Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by LLWinston44
No, I'm not a pre-washer. When I took my first class at my LQS they advised us NOT to, and so I have gotten in the habit of not, and up until now it's never been a problem.
I did once, before that first class, wash all my fabric (in preparation FOR the class)and it was a disaster!!! It all frayed HORRIBLY and also I had SO much waste when squaring it up to get ready to cut! So since then, since I've had good results from not pre-washing, I've stuck with that.
I did just go and spray a piece of the fabric with water and it did shrink. I'll just have to start making sure I starch before I cut.
Oh, and it's most definitely 100% cotton. The shrinking actually happened right in front of my eyes AS I sprayed it, but from what I read above, the heat must have shrunk it more. ugh.
The pre-washers will be along shortly to give you what for for not pre-washing. Feel free to ignore them.
Do starch and iron before cutting though.
In the most recent class I took the instructor said if you're not going to pre-wash then iron and starch before cutting and after that only use a dry iron.
I learned the same lesson you did. I now starch and press before cutting. I used to pre-wash before cutting but do not do that anymore. However when I am get around to using some of the batik fat quarters that I have I think that I will pre-wash those as I have heard a lot about them bleeding heavily. Other than that I will just use color catchers after I wash my finished quilt.