I wash all the fabric that I bring in the house. Most fabrics are not made in America anymore (remembering North Carolina where my mom was born and raised on a cotton farm...sigh) and they travel a lot and even watching people in the fabric stores handling the fabric, I want the quilts to be at least starting out washed, shrunk (if it happens) and not changing colors after I create them. I also put my Warm and Natural batting shaken out and put in the dryer with 5 wet wash clothes which does a bit of shrinking so I can at least I make an effort to give my friends and family the best I can.