Originally Posted by
QuiltE
Let's hear it for .... the Sisterhood of the Fabric Abusers!!!
Yes! We'll start our own organization, and have meetings! (At the laundromat.)
Originally Posted by
hopflower
Why wash anything in hot water other than whites? Normally cool to warm is what is warranted. And most quilting fabric new wold not need such stringent treatment. Just curious; but I know that many people do use this method.
@ hopflower: A more complete explanation is posted earlier in this thread, but basically it is to ensure that any fabric changes possible (especially shrinkage and color loss) show up before you make the quilt. Unless you keep all of the quilts you make you can never be entirely sure of how they will be treated in their new homes, so if you pre-abuse your fabric the future owners will not have to deal with unpleasant surprises down the road.
I've never had a huge shrinkage problem before, but I have had fabrics unexpectedly bleed in the prewash - fabric that was not even dark or batik. And once I had a fabric actually SHRED in the wash. It was a deeply discounted clearance cotton fabric, so I wasn't out much cash, but it was truly startling to open the washer and see
strips instead of
yardage! (I suspect it had been exposed to sunlight.)
Alison
PS I really didn't mean to reopen the wash/not-wash can'o'worms.