I am one of those who wash every piece of fabric before it goes in the stash so I never have to worry about dyes bleeding or shrinkage. I can just pull from my stash and never, never, never have to worry about the fabric. Bad fabric is eliminated before it makes its way into the stash.
1. I use pinking shears to trim the cut ends. This prevents fraying when washed.
2. Wash, no fabric softner and dry in dryer or outside.
3. Fold and put in stash until ready to use.
4. When ready to use cut the amount I want off the yardage. Starch the back side of fabric, let it soak in a few minutes and press that piece. The rest goes back in the stash.
5. Cut the parts I need from the piece I starched
There are so many ways people handle fabric. With all the info out there, you will find what works for you and different projects can handle different treatment. I do make it as simple as I can for myself, make everything ready to use without questions.
peace