I was thinking about this the other day. I figured it takes me about 60 seconds to throw the fabric in the washer and put soap in. Then I turn the dial to the setting I want and start washing. When the machine is done, I throw the fabric in the dryer, turn the dial to the setting I want and start the dryer and walk away. It takes about 90 seconds of actual work for me to wash and dry my fabric. I figure I can take 90 seconds out of my day to have clean fabric to work with. I know some people say that pre-washing is just too arduous and takes too long to do. Really? It's not like we have to go and bring water to the house and wash everything by hand the way our forebearers did. I have lots of allergies and the last thing I need is to work with fabrics with lots of chemicals on it. 2 days ago, I went and helped a friend sew curtains. She didn't wash any of the fabric and so I am now dealing with my allergies acting up. If I am reacting to the chemicals so much that I am taking antihistimines today to deal with the allergies, it's just not worth it. I have read so many post here about people making their quilt and then they are scared to wash it for fear of the fabric bleeding,shrinking,etc. I find out BEFORE I go to the trouble of making the quilt and then having fabrics bleed. I guess I think of pre-washing laying the foundation of the process. The same way when I am making a cake, I grease and lightly flour the cake pans so they are ready when I have the batter ready to be put in the pans and then baked. The reason I grease and flour the cake pans? So that I won't have problems when the cakes are baked and it's time to take them out of the pans. Having greased and floured the pans making removing the cakes from the pans easy. It's the same with pre-washing fabric. It just is something I do to prepare my fabrics. I don't bother to iron the fabrics until I am ready to use them.