I have only been sewing for 2 1/2 years. I made this quilt about 6 months after I started quilting so I was still in the "learning" stage. I had not washed any of my fabrics before I used them. I am now washing all of my fabric before I make a quilt. I'm also only using the quilt fabric. This mermaid wasn't the only thing ruined. I had found that all of the cheaper fabric ie..HL, Walmart, and Alco, did not wash up well when used with the higher quality fabric. Please don't think that I am downing anyone for buying fabric from any of these places because I'm not. I LOVE HL, I just don't buy most fabrics from there. Just do me one favor. Buy a FQ from a high quality quilt shop and a FQ from HL, Walmart, Joann's, or any of those type stores. Then hold them together, feel the difference, then hold both up to a light. That's all I ask.