ckcowl

I do not prewash pre cuts and mix them with prewashed fabric without issue. In fact most of my quilts contain both all the time. My criteria for prewashing is -- does it smell funky? Does it feel funky? Is it a bleeder? Is it loosely woven- hoping to tighten it up a bit. When I use hand dyes, or deeply saturated colors of batiks I prewash them, they are the ones most likely to bleed. I launder my finished projects.

Jan in VA

The quick answer to both questions is yes and yes.

This is what I've done for years.

Jan in VA

gale

I used to wash everything. Then I bought my first jelly roll and realized it couldn't be washed, so I bought all new fabric for the back and binding. After that I started buying more precuts so I quit prewashing. I only prewash if the item I'm making won't be washed later, like a purse or other small projects like that.

pocoellie

The only fabrics I pre-wash are batiks and flannel, unless I'm going to use them in a rag quilt, although I do pre-wash if I'm making an article of clothing, have never had any problems. I think it's a personal preference.

Jackie Spencer

I don't pre wash and never have. Never had a problem, but all my fabric is from Quilt Shops.

Dolphyngyrl

people do all the time with no issues

blahel

I also hate pre washing fabric and recently bought fabric to make a baby quilt. I hesitated but then thought i better..lucky i did as one of the fabrics was a bleeder and after soaking for a couple of days and changing the water lots of times finally today the water was only a very faint pink.
I also washed the batting as I was worried about shrinkage.

ScrappyAZ

A friend of mine bought white sparkly fabric (similar to fairy frost) from our LQS. She was making a winter wall hanging for a Christmas gift and wanted to use the fabric for the mountain. She thought the sparkles would look like snow. Luckily, she washed the fabric before making the wall hanging because all the sparkles washed off! The lovely fabric ended up looking like a piece of ordinary white cotton. She was glad she washed the fabric because it gave her time to buy something else to use.

citruscountyquilter

I rarely wash my fabric but will sometimes if it is red. I've never had any problems.

Color catchers are in the laundry aisle and come in a box. I usually find them on the top shelf. There are several different brands but some stores only carry one. Shout is one brand but there are others. I have used different brands and they all seem to work equally as well.

Freezer paper is usually in with the foil and plastic wrap area of the store but I have also found it in some stores where the measuring spoons and kitchen utensils and odds and ends of dishes are.

coopah

I'll let you know after this weekend! Some fabric has been washed, some not. There's too much to get it all washed before my class on applique. We were told to bring a laundry basket full of fabric. That's not a problem, but having it prepped is. So I'm focusing on getting the batiks to stop bleeding (I'm using bright colors) and the rest will have to go as is. I'm thinking I was a better quilter before I knew all the 'shoulds.'