tessagin

I prewash all my fabric including the precuts. Some of the fabric like batiks especially bleed only in certain areas. I throw them in the laundry just like my other laundry. I use hot water and a hot dryer. This allows for all shrinkage to be taken care of. my colors still look good. I used to use a basting stitch along the edges of the pre-cuts so they wouldn't fray so much but I got tired of buying pre-cuts and the sizes all inconsistent. Some were correct size but more were shorter and more narrow. Cheaper to purchase yardage and cut my own. I also prewash because of the odor on some of the fabric from the factory.

EmiliasNana

Me too. I don't see any reason to use something other than the recipient will use. I never wash pre-cuts for the shrinkage and fraying mentioned earlier.

popover

Its COTTON FABRIC, for petes sake! Why would you not wash it with whatever soap you want? The only difference in the cotton in your clothing and the cotton for quilting is the price. Tack "quilting" in front of cotton and raise the price $2 a yard. That said, other than batiks and hand dyed fabrics, a quality modern fabric shouldn't need prewashed. I haven't done so since 1972.

joe'smom

The Orvis would be for washing the finished quilt; I use Orvis for my finished quilts, but regular detergent can also be used.

There would be no need to use special soap for pre-washing the fabric. I'm not sure what detergent pods are, but you wouldn't need the same amount of detergent you use for a load of dirty laundry. I just use a very small amount of Woolite liquid when pre-washing my fabric.

cashs_mom

I did prewash some fat quarters I bought. But I did it by soaking in the sink with hot water and then drying on the drying rack in my dryer. Seemed to work well.

mojo11

I do mine this way also. Always pre-wash.

crafty pat

I wash all my fabrics first and always use my Tide pods and have never had a problem. When washing precuts I always put them in a mesh bag or old stocking and tie the top to keep them in. I have never heard not to use the pods before so I use them on everything.

P-BurgKay

I agree. I prewash all panels I use. It only takes one time to ruin four to five hundred dollars of fabric.

meanmom

Some people pre-wash some don't. I never pre-wash my fabrics. I just throw in a couple of color catchers the first time I wash the quilt if I think the colors will run. If it has a lot of light and dark fabrics I add an extra color catcher and use them for the first couple of washes. I have never had any problems doing this.

Iona D.

As far as quilts go, I'm certainly no expert. But as far as matters of fabric & their properties, I think I can comment with more knowledge and confidence. I chose to prewash & dry everything using Shout ColorCatcher sheets in the wash to prevent dye staining the other fabrics as a favorite laundry aid along with baking soda & Borax. Most people would be grossed out if they could see what disgusting things which walks across the fabric in shipment & storage along with the usual finishes (which might trigger an allergy) and possible hidden debris. Shrinkage with good grade cottons is minimal. Still even that potential problem is addressed & eliminated as well when prewashed. If the final finished quilt product is a never used or washed as a personal contact bedding, napkins, tablecloths, runners and the like-a wall hanging or some other eye candy sort of decoration-I don't bother.

As for the choice of cleaning agents, I lean to the more proven sort of things like the laundry aids listed above. I (or rather my parents) used Tide many years ago for reasons I never could figure out. At first even I used it. Now I prefer a more gentle, yet as thoroughly cleaning, Arm & Hammer Skin Sensitive detergent for all my washable laundry needs. It is found in most stores, reasonable cost, and I personally don't see any difference with some commercially touted quilt soaps or whatever. If it's that delicate, I turned to hand washing with Woolite or Ivory.

I do encourage you to try all suggested methods before you settle on one or a few.