Thread: Washing fabrics

I am a washer too - I even wash precuts. But I am with Dunster, I would not cut the fabric until I am ready to use it and know what size I am going to need.

This is an age old question. Many preWash, many don't. I usually do, especially for dark or bright colors that may bleed. But do NOT wash AFTER cutting!

Originally Posted by ClairVoyantQuilter

I prewash flannels but frankly, the reasons for pre washing good quality quilt shop cottons just don't exist anymore. I always wash finished quilts a couple of times with Color Catchers and my pressurized steam iron takes care of shrinkage before I cut. But if you enjoy doing laundery and prewash your cottons, do it before cutting.

I was thinking Michael Miller black was a "good" fabric - it shrank over two inches in width - from three different bolts of the stuff.

I have also heard Moda is a good line - I had an intense yellow bleed and a red print bleed.

Originally Posted by Sandra-P

I would prewash as I have learned my lesson about it. The only things I don't prewash are 2 1/2 strips and panels. I made a mistake of prewashing a panel and no matter what I did it was wonky after that.

Washing did not make the panel wonky. It was printed wonky.

I pre-wash. Then when I wash the finished quilt I use color catchers. I seem to always pick up a little color in the catcher. Never had a quilt bleed....so this works for me. Some colors bleed so I just wash all. My skin is sensitive to the chemicals in the fabric so the choice of washing is off the table!