I'm the one that washes all fabric in hot water. To add to the mix are the panels that are being made. They do shrink and some really bad. They come out of shape and totally out of square. If you thing I'm going to sew these into a blanket, then wash it, either I'm crazy or I need to be put away.

Not to worry CatRay ... you are not the only one to do so!
I'm another who believes in the abuse in advance of my toil, to know what will happen later ... and worse case scenario, abandon the sewing ship before it sails into disaster!!! :)

If the panels are not washed and quilted within reason, they will not shrink in the same way that unquilted fabric shrinks. Batting is what really controls shrinkage. If the batting doesn't shrink, it will prevent the fabric that is quilted to it from shrinking.

I agree that I would not put into a quilt a panel that has been prewashed and shrunk into distortion.

Check out article in Quilter's Home mag. Under articles on the great quilt debate. Good reason to prewash.

I never pre wash my fabrics not even the Batiks.I like the look of the quilt much better after I am finished & I use color catchers for Batiks & other possible bleeding fabrics.The quilt takes on the antique look.