newbee3

this is a personal option everyone has their own way of doing things and what works for you is what you should do

tessagin

I prewash all fabric, unless I missed a bag like the other day and it found its way in the back of a closet. If it doesn't completely dry in the dryer, then I lay it across my bed after giving it a good shake. It helps the fabric relax and with a spritz of a little white vinegar and water, little ironing is needed. Works for me.

quilterpurpledog

I join the chorus of people who recommend washing first. You don't want any surprises later. Muslin comes in so many qualities as you can see from the comments on how much shrinkage others have experienced.

AStitchInTime

If ironing this large piece is causing you to hesitate washing first, may I suggest washing it, drying it, then take it to your local drycleaner for pressing (they'll even fold it neatly and hang it on a hanger - like they do curtains).

Deb watkins

I always wash muslin. Varying in quality does make a difference in shrinkage.

Prism99

Guess I am the odd one out here. I probably wouldn't pre-shrink it. This is because my quilting lines tend to be pretty close together (usually not more than 2" or 3" in any direction). This type of quilting binds both top and backing fabrics to the batting, at which point the batting limits how much the fabrics can shrink. Fabric that shrinks a lot when washed alone will shrink very little when washed after having been quilted with lines 2" apart.

If I were planning on quilting lines being 5" apart, I might prewash the muslin. This is because over a 5" span, it would be possible for a highly-shrinking fabric to shrink a little more than the batting. However, before washing that large piece of yardage, I would probably do a test wash first on part of it. I would cut a 10" square from the muslin, wash and dry it, then measure the ironed piece. If it shrank an inch, I would probably prewash the whole piece.

A lot depends on how far apart your quilting lines will be. I enjoy quilting on my midarm frame so, instead of prewashing the musline, I would just plan on doing my usual close quilting.

kidhauler1948

TAke it to the cleaners and have it washed and ironed, can't be that expensive just tell them NO STARCH......

salederer

Yes wash first. I've seen muslin shrink like the devil and have even had what was supposed to be good quality large backing fabric shrink 4 inches!

Jeanette Frantz

I agree 100% with macybaby! There;s just too much chance for major shrinkage! Discretion is the better part of valor! Wash it and dry it in the dryer. If you don't wash and have major shrinkage, it could be disastrous. We don't want that to happen to you!

Kitsie

I always buy a "premium" muslin and don't ever pre-wash it. Shrinkage has never been an issue. I use it for background on the top and for the backing, too.