Originally Posted by Johanna Fritz
Originally Posted by Kas
I only done a OBW without washing first and you aren't supposed to starch or wash those first.
*What is an OBW?*
I always wash. You may be tight on yardage, but why not add another color (complementary color - something from color wheel etc?) After you sew unwashed fabric you have 3 issues:
1. The sizing on unwashed fabric dulls your rotary blade.
2. When you wash after piecing, dyes may run.
3. When you wash after piecing, fabric may shrink unevenly- puckered or stretched seams possible.
4. Sizing can cause some rash on hands to some. If you give the quilt - baby for example, if you have not washed the fabrics and the new quilt owner doesn't either, the new owner can suffer rash issues - especially kids.
It only takes one quilt with hours of your time to have #2 & #3 above happen - what a nightmare. Nothing worse than having some shrink a little and some a lot - all in the same quilt. Yuck.
1. Rotary blades get dull with usage whether the fabric is washed or not.
2. There may be loose dye but if no other fabric picks that dye up it's not a problem.
3. Quilting makes the fabric stable and the batting has more to do with shrinkage than the fabrics.
4. The finished quilt can be washed before being given away.
I have even mixed washed and unwashed fabrics in a quilt with no problems.