I'm with toolazy, I always wash and dry everything. I too refuse to use precuts for the very reason she gives. I have been frogging now for several days on a customer quilt that the "quilt shop" backing sagged so much during quilting that I got puckers. It all has to come out, 36 x 79" was quilted before the problem began. It will not beat me. I fwill shrink and starch this baby then prebaste since I know I have a problem with it. It only takes a couple of incidents before you will wash and dry before hand. I'm not taking a chance on color run or uneven shrinkage on my quilts.