washing fabric
08-23-2010, 06:59 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 346
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.
08-23-2010, 07:08 AM
#3
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Keene, New Hampshire
Posts: 4,211
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.
Have used them together, no problems.
If I'm making a dark quilt, I don't even bother prewashing fabrics I know will bleed.
08-23-2010, 02:03 PM
#6
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Posts: 91
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.
08-23-2010, 03:29 PM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 3,877
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.
I wash, dry and fold - I don't iron or starch until I'm ready to use.
08-23-2010, 03:41 PM
#10
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SoCal
Posts: 11,900
Originally Posted by Helen20906
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.
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