bearisgray

I use a narrow, long-stitch length zig-zag stitch or overcast the edges with a long,narrow stitch.

I used to lose up up to an inch of fabric on each end on some fabrics if it had been cut wonky or was loosely woven. The overcast stitching is fairly easy to remove if one wants to keep and use every smidgen of fabric purchased.

Maybe someone can explain -

What I really do not understand - if someone feels a three yard piece of fabric should be washed - what is different about the fabric characteristics of a fat-eighth that would make it not necessary to be washed?

I have had a scrap do damage because I thought "Oh, this came from a LQS, so I will be lazy about it, and think it will be okay." It wasn't.

Now I soak the pieces in hot water (in a bucket, the sink, a kettle - whatever) and then wash in the machine on a short, gentle cycle.

I feel that it is the agitation of washing and drying that makes a fabric look "used" - so I try to keep that to a minimum now.