bearisgray

I said that is what I would do if it were mine. Of course, I would check the fabrics first to see if they were strong enough to be washed. I would also check the seams to see if they would hold together. If the fabrics were too weak to be washed, I am not sure what I would do with the project.

I know that many others do not let their fabrics touch water before they are cut. That is their choice. I've had enough unpleasant surprises to take the extra step. Many others have said they have never, ever, ever had any problems.

The unpleasant surprises I had occurred with gentle, tepid water washing - which is why I try to make sure that items that I expect to be washed can tolerate the process without bleeding and (much) further shrinkage.

I had acquired this cute skirt with an adorable appliqué on it (it seemed to be made of cotton). It was a yard/rummage/garage sale purchase and it smelled a bit funky. I washed it by hand (actually, in water in a dishpan - but I swished it around by hand) - and when it was dry, the appliques had shrunk a lot - so much so that it was impossible to iron/press the fabric under them flat.

Also - if one (or more) of the fabrics in the Dresden plates has bad manners, it/they could be replaced comparatively easily before they are attached to any background fabric.