I decided to start doing quilts again and finding alot of things have changed! WOW. Just wonder if you all prewash your fabric? The lady at the quilt shop told me I don't need to. Please advise :shock:

I sometimes wash and sometimes don't. It depends on the feel of the fabric. If it feels like it has a lot of stabilizer in it, or looks dusty, I will wash it, if it is between 1-3 yards. More or less than that and it binds up in the dryer. I also tend not to wash fabric that looks like it might ravel.

And welcome from
Texas :-)

what about fading? or shrinking?

Hello, and welcome from Idaho!
There are a wide array of preferences. Some wash and dry everything. Some don't wash and dry anything. Some wash and dry only flannel. Some only wash red. Some only wash batiks. etc... It is really a matter of personal choice.
Edit: Some do not prewash because they like the aged look with crinkles.

Welcome to the board and welcome back to quilting. I think you will enjoy being here. Lots of great information and inspiration. Some of the quilters on her do amazing work.

I know I probably do it ALL wrong but I have not ran into a problem as of yet. I never prewash anything and when I am done putting on the binding I throw my quilts in the washer and wash them using hot water. I do throw in a color catcher~ and then throw them in the dryer. Not one is getting entered in a show but are meant to be used in the real world. If there is going to be a problem with them..ie...split seams running dyes...etc..I want to know before its out the door. So I start the abuse early. =)

Welcome from Porter Okla. Happy to meet You.

Thanks for all the advice. This is a memory quilt for my mother in law. I am guessing she won't be wshing it. I love this site. I've been reading it for a while.

Welcome from Oklahoma

welcome!

Hello and welcome from SW Iowa. Glad to have you here. I don't prewash.

Nice to have you here! I prewash red and black..then wash again when the quilt is done and use color catchers.

pre washing is your choice. I do because the chemicals on the fabric make my hands break out. I also do it to make sure nothing is going to bleed when the quilt is complete. And yes some Quilt shop fabric does bleed!

Hi from Ohio! Yes I wash all my material first.
This tip came from Kaye Wood newsletter

Tips From Our Readers....
I have taken a lot of classes over the years and heard teachers give their reasons for washing and not washing cottons for quilts. My mom and grandmother always washed their fabrics so I just did the same. About 4 years ago I bought some fabric to make a quilt at a local shop and two weeks later I bought some other fabric to go with it at another local quilt store here in Cincinnati. Both pieces came out of the washer solid gray. Trust me they did not go in that way. I have sewn for 40 years and this is the first time I have ever seen that and both pieces were bought about two weeks apart. Both stores cheerfully took the pieces back and gave me my money. One store's representative said the bolt must have skipped the last step to seal the fabric color in. I don't know if it is true but I learned right there to always wash my fabric. Can you imagine if you made the quilt, washed it and had all these gray pieces in a your beautiful quilt. It would be ruined! Or even worse gave it away and they washed it.... Phyllis

Welcome to the board from Southern California!
I am not a pre-washer. Unless it is flannel. I always pre-wash flannel because it shrinks at different rates. Even fabrics in the same line.

Hi and Welcome from NC!

Welcome, waving from central Indiana USA

I'm reasonably new to quilting, however, I always prewash, dry and iron all the fabric I buy, even before storing it on the shelf. This way it's always ready to go whenever I'm inspired.

I always wash all my flannels, and especially all my dark colored batiks. Wouldn't be too happy if the colors bled into each other after the quilt was all done. Not Good!!

Hi and welcome from the sunny state of Florida!!
I prewash ALL my fabrics when I get ready to make the quilt!

Welcome from Idaho! I usually prewash, coming from fashion sewing it's a habit. But just my personal preferance, many don'

Welcome from Branson, Mo. Sometimes yes and sometimes no. It depends on the fabric.

Welcome, from Louisiana. I do prewash EVERYTHING.. I learned the hard way. I had used a beautiful, deep blue, unwashed cotton to make piping for a smocked dress. When the dress was finished, I spritzed it with water before the final pressing and the blue color ran all over the white dress...What a mess! It was a customer dress and I had to buy more fabric and smock a whole new dress! So, NOW I prewash!
Karen in la.

Hello, and welcome from Michigan!

Welcome from Michigan.

no, don't prewash -- welcome from se TX

Hello and most welcome from Argentina! :thumbup:

Welcome from TN! I always prewash.

My first quilt I didn't prewash. Didn't think or know to do so. My LAQ told me I definately should have in case it bled. Since then, 2 quilts later, I pre-wash with liquid starch in the rinse cycle, remove from dryer before the fabric is completely dry and iron. It is time consumming, but I'm in no hurry when it comes to quilting.
Rita

G'day from Australia

Welcome from Ireland

Welcome from Pennsylvania ....and yes I pre-wash everything.

Hello and welcome from Ontario.

Welcome from WI and I do prewash all my fabric.

Welcome from Utah! Are you from Utah?

Hello and Welcome to the board :D:D:D

Welcome from Virginia

welcome

Hi and welcome from Alaska.

welcome to the board from Denver. It depends on what I'm making, cotton I usually dont but I do pre wash all of my flannl