Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > Main
Who says there's no reason to pre-wash? >

Who says there's no reason to pre-wash?

Who says there's no reason to pre-wash?

Old 05-11-2011, 12:20 PM
  #11  
Power Poster
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,691
Default

Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Harriet Hargrave doesn't pre-wash and that's good enough for me. Even if a quilt shrinks some after washing it'll still fit the bed.
Yes and no ... that 60" width of a queen just became 56".

Yes, you'd make it wider ... though how much would you factor in to compensate and know you still have a usable quilt?
QuiltE is offline  
Old 05-11-2011, 12:26 PM
  #12  
Super Member
 
Scissor Queen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southwest Kansas
Posts: 4,820
Default

Originally Posted by QuiltE
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Harriet Hargrave doesn't pre-wash and that's good enough for me. Even if a quilt shrinks some after washing it'll still fit the bed.
Yes and no ... that 60" width of a queen just became 56".

Yes, you'd make it wider ... though how much would you factor in to compensate and know you still have a usable quilt?
You washed unquilted fabric. Quilt some samples up and then wash.

You shouldn't make a quilt to just barely fit anyway. Batting shrinks too unless it's pre-shrunk. Beside even if a quilt shrinks some or even a lot it is still a perfectly useable quilt!

Pre-washing is for clothing construction!
Scissor Queen is offline  
Old 05-11-2011, 12:33 PM
  #13  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Milton DE
Posts: 3,189
Default

I decided since I don't prewash to measure one of my table toppers right after I finished putting it all together...I washed it in cold water and lost all of 1/2 inch...I don't prewash like working with original sizing in fabric...Though, I recently had to wash some for a swap I'm doing and that's the rules...but normally no...Now I have to starch what I washed.
hobbykat1955 is offline  
Old 05-11-2011, 12:41 PM
  #14  
Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Northamptonshire, England
Posts: 15
Default

I pre-wash as you never know what kind of dust/dirt it has collected especially for those with asthma or allergies but most of all colour fastness. My very first experience of quilting - a 12 part kit Baltimore BOM by a well known company where they furnished the fabric. I quick-washed but didn't double rinse. The quilt was finished except for the binding and when being spritzed with water to remove quilting lines the colours ran! Some so badly right throught the batting and onto the backing. Bless the dear people on this board who recommended synthrapol which removed the mess and saved the day. So pre-wash and double rinse.
hetty is offline  
Old 05-11-2011, 12:42 PM
  #15  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Piedmont Virginia in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns.
Posts: 8,562
Default

Is it possible that your 60" wide fabric was cotton but home dec weight fabric rather than quilting weight cotton and that's why it shrank so?

Jan in VA
Jan in VA is offline  
Old 05-11-2011, 12:47 PM
  #16  
Power Poster
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,691
Default

Originally Posted by Jan in VA
Is it possible that your 60" wide fabric was cotton but home dec weight fabric rather than quilting weight cotton and that's why it shrank so?

Jan in VA
I'm not really concerned about it ... wash and shrink first.
QuiltE is offline  
Old 05-11-2011, 01:01 PM
  #17  
Power Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Between the dashes of a tombstone
Posts: 12,716
Default

I prewash--a throw back from clothing construction days. Like hetty I had a bad experience with a red Hoffman fabric and I had washed and dried once! I always prewash.
oksewglad is offline  
Old 05-11-2011, 01:05 PM
  #18  
Power Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mableton, GA
Posts: 11,191
Default

Originally Posted by Jan in VA
Is it possible that your 60" wide fabric was cotton but home dec weight fabric rather than quilting weight cotton and that's why it shrank so?

Jan in VA
I'm interested in this - why would that make a difference? Are the cottons treated differently? I learn something every day on this board :-D
Stitchnripper is offline  
Old 05-11-2011, 01:14 PM
  #19  
Super Member
 
featherweight's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Westminster, Co
Posts: 2,675
Default

I very seldom prewash. I guess everyone has their own way of doing things and that is the way I do mine!!!
featherweight is offline  
Old 05-11-2011, 01:21 PM
  #20  
Super Member
 
justwannaquilt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Union, Missouri
Posts: 1,542
Default

Originally Posted by QuiltE
Originally Posted by Jan in VA
Is it possible that your 60" wide fabric was cotton but home dec weight fabric rather than quilting weight cotton and that's why it shrank so?

Jan in VA
I'm not really concerned about it ... wash and shrink first.
Thanks for the info all mighty quilt Gods!
justwannaquilt is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Jacqndbox
Main
19
02-22-2012 08:34 PM
Favorite Fabrics
Pictures
34
12-19-2011 03:27 PM
craftybear
Links and Resources
24
09-04-2011 07:48 PM
Julie in NM
Main
73
08-08-2011 02:59 PM
klgreene
Main
4
10-07-2010 02:57 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


FREE Quilting Newsletter