Lesson I learned today
09-19-2011, 09:48 AM
#41
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Lumby, British Columbia
Posts: 2,769
Originally Posted by LLWinston44
Starch shrinks fabric. Well, I'm actually specifically using the Bounce spray. Dangit! Now I know why my pieces seem that I've cut them wrong! I have NOT cut them wrong! What I did was to cut them, then starch and press them. On one dark fabric with little circles on them, I finally saw why it was coming out smaller... the darn stuff actually shriveled right before my eyes!!
SO, lesson learned is to starch and press BEFORE cutting!!!! :o(
SO, lesson learned is to starch and press BEFORE cutting!!!! :o(
09-19-2011, 10:37 AM
#42
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,430
You don't actually "wash" your fabric. I tell my students to get the fabric wet by pressing it down in the water and making sure that it gets wet clear through. Then, press in towels till moist. Hang to dry on clothes hangers or an Amish drying rack until almost dry. Then press. Or, dampen slightly with a spritz bottle and press. You should have no more problems with shrinkage.
09-19-2011, 10:51 AM
#43
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 835
Even LQS quality 100% cotton (Moda) will shrink...I am also not a prewasher - (Hate washing clothes because I am getting bad knees and washer and dryer are on a different floor) but thanks to you, LL I have started starching before cutting. I use Mary Ellen's Best Press just because I love the lavender scent when I iron. (just started another flap between the scent/no scent group, I know :lol: ). I quilt because I love to and whatever makes me happy in my quilt room is OK with me and my kitties :lol: :lol: and I don't have any quilt police here. It sure is fun, amazing, curious to watch the fabric shrink before my eyes tho!!!
09-19-2011, 11:00 AM
#45
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Vancouver Island , BC, Canada
Posts: 394
I always prewash my material except the jelly rolls and yes zigzag the corners does help stop the fraying which i have done a couple times and should make a habit of it as it works . Also for the loose threads on the back i spray starch it and it makes it easier to pick up the loose threads .
09-19-2011, 01:03 PM
#46
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fayetteville, GA
Posts: 2,879
I prewash everything and rarely starch. I tell my students to either prewash everything for a project or not to for the entire project. I've had bad experiences with not prewashing. If there is any shrinking I want it done before I have pieced, sewed and quilted. I don't like kits bc it's hard to prewash tiny pieces. I had one kit that I did prewash the pieces and one pieced shrank and raveled so bad that I had to substitute another fabric. If I had not prewashed would that fabric have ruined my project? I don't know, but I'm not willing to take that chance. Again. It's your quilt, your fabric and your time, do it the way you want to.
09-19-2011, 01:11 PM
#47
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Tucker, GA
Posts: 2,042
I've been quilting since before some of the board members were born and I've never used starch or prewashed a fabric. And I've never had anything happen that made me wish I'd done either..... just a thought.
09-19-2011, 01:36 PM
#48
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,312
Originally Posted by LLWinston44
Love all the advice, really..... I think everyone has valuable information and even if it's something I'm not accustomed to, I'm never against learning.
As for the pre-washing...... does this fall true of things like batiks too?? That they should be pre-washed? I'm just soooooooo scared to pre-wash! It just ruined my fabric so badly!! ugh.... maybe I'll buy some for a simple little project and try it. lol
As for the pre-washing...... does this fall true of things like batiks too?? That they should be pre-washed? I'm just soooooooo scared to pre-wash! It just ruined my fabric so badly!! ugh.... maybe I'll buy some for a simple little project and try it. lol
09-19-2011, 03:17 PM
#49
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Peoria, AZ (Vistancia)
Posts: 1,559
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by LLWinston44
No, I'm not a pre-washer. When I took my first class at my LQS they advised us NOT to, and so I have gotten in the habit of not, and up until now it's never been a problem.
I did once, before that first class, wash all my fabric (in preparation FOR the class)and it was a disaster!!! It all frayed HORRIBLY and also I had SO much waste when squaring it up to get ready to cut! So since then, since I've had good results from not pre-washing, I've stuck with that.
I did just go and spray a piece of the fabric with water and it did shrink. I'll just have to start making sure I starch before I cut.
Oh, and it's most definitely 100% cotton. The shrinking actually happened right in front of my eyes AS I sprayed it, but from what I read above, the heat must have shrunk it more. ugh.
I did once, before that first class, wash all my fabric (in preparation FOR the class)and it was a disaster!!! It all frayed HORRIBLY and also I had SO much waste when squaring it up to get ready to cut! So since then, since I've had good results from not pre-washing, I've stuck with that.
I did just go and spray a piece of the fabric with water and it did shrink. I'll just have to start making sure I starch before I cut.
Oh, and it's most definitely 100% cotton. The shrinking actually happened right in front of my eyes AS I sprayed it, but from what I read above, the heat must have shrunk it more. ugh.
Do starch and iron before cutting though.
In the most recent class I took the instructor said if you're not going to pre-wash then iron and starch before cutting and after that only use a dry iron.
09-19-2011, 03:17 PM
#50
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Peoria, AZ (Vistancia)
Posts: 1,559
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by LLWinston44
No, I'm not a pre-washer. When I took my first class at my LQS they advised us NOT to, and so I have gotten in the habit of not, and up until now it's never been a problem.
I did once, before that first class, wash all my fabric (in preparation FOR the class)and it was a disaster!!! It all frayed HORRIBLY and also I had SO much waste when squaring it up to get ready to cut! So since then, since I've had good results from not pre-washing, I've stuck with that.
I did just go and spray a piece of the fabric with water and it did shrink. I'll just have to start making sure I starch before I cut.
Oh, and it's most definitely 100% cotton. The shrinking actually happened right in front of my eyes AS I sprayed it, but from what I read above, the heat must have shrunk it more. ugh.
I did once, before that first class, wash all my fabric (in preparation FOR the class)and it was a disaster!!! It all frayed HORRIBLY and also I had SO much waste when squaring it up to get ready to cut! So since then, since I've had good results from not pre-washing, I've stuck with that.
I did just go and spray a piece of the fabric with water and it did shrink. I'll just have to start making sure I starch before I cut.
Oh, and it's most definitely 100% cotton. The shrinking actually happened right in front of my eyes AS I sprayed it, but from what I read above, the heat must have shrunk it more. ugh.
Do starch and iron before cutting though.
In the most recent class I took the instructor said if you're not going to pre-wash then iron and starch before cutting and after that only use a dry iron.
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