On the question re: washing fat quarters, I goofed and said I wash all my fabric when I get it home.
Not true with fat quarters. I wait to see how I am going to use them. If it is for a purse, or anything besides a quilt I usualy do not wash. But if I am using the fat quarter for washing I but in in one of these nylon bags that are for womens delicate unthings, and while the fat quarters are in the bag I wash on a gental cycle and dry normaly in dryer.
I cut some fat quarters with the blade and they also did not fray. I always use the color grabber sheet. They are not that expensive and well worth the money.