I have terrible allergies, am just getting started in quilting, and it seems something in some fabrics, either the lint, dust or chemicals, really gets to me. I bought a couple of jelly rolls from an online store, and they arrived Friday afternoon. They were so "linty" that the bunnies inside the bag, and on the yardage stuck in there with it, were the size you'd find under your fridge. I'm sure I inhaled some of the "lint" while I was peeking in the bag. Well, by Friday night I knew I was in trouble, and for the next two days I was so sick I could barely function. I'm still not feeling well. :(

So I need some advice, you kind and smart quilters :). Is there any way I can pre-wash and dry these without ruining the width of the strip? Has anyone pre-washed a jelly rolll? Or is it a disaster waiting to happen and I should just send them back? My first yardage pre-washing experience did not go well, and I learned some tips, but cannot use them with these strips.

I will probably *have* to dry them, because I can't let clothes dry on a rack, the tiny amount of mold/mildew that forms in those short hours gets to me too. I have one of those sweater racks for my dryer, I thought I'd lie the strips on those for cool drying, instead of tumbling them. I will also have to wash them in warm water in the sink to try and get rid of whatever it is in there that's making me sick. Do you think they'll be ok?

I spent $50 on the jelly rolls and I'd like to hear any experiences or thoughts. I don't want to ruin them by pre-washing. I'd rather just return them.

Does anyone else have problems with fabrics, especially linty jelly rolls?

Thanks in advance!

If you washed them in the sink like you were planning and then put them on your drying racks they probably will be ok. You might try one or two strips of different fabric (incase you decide to send the jelly rolls back) and see how they handle but I bet you will be fine. When they tumble in the dryer that is the biggest problem. They tend to shred all up especially since both raw edges are so close to each other. Good Luck. Jelly rolls are a lot of fun. Hopefully you can get them dust free so you can play.

If you have a lingerie bag you could put them in there. That way they wouldn't get bounced around the washer as bad. Then toss the whole thing in the dryer.

If they affected you that badly, I'd send them back. Handwashing will expose you to the allergen much more than peeking in the bag.

You might try wearing a mask until you get them washed and dry or inlist a friend to do this task for you.

Sorry to hear what happened to you. If I were you, I'd return them.
That's the problem with jelly rolls, they are very linty. I love using JR but I
also have to clean my machine twice as much. I've never washed them but
I do starch the strips heavily before sewing. I think washing would just
ruin them.

I would wear a resp. mask and shake them strip by strip outside. Hang the strip in the outside air and let them air out any fumes. Sometimes my eyes tear up in certain fabric stores from the concentration of sizing and dye fumes in the air.

If I had that type of allergy to anything - I'd avoid it at all costs. Perhaps you'll have to buy yardage (even 1/3yard) and cut your own strips - or participate in a strip swap that requires swappers to wash first.

Good luck!

i would only hand wash, gently..very gently. and then put on a rack and put a fan on them maybe.
with your allergies, i am not sure i would deal with any fabric at all!

Are you sure it isn't the chemicals you are having a reaction to?
I know the fabric cutting makes alot of dust, but you would have dust when you cut them also.
Have you had reactions to other fabrics or whilein the fabric store?
I woudl send them back or if you really want to keep them try throwing them in a lingerie bag and do the fluff cycle of the dryer- this will get rid of the lint and dust.
if you still have a problem with them it is the chemicals.
And if you have this bad of reactions you may want to get another hobby.
It's not good for you to keep exposing your self

Has your specialist suggested a custom resp. mask for you? A co worker I use to work with had to wear one and it wasn't uncomfortable for her to wear when she needed it. I know there must be much nicer ones made now.

If it's just this batch of fabric that's making you react so strongly - just return it.

If it's batiks, it probably wouldn't shrink much, if at all.

I washed some 2.5 inch cut strips that were not batiks and now they are 2.25 - 2.357 inches wide. (I think it was one of the so-called "better" brands, at that)

I would contact the store, by phone and explain that they are causing you major medical problems...I think they will take it back...if not, a mask is a must.

I purchased a Moda jelly roll 3 weeks ago and I was so surprised by the large balls of lint. I didn't expect that. Those lint balls went everywhere. I was concerned about how much was getting inside my sewing machine. If I buy another jelly roll, I'm opening it outside and shaking it out real good before I do anything with it.

