Allison, thank you so much for your heads up. I don't care what the website says, this amount of shrinkage is unacceptable. So I appreciated knowing this to avoid a situation like you are having. I suspect you paid a premium price for this fabric as well.
Like you and Quilt-E, I always prewash in HOT water. And if you are going to treat with Retayne because that beautiful fabric is a bleeder or you are forced to use Synthropol because you DIDN'T test/prewash/treat, etc you HAVE to use hot water for the product to work.
My reasons for prewashing in Hot are the same as those of us who do prewash in hot, maximum abuse up front. No difference if the quilt is my own or to be gifted, donated or sold, I want the fabric to have already experienced the worst that is going to be thrown at it, laundry wise. Some commissioned I have even subjected to *HORRORS* the laundromat! Yes, under normal circumstances I do wash in cold but I also have pets. My cats have more then once hacked up a hairball on my bedding. A cat with a urinary tract infection, lets you know by going in an inappropriate place. If I have any kind of accident like that, you can rest assured I WILL wash my heirloom quilt in HOT water. Not doing so just skeeves me right out.
Last edited by feline fanatic; 02-07-2013 at 05:11 AM.