going to a newborn -- that unwashed fabric bled. So sad. Still haven't figured out what to do with the jellyrolls, etc. because they will be difficult to prewash.

I always wash my fabric.

Don't bother to wash my fabric unless it is a batik.

Its really depends on the look that you're going for. If you really like the old antique look then don't wash. More shrinkage = more puckering. I do also like that look, but still wash and let the cotton batting then do the puckering for me. Still a little bit of pucker which is enough for me.

I wash, dry and fold - I don't iron or starch until I'm ready to use.

Try retayne. Was it "home" dyed fabric? I bought some yrs ago and am scared to use it eventhough I treated it with retayne.