Originally Posted by
Traveller
I didn't say I don't want the quilt to shrink. As mentioned, I don't prewash fabric before sewing. I know cotton shrinks that's why I wash / dry / shrink the final quilt. Then all the fabric shrinks pretty uniformly.
Combining unshrunk and preshrunk fabric could be a problem for the finished quilt.
Traveller ... I understand your strategy.
However, keep in mind, that with no pre-washing, you leave yourself vulnerable to the unwanted surprise of colours running/staining, after all your hard work.
That's why many of us are committed pre-washers, to face and deal with any issues with the fabric before we get to work. Your choice though!