Newbie question - what's the best way to launder fabric?
#11
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Small town south of Ottawa, Ontario
Posts: 1,692
Not everyone prewashes. We have had many a discussion about it on the forum and every time you get alot of feedback about both methods. My suggestion would be "skip the tangled prewash mess and carry on" I never prewash and I have never had a bleeder yet, but, I also use ColourCatchers in my wash.
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 2,189
I never wash pre-cuts..... Use color catchers after it is together if you are worried.
Also, some time ago the light bulb went off and I realized that the fabric didn't need 1/2 hour of agitation to get the stabilizer/stiffner out of it. I always use the shortest and easiest cycle on the machine now and have very little loose threads. Works like a charm!
Good luck.
Also, some time ago the light bulb went off and I realized that the fabric didn't need 1/2 hour of agitation to get the stabilizer/stiffner out of it. I always use the shortest and easiest cycle on the machine now and have very little loose threads. Works like a charm!
Good luck.
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Ridgefield WA
Posts: 7,765
HOSIERY BAGS DON'T HELP!!!! Found out that yesterday! Was finding that the black fabric I'm using seemed to shrink while I was using it (maybe steam pressing?) So I thought I'd better wash the 12 1 1/2" strips I'd cut for the borders. WRONG!!!
Did manage to unravel and straighten it, but , boy, does black tend to unravel more that other colors! Usually I don't pre-wash either, just a brief dunk in light starch.
Did manage to unravel and straighten it, but , boy, does black tend to unravel more that other colors! Usually I don't pre-wash either, just a brief dunk in light starch.
#20
If I'm using pre-cuts, I don't launder any of the fabrics for that quilt and I don't use steam in the iron during construction of the blocks or top. That way, they're all going to shrink - but not until after the quilt is finished and laundered.
I'm pretty much giving up precuts though. I've found that I prefer laundering the fabric and then starching the heck out of it - it helps me keep the blocks precise.
I also like using the shot of steam when pressing open the seams, and if you do that to fabric that hasn't been washed, your block will shrivel and shrink, usually unevenly.
It's a lot of extra work, but at least I'm not pulling my hair out because the blocks are coming out different sizes. I've been using a lot of Civil War repros and there is a HUGE amount of difference in the shrinkage from one brand to another or maybe even from one line to another. I would lose the teeny little bit that's left of my mind to go to all the trouble with these CW quilts that I do only to have them come out of the final laundering looking all wonky and wavy.
I'm pretty much giving up precuts though. I've found that I prefer laundering the fabric and then starching the heck out of it - it helps me keep the blocks precise.
I also like using the shot of steam when pressing open the seams, and if you do that to fabric that hasn't been washed, your block will shrivel and shrink, usually unevenly.
It's a lot of extra work, but at least I'm not pulling my hair out because the blocks are coming out different sizes. I've been using a lot of Civil War repros and there is a HUGE amount of difference in the shrinkage from one brand to another or maybe even from one line to another. I would lose the teeny little bit that's left of my mind to go to all the trouble with these CW quilts that I do only to have them come out of the final laundering looking all wonky and wavy.
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