MASSIVE shrinkage - beware
02-06-2013, 08:04 PM
#21
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 10,357
Seriously, If I am making a quilt that is to "live" somewhere other than my house I put the fabric under fairly brutal treatment prior to piecing/quilting. You would be very surprised at the washing/drying habits of some households. If fabric is going to "misbehave", best it does it before going into a quilt.
02-06-2013, 09:03 PM
#22
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 3,586
Originally Posted by auntpiggylpn
I see on fabric.com they recommend this fabric be washed in COLD water. Now I don't know about anyone else but my quilts get washed just like the rest of my laundry. I don't think I would use a fabric that could only be washed in cold in any of my quilts. That is just a ridiculous idea for a fabric manufacturer of QUILTING fabric to make fabrics that could only be washed in cold water. Sounds like they already know there is an issue with shrinkage. Sorry this happened to you.
02-07-2013, 04:50 AM
#25
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1
I always pre-wash all my fabric in hot water and dry on high heat. I put too much time and money into my quilts and I don't want any surprises the first time it's washed after finished. Some fabrics shrink more than others and I'm afraid if I don't do that, it will be lopsided down the road...just my 2 cents....forwhatitsworth 
02-07-2013, 04:54 AM
#26
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: New York City/Manhattan
Posts: 1,316
I rarely, if ever, preshrink my fabrics. I find that after being quilted, the shrinkage is minimal and even. It seems, to me at least, that the quilting helps hold the fabric true. Now, this may be my delusion, but it works for me and I've been quilting 20+ years now.
02-07-2013, 04:59 AM
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Canadian in Minnesota
Posts: 3,078
I'm with the pre-washing in hot/warm water crowd since I make mostly baby quilts and we all know that babies leak and my quilts will get plenty of time in a washer and dryer. Also because of the babies I prewash to remove any chemicals that were added during the manufacturing process.
02-07-2013, 05:05 AM
#28
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 10,590
Allison, thank you so much for your heads up. I don't care what the website says, this amount of shrinkage is unacceptable. So I appreciated knowing this to avoid a situation like you are having. I suspect you paid a premium price for this fabric as well.
Like you and Quilt-E, I always prewash in HOT water. And if you are going to treat with Retayne because that beautiful fabric is a bleeder or you are forced to use Synthropol because you DIDN'T test/prewash/treat, etc you HAVE to use hot water for the product to work.
My reasons for prewashing in Hot are the same as those of us who do prewash in hot, maximum abuse up front. No difference if the quilt is my own or to be gifted, donated or sold, I want the fabric to have already experienced the worst that is going to be thrown at it, laundry wise. Some commissioned I have even subjected to *HORRORS* the laundromat! Yes, under normal circumstances I do wash in cold but I also have pets. My cats have more then once hacked up a hairball on my bedding. A cat with a urinary tract infection, lets you know by going in an inappropriate place. If I have any kind of accident like that, you can rest assured I WILL wash my heirloom quilt in HOT water. Not doing so just skeeves me right out.
Like you and Quilt-E, I always prewash in HOT water. And if you are going to treat with Retayne because that beautiful fabric is a bleeder or you are forced to use Synthropol because you DIDN'T test/prewash/treat, etc you HAVE to use hot water for the product to work.
My reasons for prewashing in Hot are the same as those of us who do prewash in hot, maximum abuse up front. No difference if the quilt is my own or to be gifted, donated or sold, I want the fabric to have already experienced the worst that is going to be thrown at it, laundry wise. Some commissioned I have even subjected to *HORRORS* the laundromat! Yes, under normal circumstances I do wash in cold but I also have pets. My cats have more then once hacked up a hairball on my bedding. A cat with a urinary tract infection, lets you know by going in an inappropriate place. If I have any kind of accident like that, you can rest assured I WILL wash my heirloom quilt in HOT water. Not doing so just skeeves me right out.
Last edited by feline fanatic; 02-07-2013 at 05:11 AM.
Let's hear it for .... the Sisterhood of the Fabric Abusers!!!
02-07-2013, 05:34 AM
#30
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SW KY
Posts: 200
Hey Alison--It happened to me too! In September I bought 108" Moda fabric, washed/dried it, squared it up and sent it to the Longarm quilter with my quilt. She called me saying it wasn't large enough. I couldn't believe it! I thought I gave her more than enough. I sent her an additional 1/2 yard. I wonder if fabric manufacturers are making lesser quality fabric for 108" fabric? I've never had that problem before. If you can't depend on 108" fabric, we'll have to piece our backs!
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