Dolphyngyrl

overcast the edges with sewing machine. i only wash my embroidery stuff, but this is what I do and it keeps it really neat

Quilter 65

I pre-washed batik for a project. Then I ripped for the borders. Had strings everywhere. My solution was fray chek dabbed sparingly along the edges and then when I got the strings cut, they didn't re-ravel. I keep a bottle near my sewing machine. Trick seems to be to use sparingly as it really makes the fabric hard or something and you don't want that on the quilt top just the seam margins.

ghostrider

I save mine, too, for art quilts. It's called 'Thread Junk'...something I learned from Terri Stegmiller. http://stegart.blogspot.com/2011/03/...y-told-me.html

Prism99

That is more likely due to not pre-washing the batting rather than not pre-washing the fabrics. If the batting was cotton, it probably shrank 3% in the first wash. This problem can be solved by using polyester batting, which does not shrink at all. After quilting, batting controls shrinkage -- not the fabric.

Prism99

Quilter65, you can get the same results by using Fray Block instead of Fray Check. Fray Block dries soft, whereas Fray Check dries hard.

CindyinNY

Thanks everyone. I think I may try the pinking since hubby just bought me a new pair of pinking shears. As for all the answers about batting, the table runners I'm making are the 10 minute ones
(which take me about 1 1/2 hours lol), so threre is no batting.

tessagin

I just clip the raveling off. I don't know where you get your fabric from but when mine ravels after washing I really don't lose that much. I barely lose 1/16" from each piece. Depending on the fabric sometimes I just throw it into a laundry bag. That way it's still contained in the bag even if it gets passed all around the agitator. I always press it after it comes out of the dryer.

TeresaA

Thought I'd post a pic here of my "thread" and "other" "junk. One day, this will become fabric again. And yes, I have 3 large ziplocs full of the stuff! And yep, one person's ravel is another one's pleasure ;-).

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Onebyone

I heard on one of the tv news shows that the water problem in Ca will have hidden costs like the coin laundry cost will almost double per load.

juliea9967

I do this all the time. It is so quick and easy with a rotary cutter and it works well.