mawmawbeve_60

wash and dry it...ASAP

watterstide

if you don't have a mesh bag, use a pillowcase..and safety pin it closed, that is what i have done..

good luck!

brushandthimble

I prewash all my fabric and have sewn one edge. Yes I get tangles and those long threads, but I have a pair of scissors at the ironing board.

Kathy N

I would load it all into the car and drive to the nearest laundramat and utilize every machine they have to wash it all at once by color family. Throw a color catcher in every load and a cup of vinegar. then you will have the large folding tables to fold the fabric. Take your scissors with you so you can trim off the stringies as you fold it. It will be a good morning's work but will make your life so much easier than trying to do it a load at a time at home. Good luck, if you were nearby we would all help.

sueisallaboutquilts

I have nothing to add except I would never store fabrics in a basement, no matter what!

kristen0112

I agree wash it quickly and dry it worry about the edges later.

kristen0112

That's a good idea.

ckcowl

making quilts since 1976...i have never stitched edges of fabric before washing it. i throw it in the wash i throw it in the dryer...if it is small pieces (smaller than a fat quarter) i put it into a mesh laundry bag, other than that i just wash it. and yes, some does fray, and some does shrink...that's one of the reasons i wash it in the first place. when it comes out of the dryer i set up an ironing board and a small cutting mat side by side, i trim/clean up edges and press it all...sometimes i make an afternoon of it and just really enjoy touching it, admiring it, dreaming of the wonderful things it may someday become.
just get it washed and dried before you have real problems (like mildew) and maybe you could use rubbermaid totes in your cabnets to protect your fabrics from moisture?

jrhboxers

If it is going to take several loads to wash it all, you can put the other fabrics in trash bags and put them in the frig. This will prevent mildew from forming while waiting for their turn in the washer. Clipping the corners off does stop a lot of unraveling.

Deb watkins

Yes, clipping the little triangles on the corners helps tremendously!