If you dont prewash your fabrics, then when you are done and everything is quilted and bound wont the fabric shrink? New to this, and I have washed everything before but I thought if i didnt and then washed it, it might affect the project that I made. Like my Christmas stockings or tree skirt and first quilt.

If I don't want a project to shrink I will prewash and dry my fabrics :D:D:D

I don't prewash and have never had a problem. Any shrinkage has been minimal and didn't affect the final product. Even flannel has turned out fine.

I always prewash for the shrinkage and the smells. I prewashed one fabric and then I appliqued it and it still shrank just from the heat of the iron. It was 100% cotton so I really thought it would have shrunk completely from washing and drying it. I had to find an alternative fabric for that border. I'm not as pleased with the second fabric color. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

I never measured. Even if a quilt shrinks a couple of inches it'll still fit the bed. It's not like the bed can only wear one size of quilt. LOL

I am also new to quilting but I was scared into thinking that all the fabrics might not shrink the same . But I wouldn't think it would matter too much it the whole quilt is finished, stitched, bound etc. I hope some seasoned quilter can comment on this.

I've been quilting for 12 years now. I've prewashed and not washed. I've mixed washed with unwashed. So far I haven't had a single problem. I've made 30 twin size or bigger quilts and 10 baby quilts. I've tossed every one of them into the washer as soon as the last stitch is done on the binding. I haven't had a single problem with unwashed fabric yet.

As long as you're buying quilt shop fabric you shouldn't have a problem. It's when you start mixing lesser quality fabrics with better quality fabrics that you're likely to have problems.

Thanks scissor queen, that makes sense.

You're exactly right. It really depends, in my experience, on the quality of the fabrics. I find the higher quality (not price, but fabric feel) doesn't change as much as the 'lessor' fabrics. However, they do change/shrink differently once their bound and quilted, then they do if just washed as yardage. I haven't ever had a fabric where I was surprised by the washing after it was completed. But, I've had several fabrics that I was surprised with the pre-wash outcome! I can only assume that once pieced and quilted, they're bound together and therefore tend to 'give' together differently.

I am a 'non-washer' unless I think something will fade badly, then I do test. Everyone will develop the process they feel most comfortable with. I never followed the 'fear' of anything in quilting, and that includes washing :)

Hope this helps,
Debbie in Austin

I never prewash my fabrics and haven't had any problems at all. I always wash the completed quilt on a gentle cycle, quick spin and then dry flat in a shaded area.