Gosh I have been quilting for over 30 years, never washed fabric, never starched (might have tried it and it works very well on feedsacks as it has a different feeling when working with it). But, I have had a few disasters and I'm not kidding as local quilters can tell you so I started to wash fabrics. I buy 90 percent of my fabric from quilt shops and I couldn't believe the colors that ran. I was in Japan and they said they used chemicals to stabalize the color that they can't use in the states. That was about 15 years ago. I know they say you don't have to wash the fabric but after two big disasters I wash. Matter of what you wish to do. I prefer not washing either.