jetayre

To add to everyone else's comments: I noticed that some bolts are reading 42". I am a end-of-the bold reader. What I am wondering ----how does this affect patterns. Some patterns show right to the edges and I can't help wondering if the pattern industry is going to take this in consideration. Any patterns I've seen lately are still the standard.

#1piecemaker

I think it is a marketing ploy myself. Just like everythingelse, the size is shrinking. Where you used to get a pound of bacon, now you get 12 oz. They hope people won't notice.

chairjogger

Thank you for the post , agree...surprised! My use was for a strip quilt, flag. I was greatful it was the nlue field so width required snd not red length! The bolt cardboard was the usual size! No clue there would be a differance.

anita211

I haven't pre-washed quilt fabric for about 25 years. I did it once... I ended up with 'strings' all over the place and said enough was enough. I don't even wash reds or blacks. If the quilt is washed in cold water once it is complete, the chance that it will run is minimal. I have also never had to rewash, soak, or whatever. Does the cotton shrink? It might after a couple of cold washings because then I will wash with hot water. I do this for Amish style quilts where you want the shrinkage that is always there on an Amish quilt. But for the rest, I wash in cold water, have little shrinkage and no running of colors. Besides, what is the sense of washing all the sizing off, and then ironing with spray starch to get the 'hand' back?

Anita in Northfield, MN

Steady Stiching

A sign of the times for sure <very big sigh> I just think it would be polite to be informed by the companies. I don't like being surprised.
On the plus size, I walked down the soda asle at the grocery store and small bottles have returned. And cookie packages are getting less weighty...maybe we will all get thin! LOL

Geri B

yes, it is known as a cost saving step....so now along with dyes that are not as stable as they used to be, we
have to re-think our wants of yardage due to short-cut on widths.........sigh......

Jingle

The fabrics I choose are usually copyrighted in 2005. Old stock, it is still 44-45" wide. Candy bars made by Mars sre going to shrink, according to what was on the news a few weeks ago. I doubt the price will be lower. Companies are trying to keep their bottom line up and screw the buyers.

justflyingin

I think the reason they do it is a way of price increase, but not necessarily to "screw the buyers". ;0

Just in every area, "buyer beware"...

Joanne9of12

For a number of years now, I have assumed that usable width of fabric is 40", no matter what the end of the bolts reads. But, more recently I've been looking at the selvedges as well as what's listed on the bolt. I recently had a student who had fabric with selvedge printing that measured 1" on one side and holes extending 3/4" into the fabric on the other end. That's 1-3/4" of unusable fabric. Her actual usable fabric was 38-3/4". Because of this, she was unable to get the required number of sub-cut units per strip, had to cut extra strips and she had LOTS of "wasted" rectangle ends. She was lucky to have purchased LOTS of extra fabric because she really liked it.

Fabric requirements for newer patterns are usually based on 40" wide fabric, but it is always wise to check for sure. A number of years ago I would buy only what was called for on the pattern, but soon realized that all patterns and fabrics are not created equal. Until I become familiar with a specific designer and his/her "generosity" with fabric requirements, I always buy at least 1/4 yard extra. When I write patterns, I base them on 40" of usable fabric and throw in a bit extra to allow for frequent clean-up cuts, etc.

EagarBeez

I purchased some fabric around this past November. One of the fabrics I purchased was 42".