Originally Posted by
bearisgray
How many of you actually measure your
Fabrics before and after washing them (if you are in the wash before cutting group)?
Your quilts before and after they are quilted?
Your quilts before and after they are washed?
I have heard that heavy quilting can "take up" several inches from the unquilted size.
There was just a post today about a quilt that shrank five inches after being washed.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...s-t247055.html
When figuring on a "finished" size - after quilting and washing - do you make it bigger and expect to "lose" a couple of inches in the quilting and washing processes?
I have always prewashed my fabrics with RETAYNE (except for the last all batik quilt) and I measure BEFORE and AFTER washing and there is ALWAYS shrinkage. I don't like the crinkle look as some people do. I do not prewash my batting but note that after the quilts are laundered, they still lay quite smoothly as though they were just quilted . I also measure before and after quilting (I don't allow heavy quilting---once my Longarmer did a 'tight' quilting job and it shrunk 5"--UGH!!!). I do not wash my quilts after they are finished.