MTS

I totally agree with this, and it's been my exact experience.

Since I buy a lot of international fabrics (NOT from the big manufacturers), I might prewash the darkers ones because I'm not sure how much dye has been washed out and how much remains.

But shrinkage has never been an issue. And even when it does shrink a couple of % points, I LOVE that look.

carslo

I had an awful experience with the red fabric I was putting on the back of my granddaughter's Christmas quilts. The dye was coming off on my sewing machine bed - yikes! I discovered those sheets you put in the washer by SHOUT - Color Catchers and promptly washed their quilts before I sent them to Canada. I had always prewashed black fabric before but will now do red and black. I love the little bit of shrinkage after a quilt has been completed and washed.

petersdk

Every piece of fabric goes straight to my washer when I get it home. I have so much "stash" that I'm afraid to start mixing washed and unwashed (actually just rinsed and dried in the machine). Once I start working on a project I don't want to have to stop to think about having to wash something first.
That said....I guess if I ever got to the bottom of my "stash" I'd go back to not pre-washing fabric. Oh what am I saying.....I could live to be 150 and I won't get to the bottom of my stash....guess I'll just keep washing away!
Merry Christmas everyone....

kellen46

Yes I like that old fashioned look too. I call it the pebbly look and if you like old quilts you will see what I mean. One rule I follow is wash everything or wash nothing. Sometimes I mix in blends or reclaimed fabric from garments. Then I prewash my new fabrics so that every thing is preshrunk. Blends will shrink differently than 100% cottons so be aware.

catlover

I just finished a project with batiks. I prewashed them all: purples, reds, aqua, etc. Everyone of them ran color to some extent. Purples and reds are the worst. I used Retayne in the final rinse to set the colors. Now I know this jacket can be washed. It's a hard lesson to find that one color has bled onto another and ruined all your hard work. Batiks are the worst offenders for bleeding.

jdeery

I totally agree! I have done both. And have never had a problem, but if you mix fabric, you do more have a chance
of a problem. I think the quilting makes it stay put.

inletjerry

Good question? You got lots of good answers. Now I have a question. I am making a scrap basket quilt and would like to use muslin for the background, do I need to prewash it? Never quilted with muslin before.

catrancher

I might agree with the nonwashers, except if you're using batiks. Even the most expensive among them will bleed from time to time, and some need to be washed several times before the bleeding will stop. I figure I have nothing to lose, except the time it takes me to throw it in the washer. I always pink both ends with a rotary cutter fitted with a pinking blade, and while it doesn't completely stop any raveling, it does bring it down significantly. Further, all fabric, be it on the bolt or a garment hanging on the rack is treated with chemicals and pesticides. I don't want that against my skin before it's been washed. Also, I hang my fabric to dry--no reason, in particular, I just always have.

quiltin fool

sometimes lesser quality fabrics contain a lot more chemical sizing which sets the color more or they may contain some polyester which would also prevent bleeding.

kwilter

Although I test certain fabrics for color fastness, I do not prewash. My experience tells me that it is the batting I use that shrinks...and I love the look!