I would suggest hand washing the jelly roll or just soaking it in the sink. I would not put the strips through the washer even if you have a lingerie bag to put them in. I believe that is what will stretch and alter the shape of the strips. You'll still get a huge mess and that would be money wasted. If you put them in the dryer, they would be ok in a lingerie bag. The washer has an agitator, the dryer does not.

In the future when you wash & dry yardage, try washing and drying on delicate. You only want to wash out the sizing. Take the fabric out of the dryer while it is still a little damp. Then fold the fabric like it came off the bolt and iron it while it is damp. That will help to remove those terrible wrinkles due to washing.

I wish you luck with the fabric.

I would never prewash a jelly roll. If I had an allergic reaction to it, I'd return it.

i have had jelly rolls and charms packs that said "not" to wash it..it also says it in the patterns you see ...

Thanks for the replies and tips so far, everyone :) To answer some of the questions:

I don't have reactions to all fabric nor all stores. My Hobby Lobby seemed fine enough, as did Hancock's, but Joann makes me sick every time I walk in there. I'm thinking most of my problem is the airborne lint/dust. So far, no rashes or itchiness from touching fabrics. This weekend, I got really fuzzy-headed, dizzy, congested, and fatigued. This is normal for me allergy-wise. I am worried that cutting fabric is going to be a problem. If so, then I got a LOT of selling "quilting stuff" on ebay to do.

If I avoided everything that made me feel sick, I'd be the girl in the bubble. ;) I also have fibromyalgia so cutting strips is almost as heinous as the allergy thing. Hence the waffling on whether to wash or return...if I could cut strips without problems, then I wouldn't have thought twice about returning the jelly rolls. However, if they are going to be off-size when I'm done washing, there's no question on returning them, for sure.

The jelly rolls I got are Moda Hunky Dory, is that the brand that shrank on you, bearisgray?

Thanks all :)

Wow, lots of replies while I was writing, thanks all of you.

I thought I'd have hubby go outside and dunk the rolls in a bucket of water to eliminate the airborne stuff, then transfer inside to the sink. I do wear a mask for things,I was just surprised by the amount of dust/lint balls in there this time!

I've read that in the books too, that you shouldn't wash, but I have had to ignore that for so many things due to my allergies and most things come out fine, however, with most things I'm not worried about losing 1/4" from shrinkage so this is totally different! Thought I'd ask if anyone has any real experience. I'll send them back if there is a good chance of them shrinking.

Looks like that might be the safest thing to do.

If you have those kind of allergies, I bet you have a good vacuum with a good hepa filter?? I think the Jelly rolls are particularly linty because of the pinking dies that they cut them with (the zigzag edges) I would try to, while they are still in a roll, vacuum each side really well. I bring mine out on the front porch and bang them against the railing, which sounds weird, but it gets some of the fluff off.

hmmm, Walgreens has those white masks. perhaps you could wear one when quilting to filter out all the stuff that gets into the air. good luck.

hazeljane, the mental picture of you banging them on the railing made me laugh. Yes, I have a Hepa filter on my vacuum. I have a really good furnace filter that we change frequently too. :) If I end up washing these, I will ask hubby to vacuum off the sides, so I get rid of most of the dust beforehand. I just wonder if they will continue to produce dust after I wash them, due to those pinked edges. Now that's something I hadn't thought of.

If it is affecting you this bad I would send them back.

Wow, you did have a reaction. Hope you are better now.

Personally, if it is this batch of fabric, notify the store and request a refund. I used to work in a fabric shop and sometimes an odor is not removed by washing. Since I am asthmatic and on a ton of meds, I would encourage you to always be on the conservative side when receiving/keeping merchandise. Lint, dust, mildew, molds, fragrances, etc. literally take my breath away and wear me out. Quilting is my hobby and my means to sanity. It can be done. Good luck!

I use the June Taylor cutting board to cut my strips and other shapes with 90 degree angles. My cuts are accurate and I don't have lint/dust problems.

