Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums >
  • Main
  • Washing fabric before cutting >
  • Washing fabric before cutting

  • Washing fabric before cutting

    Thread Tools
     
    Old 07-09-2016, 06:16 AM
      #21  
    Senior Member
     
    ladydukes's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Apr 2012
    Location: Richmond, Texas
    Posts: 846
    Default

    I launder ALL of my fabric - but that's me! I made a quilt for my DGD and didn't launder the fabric, and the red bled onto the other fabrics. After that - I decided that I would wash everything. It took FOREVER and ever, but - I'm (hopefully) caught up. Now, as soon as new fabric arrives, the first thing I do is launder it in warm or hot water and try it. If the fabric is red or black (especially), I'll wash it a couple of times with extra rinses.
    ladydukes is offline  
    Old 07-09-2016, 06:17 AM
      #22  
    Super Member
     
    GramE's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Feb 2016
    Location: Bunker Hill, In
    Posts: 1,912
    Default

    Originally Posted by meyert
    I don't prewash precuts, but I do wash my yardage before I start on a project. I know people who think I am silly and tell me that if I buy good material there is no need to prewash... but I still prewash yardage.. unless it is going to be used with precuts.
    for everyone like you meyert, there is another exactly opposite. Been doing a survey for a couple of years. Hard to get 4 or five people at a time to agree. But your reasoning is sound & safe. If you've every pieced a quilt back then washed the quilt & as you pull it from the washer you find thousands of threads where the quilt back used to be you will prewash more. I pretty much prewash everything, even the good stuff, 'cause I wanna know what it is gonna do before I give it to someone. But I have spray starch to make it behave when it comes out of the dryer!
    GramE is offline  
    Old 07-09-2016, 06:36 AM
      #23  
    Super Member
     
    sash's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Sep 2007
    Location: Texas
    Posts: 2,665
    Default

    I don't think I would wash if you have a lot of them and small pieces. They will ravel horribly and then you've got a big mess to fix.
    sash is offline  
    Old 07-09-2016, 06:55 AM
      #24  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Sep 2011
    Location: Wisconsin
    Posts: 2,137
    Default

    I prewash to prevent any shrinkage after the quilt is made, and to check for any dye bleeding. Yes, that does happen even with expensive fabrics.
    2manyhobbies is offline  
    Old 07-09-2016, 07:05 AM
      #25  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Sep 2010
    Location: Heart of Colorado's majestic mountains!
    Posts: 6,026
    Default

    I used to pre-wash my fabric, iron it and store it. But I found that I liked working with unwashed fabric better and now I do not pre-wash. I do mix washed and unwashed because I have them. After I finish a quilt I wash with color catchers-just in case. I, obviously, can no longer see a difference in the fabrics used. I use good quality fabric and have never had problems. I sew for a charity group that provides materials (cheap as possible because of budget constraints). The difference is astounding. There are a lot of considerations to buying and using fabric. You do get what you pay for.
    quilterpurpledog is offline  
    Old 07-09-2016, 08:43 AM
      #26  
    Junior Member
     
    asabrinao's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Sep 2013
    Location: Ohio
    Posts: 183
    Default

    I'm sort of like quilterpurpledog--I used to pre-wash my fabric, iron it, and store it, but I now greatly prefer working with unwashed fabric better. That being said, I work with flannel a lot and always prewash my flannel so that it shrinks up as much as possible before I cut into it. When I DO pre-wash, I prewash everything--fabric AND batting.
    asabrinao is offline  
    Old 07-09-2016, 08:49 AM
      #27  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Aug 2010
    Location: Central Iowa
    Posts: 2,338
    Default

    I do not pre wash any fabric it seems easier to cut besides I do not like to iron or starch
    newbee3 is offline  
    Old 07-09-2016, 04:22 PM
      #28  
    Member
    Thread Starter
     
    Join Date: Jan 2011
    Posts: 95
    Default

    Thank You all for your replies. This board always helps me with any problems that I have.
    crowley7 is offline  
    Old 07-09-2016, 04:34 PM
      #29  
    Power Poster
     
    Join Date: Jun 2010
    Location: VIRGINIA
    Posts: 22,671
    Default

    i wash my fabrics even wash muslin that just me and what my quilt teacher taught us
    QUILTNMO is offline  
    Old 07-09-2016, 06:38 PM
      #30  
    Power Poster
     
    Jingle's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Dec 2009
    Location: Outside St. Louis
    Posts: 38,213
    Default

    I don't buy pre-cuts. Only had 1 jelly roll given to me - I did not prewash.
    I always prewash all fabrics I buy, fold and put in my big closet on wire shelves.
    I never use starch.
    Jingle is offline  
    Related Topics
    Thread
    Thread Starter
    Forum
    Replies
    Last Post
    bearisgray
    Main
    11
    10-03-2018 11:19 PM
    bearisgray
    Main
    26
    10-28-2017 03:58 PM
    Nanamoms
    Main
    78
    10-21-2011 07:30 PM
    snipper74
    Main
    9
    04-12-2011 05:42 PM

    Posting Rules
    You may not post new threads
    You may not post replies
    You may not post attachments
    You may not edit your posts

    BB code is On
    Smilies are On
    [IMG] code is On
    HTML code is On
    Trackbacks are Off
    Pingbacks are Off
    Refbacks are Off



    FREE Quilting Newsletter