I love to pet my fabric but I got into trouble for not following my own advice. This week I went on a fabric shopping spree and when I got home I started petting all my beautiful fabric before I washed It. I don't know which one got me but my palms turned red and started stinging so bad. After about a day and a half it started going away after all my hand washing and and itch cream. So from now on I wash before I pet.