Misty's Mom

Welcome to the board from Texas

I prewash, allergic to the dyes or sizing in fabric. I try not to buy precuts unless I want the variety and its a really good price. I use both steam and dry iron.

Jackie Spencer

I have been making quilts since the mid 70's, and I never pre-wash my fabrics. I have never had any problems either. When I wash my quilts, I never use hot water, never put them in a wringer washer, and use a gentle detergent like you would use for babies clothing.

tessagin

I wash the pre-cuts and yes the jelly rolls. They usually go into a lingerie bag. I have a tag gun I use and have also used bread wrappers to keep the pieces together. Keeps them from tangling! Plus size knee-highs are good to use also.

Misty's Mom

OK, I haven't finished my first cup of coffee yet, but how are you using bread wrappers to wash precuts? My brain is still foggy.

Dina

I don't prewash. It has never caused any problems for me.

Dina

Maggiemay

I pre wash all of my fabrics. If is going to shrink or fade or bleed or otherwise misbehave I want to know before I start making the quilt. I think most, if not all would agree to pre wash flannel as it usually shrinks quite a bit. I learned that one the hard way in high school when I made a cute flannel shirt without pre washing it & it shrunk like crazy. I also managed a few JoAnn Fabrics way back when and had some allergy problems caused by the sizing and things used in processing fabrics. So pre washing was always my choice. I'm a steamer too- I just always have, never knew not to!

To each their own though. There are many accomplished quilters who don't pre wash their fabric and have no problems.

Lori S

Having learned the hard way about fabric I thought would not bleed , I prewash .. especially batiks. It took just once to have my hard work ruined by one bleeding fabric , I would rather spend the extra time at the beginning of the project than have the heartbreak of a ruined quilt.

dunster

I prewash everything except precuts, and I seldom buy those. I sometimes use steam, sometimes spray, sometimes dry, and recently when I had a lot of half-yard pieces I did the old technique of spritzing the fabric and wadding it up and placing it in a plastic bag before ironing. We used to do that with clothing before permanent press came out, and it still works great, so I'll do it again. I starch when I think it's necessary.

nygal

I don't prewash either.

Inez Ruth

I pre-wash (except pre-cuts) because I have asthma and the chemicals in the dye trigger my asthma. This is really a problem when I iron the fabric if it isn't pre-washed. When I walk in the door with fabric, it goes right to the laundry room before it even sees my sewing room. If I'm using a pre-cut or kit, I open the window, use my inhaler, and iron as little as possible. I always use steam. It takes less pressure on the iron. I agree with everyone else, there are no rules. You'll find what works for you.