bearisgray

The plus side to washing the fabrics before you cut them - and not washing a batting that will shrink - (to each his/her own) - is that the shrinkage will be the same for the whole quilt.

maryb119

I prewash everything except precuts. I don't want any surprises after I put in the time and work on a quilt.

Sharon5012

Another prewasher here. I prewash fabric as it comes in the house. I don't even like it my stash when it has manufacturing or agricultural residue and cooties from public handling. And I usually handle it myself it for a couple months from cutting to completion and would certainly breath in a few of those molecules or touch my eyes with residue. The insurance from bleeding colors is a bonus as well.

However, I know many quilters that I totally admire who prefer working with the manufacturing residues still present as it handles/sews more easily, and many report no bleeding in modern fabrics.