I estimate how much fabric I'll need for the project plus a little more and starch it using a home made version of the Quilter's Moonshine recipe. I add extra liquid starch to my batch. I soak it in the sink, wring it out as best I can and then hang it over the sink to drip back into the pan. Once dry I'll spray with water to help release the wrinkles and press. I'm in the process of making a pressing station using a 2 ft x 4 ft board, batting and ticking fabric. Hopefully this will make it easier to press those larger pieces and quilts. I never wash my fabrics beforehand as when I dunk them into the starch I'll know if they're gong to bleed or not right then. I then try vinegar to stop the bleeding, blue Dawn dish soap and if that doesn't work then I'll bring out the bubble jet rinse to stop it.