Lesson I learned today
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,572
I'm one of the prewashers you were warned about! No meddling here, though, just my opinion. 100% cotton does shrink. If I am working with yardage (which is most of the time), I wash. If I'm working with smaller pieces (smaller than a FQ) I don't prewash or even soak. I DO however, starch everything before I cut just for stability.
And yes, when you prewash you will normally get tangled edges. I always over buy by at least a 1/2 yard so I have room for cutting errors or other boo boos along the way so having to square up the edge before I start is no big deal to me. Plus I'm more comfortable knowing that I'm closer to being on the straight of grain when I cut and will thus have even more stability with my piecing.
And yes, when you prewash you will normally get tangled edges. I always over buy by at least a 1/2 yard so I have room for cutting errors or other boo boos along the way so having to square up the edge before I start is no big deal to me. Plus I'm more comfortable knowing that I'm closer to being on the straight of grain when I cut and will thus have even more stability with my piecing.
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Glenmoore, PA
Posts: 7,941
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(
#23
Moisture makes cotton fabric shrink. Starch contains moisture and can therefore make cotton fabric shrink. This can be used to our advantage, as shown in the following Sharon Schamber videos:
Sharon Schamber's Beginning Quilter : Magical Basting P1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi1RgiLI9GI
Sharon Schamber's Beginning Quilter : Magical Basting P2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmcdOz-ypwU
Sharon Schamber's Beginning Quilter : Magical Basting P1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi1RgiLI9GI
Sharon Schamber's Beginning Quilter : Magical Basting P2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmcdOz-ypwU
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: in front of this dang computer instead of my Bernina!(Naples, Florida)
Posts: 1,653
I have gone back and forth on this issue, and I've decided I'm prewashing everything. I'm just not willing to risk a quilt's worth of hard work to bleeding fabric. I've tried all the methods to prevent fraying, including stitching the raw edges together first (what a hassle, and it still frayed). My conclusion is the good old-fashioned pinking shears are my best bet. And I can instantly tell if a fabric has been washed or not!
It's funny you posted this issue today. Yesterday it was poor Krystyna, who had cut a ton of strips, and watched in horror as they shrank before her eyes. If bad news comes in threes, somebody better watch out. :shock: :shock:
It's funny you posted this issue today. Yesterday it was poor Krystyna, who had cut a ton of strips, and watched in horror as they shrank before her eyes. If bad news comes in threes, somebody better watch out. :shock: :shock:
#26
Originally Posted by MaryAnnMc
I have gone back and forth on this issue, and I've decided I'm prewashing everything. I'm just not willing to risk a quilt's worth of hard work to bleeding fabric. I've tried all the methods to prevent fraying, including stitching the raw edges together first (what a hassle, and it still frayed). My conclusion is the good old-fashioned pinking shears are my best bet. And I can instantly tell if a fabric has been washed or not!
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Glenmoore, PA
Posts: 7,941
Originally Posted by mopec
I am not a quilter but am being drawn more that way. As a quilting novice, when you refer to "starching", are you spray starching or doing the old dip in real starch solution to the fabric?
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