sharin'Sharon

I, too, am one of the hot water and RETAYNE users for prewashing fabrics. I wash all the fabrics for the quilt together so that if there are any bleeding fabrics, the RETAYNE will hopefully have taken care of it and the rest are pretreated/preshrunk at the same time. Haven't had any problems so far and have done that procedure for many years. I also include "Launder in COOL water only" on the label cuz that's what the bottle says!!! Before I started piecing quilts, I was a garment sewer (for myself and four children) and learned to prewash fabrics before cutting. I couldn't imagine sewing a garment and only getting to wear it until it was laundered because it then shrunk. Alisonquilts, am sorry of your aggravation. That massive shrinkage would be so disheartening. Thanks for sharing.

OzarksGma

I made some tablecloths for a customer and used 200 count Avalon Muslin fabric, when the customer used them and washed and dried they shrunk so much the customer couldn't use them on the longer tables that I made the cloths at 114", they ended up using them on the 6' tables. I figured they had at least 10% shrinkage and this was from Rockland Industries, but they had purchased the fabric from China. I made them replace the fabric and returned the cloths and had to be out the labor to remake the 14 tablecloths for my customer. Needless to say I don't purchase anything from Rockland anymore.

QultingaddictUK

That is what I am querying also as IMO no-one would wash a quilt in hot water, would they?

BrendaK

I am a member of the Sisterhood of the Fabric Abusers and I am proud of it. Rather it be me that discovers all the problems than the person to whom I have given the quilt. I always tell the person that if there are any problems just let me know and I will fix them. I try to include care instructions and a color catcher when I give the quilt. This does not mean that they will be used. We don't know how other people treat their wash. Better to be safe that sorry, I say. All that said we can only do what feels right to us. Sorry for the problem you had. Thanks for the heads up. Let me know when and where the next meeting will be, BrendaK

tenngal

I usually wash in warm, but thanks for the info.

QuiltE

As above!

MTS

I always do.

QuiltE

Apparently it has become a sin!

BTW ... welcome to the club!

TanyaL

A thread was deleted today mentioning the fact that so many posters did not read the posts. Too bad. If anyone is interested, several posters have already said why they do wash quilts in hot water. They have good reasons for what they do. It is interesting reading.

Marysewfun

I agree with you - just about every quilt especially if it is used well (not a hanging show piece) is washed in regular laundry procedure - usually a warm.

Marysewfun