Donnamarie

I've been quilting for 32 yrs and at the beginning, I used to prewash everything. I don't anymore except for maybe if I am using a really dense color like red. That is the only fabric I have used that has run. The fabric quality is much better than it used to be with minimal shrinkage. Why do all that work, ironing a large piece of fabric is such a pain. When washing a completed quilt, I just love the crinkled look.

bearisgray

I think Michael Miller and Moda are considered to be "better" by many quilters.

The Michael Miler jet black - a wonderful black - shrank over two inches widthwise when I prepped it. (From three different bolts purchased at different times.)

A Moda red print - put out a lot of red and turned the selvage from white to pink.
A Moda intense yellow - put out a LOT of color. Interestingly enough, the dark red, green, and brown from the same line did NOT.

grammysharon

This is what I do also although I use Best Press not starch. I like knowing that my fabric won't bleed or shrink after it is in my quilt!!!

Quiltngolfer

I prewash most of my fabric before I start a quilt. I like to get rid of the chemicals before I handle the fabric. I don't usually wash it until I am ready to make the quilt. After washing, I starch and iron the fabric. I actually like to starch and iron.

hautewife

Thanks everyone! Collectively, you have helped me work through what I believe will work best for me. Given my son's skin sensitivities (and the thought of bugs), I 'm going to pre-wash my fabrics. While I am at it, I figure there is no harm in throwing in a color catcher. Currently, I don't anticipate stockpiling a lot of fabric because I don't have any place to store it. Truth be told, I'm still searching for a place to store my machine and sewing supplies, lol. Thus, I will be buying only what I need for whatever project I am actively working on.

For my first project, I am going to test out using Magic Sizing (is that the same as starch?). I was able to find it Walmart for about a $1. As a beginner, I'm thinking it will be easier to work with the fabric if it is stiffer. In the near future, perhaps for my second project even, I will see how it goes without the starch.

Thanks again for all of your wonderful answers!

Farm Quilter

Unless I buy a precut kit (rare), I always wash my fabric. In the summer I line dry, in the winter it goes in my dryer - no fabric softener. I fold it carefully and put it with my stash. When I am ready to use it, I press it with starch. Reasons: washing - I hate the thought of the pesticides that are sprayed on fabric in the warehouse coming into my home - allergies and possible carcinogens; bleeding - I know that they dyes of today are good, but I frequently get some lovely colors floating around in the rinse water and I would be so mad if a finished quilt bled and ruined all my hard work! Starch puts some body back into the fabric, making it a little (or a lot, depending on how much starch I use) stiffer and therefore easier to cut and piece, and really reduces the stretch when I am working with bias edges. Starch also helps my seams lay flatter and I don't get so many flipped over seams when piecing blocks or putting blocks together.

sewmini

I prewash fabric a lot now. It is mostly because I am concerned about the chemicals and bacteria that can be in and on the fabric. When we stop to think about it we know our fabrics have come from foreign places an who knows what they have encountered. Having had cancer I am cautious.

quiltingshorttimer

I do basically what you do--except instead of dunking questionable fabric in water, my LQS said to rub white paper vigorously over the fabric--if you see any trace of color, then wash. I also typically pull fabric out of dryer damp to press.

NikkiLu

I saw a video of how batiks were made in Bali - and very little men were standing in vats of water stomping on the fabric to get out the excess dye, etc. and the men had shorts on and the men and shorts (think crotch) were all wet. So, I wash all batiks that I buy, no matter what the brand, etc.

bearisgray

As far as fabric and thread quality goes - now as compared to years ago -

Why do some threads say boilfast? I don't think any threads say that now?

There was not-so-great fabric available years ago - there was luxurious fabric available years ago -

As there is now.