I know I tried it but can't remember the results...........probably like what happened to you. These days I don't bother washing till the quilt if completely finished. As I also sew clothes and sometimes clothing fabric shreds I've gone to cutting out the patterns with a pinking blade in my rotary cutter. Works like a champ. I have a pair of pinking shears but haven't used them in years since finding the pinking rotary blade. Think I got my last one at Nancy's Notion.