sewingpup

I used to wash everything...but hey! I got piecing to do....now I am selective when I prewash....quilt shop fabric I generally do not wash....unless it is red or black...and then I sometimes do a bit of testing by rubbing a white tissue over it and seeing if there is a color transfer...or sometimes, if it is going to be a lot of red or black, I toss it in the washer with a couple of color catchers...one red batik I have, has deeply colored color catchers during three washes...don't know what I am going to do with this one...I also will prewash flannel used for a backing...unless I want a puckered quilt which sometimes I do for flannel quilts....and IF I am using a cheaper quality backing flannel as it will shrink and I want to minimize that if I have pieced the top with good quality flannel...just did that for some scrap quilts I made. I also will prewash if I am using a lot of fabric from a lot of different lines and manufacturers...yep, some shrink more than others. I used to measure my tops before quilting, after quilting, and then again after washing....yep...I could lose a couple of inches after quilting and a couple more after washing....

lindaschipper

I'm not a pre-washer, but this has gotten me to think that maybe I should be.

Still Sew N

I was taught to prewash and so I did. Along came precuts and that didn't make sense to me to prewash them so I didn't. Then I decided, I'm not going to prewash at all! I have made at least 50 quilts probably more, numerous table runners, lap quilts, placemats etc. I have not had any issues at all. Once I am finished, I wash the quilt in warm water, perm press cycle and throw it in the dryer. I love the crinkly look the dryer gives it. Reading prior posts, it makes sense there had to have been some shrinkage but it didn't affect the quilt much. Since I did not measure before or after, I honestly can't say how much shrinkage there was. I really love the look and feel of the quilt straight from the dryer, and so I'm sure I 'll continue on with not prewashing. Except for garments - that fabric will get prewashed!

bearisgray

When I first started washing fabric, I did not bother to measure it before and after - until I started to sell some of the fabrics -

Even though I knew I had purchased a yard of whatever - and I usually brought home 37-38 inches of length - I thought I should verify the length before I posted it for sale. I was not very happy to find that most of my "yards" were now less than 36 inches in length.

I usually buy a bit more than the pattern lists - if it says 1/2 yard, I usually get 5/8 yard to allow for shrinkage and if it is cut crooked/off-grain.

mojo11

I prewash all my cotton quilting fabric and the cotton I buy also make my husbands shirts. I hate the smell of the chemicals and the feel of the fabric. I even soak to preshrink 5" and all precuts before I use them. Don't want any surprises in my hand applique.

Seasew

I prewash every piece of fabric that comes into my house.

At considerable expense, we had square dance outfits made by a professional seamstress but the group that was in charge did not prewash the cotton fabric before taking it to her. Brought them home, washed the outfits and they shrunk. I had to let them out as much as was possible from the seam allowances. Lots of unhappy square dancers. From then on, I made our outfits myself.

Rhonda Lee

I'm a pre-washer also.

Rff1010

Surprised- I had a Wal-Mart red bleed so bad I had to wash 3 times.

bearisgray

I have also had Moda reds bleed.

Iceblossom

My one bad story about bleeding fabric was a name brand fabric but I don't remember the brand bought at a quilt shop. I also used a blue from the same collection and had no problems. The red dye was just not set, and even though I had prewashed when I washed the quilt it came out not as I expected with blue, grey, maroon and twinkles of white it came out with bits of baby pink! I found another piece of the red from the same line (it is the same design I used in the blue) at a thrift shop and picked it up to use as comparison. The two fabrics below started out the same color (maroon). The one that is now orange-ish has been washed about 6 times and still bleeds...

So now in addition to prewashing I do a transfer test if I have any doubt. Before fabric goes into my stash and ready for scrap quilting I am sure of it.