bearisgray

A la Vicki Welsh, and Carolyn from my quilting group, I have started to soak all my fabrics in Hot water for at least a couple of hours before gently washing them. (Sorted by color - dark greens with dark greens, etc,; I will mix pale blues with pale greens - the basic "rule" - if the fabric is a bleeder - the bleed won't "injure" the other fabrics in the container )

Why?
Sometimes it takes a while for excess dye to release into the water - and if a fabric is problematic - I can see which one it is and treat it further
I feel the shrinkage takes place during the hot water bath
I do not like to agitate new fabric very long in the washing machine - that is where/when I think fabric loses that "new" look
The grain lines will "do their thing" - sometimes they will straighten out - sometimes they stubbornly insist on staying off-grain.

I then wash it gently with a mild detergent for a short time and dry it gently.

I also serge the raw edges before the fabric hits the water.
It prevents the loss of fabric from fraying - and also keeps the ends looking tidy.

So those are my fabric pre-washing steps - overcast the raw edges and soak in hot water - before getting to the "wash with mild detergent" stage.

Is it a bother to do this all before cutting the fabric straight from the store? A bit, but it has minimized a lot of aggravation down the road.

I would no more cut fabric without washing it first then dress for a fancy night out wihout taking a shower first..

But - to each his/her own way of dong things.