Another brainstorm deals with having patterns cut by laser. I had a kit from John Flynn which was precut and didn't ravel. His daughter will give cost estimates for cutting your fabric for your choice of pattern. Just a another brainstorm :-)

i would be contacting the shop where they came from and asking for a refund...i have purchased tons of fabric on line over the years and NEVER have i received a package with dust-bunnies! that is soooo not acceptable! are they storing the fabric in a basement or garage or something? i received perfumed fabric one time...sent my hubby to the hospital in respitory distress from the reaction when i opened the package. when we returned from the hospital i was right on the phone...my money was refunded and i no longer do business with that shop. i don't know if they sprayed perfume to hide cigarette smoke or what but it was noxious! i would definitly be contacting them, washing the strips are such a pain, and they will probably shrink some or be wonky after. so, unless you just really want them i'd send them back. and i would wonder why they are sending out dusty fabrics

Precuts are not meant to be washed or dried before use. Maybe you could soak them VERY gently and hang the strips to dry. Otherwise you're losing precious fabric for sure
I've bought MANY precuts online, incl. jelly rolls - and I've never had one come with fuzz balls. They all shed some very fine lint from the pinking, but I've never had problems
Someone before said to vacuum them, sounds like a good idea - or maybe you should return them. Good Luck !! :)

I have had jelly rolls with lint also. I took the brush attachment on my vacuum and just kept going over them til they looked good. If there is an odor problem that is another issue. Sometimes the dyes used in the fabrics are so bad I get terrible headaches. Also, with the fabrics being made in other countries, they have to spray the shipment before it can come into the US. That is a horrible odor which sometimes won't ever come out. I had to return a garment the other day, after 3 washings it still smelled so bad I couldn't stand it. When the clerk to it out of the bag, she said, boy they really smell, I wonder if all of them are like that. I said, just give me my money back please, I don't want to have to smell them before I buy another pair.

Suzy

I have some physical limitations as well, and I have found that cutting strips on a cutting board with a rotary cutter IF I can manage to get everything at the correct height to use from a seated position is OK... And you would get much less lint and not have the distortion of prewashing the strips. Also, this may sound stupid, but it makes an incredible difference to have SHARP rotary blades. For ages I did not ever change them, then used a new one and was amazed and how much easier it was! I imagine the lint is partly from the fabric and partly from the environment that the cutting was done in...I like to have a ruler that spans the width of the fabric being cut, and then it is just zip zip zip. OR if all else fails, ask someone to help you with the cutting. Try not to give up your quilting. It is too much fun and VERY therapeutic!

If you have not unrolled the strips, i would vote for returning them, after contacting the store. Are you sure you bought them from a pet and smoke free shop? sometimes that is a big problem.
If you want strips cut, you can purchase an accu-quilt go with a 2 1/2" die and cut your own. If you purchase a fat quarter pack and wash and dry your fats, you will have the same fabrics as you would in a jelly roll. once they are pressed (and if you can starch them) run them through the accu-cut, or if that is not possible, ask to have them cut for you, or rotary cut them yourself. A fat quarter pack generally yields the equivalent of 2 jelly rolls, possibly 2 1/2. With a little creativity, these strips [which will be 2 1/2" x 22" rather than 2 1/2" x 40"] cam be worked into your patterns.
Hope this suggestion helps! Good luck...from a fellow allergy sufferer!

sometimes I have the same problem with some fabrics . I always have SOME reaction because my allergies are severe and I have asthma and COPD. My dr suggested I wear a mask but this fogs my glasses and I still itch from the contact with lint and dye? I take allergy meds and meds for asthma and copd...I just do it anyway... I hope yours gets better or you find a way around it. If you find something that helps be sure to let us know!!

Another thing, do you someone who would cut your pcs for you from laundered yardage so all the little flying fluffies we dont need to breathe would be gone before it gets to your house? I taught my neice to quilt and she used a fabric softener to smooth her thread thru to hand quilt and I instantly choked and vomitted before she could get it out the deck door. So she and my husband sometimes deal with things Icant like this and spray basting and cleaning filters etc

I did with the triangle I brought from ebay(moda) and it hit my eyes from the flyaways lint...took me a few days to quit hurting! Im glad u posted this cuz i thought it was me! And the air was filled with this tiny fuzz.

The Accucut die cut machine would eliminate all the cutting pain and the airborne lint. Check it out.

BellaBoo....you are right about that!

I think you would be sorry if you tried to wash a jelly roll, you would have a tangled mess.

I have allergies, too. If they were that linty, I would send them back.

You have my sympathy. I just spent 5 miserable days feeling itchy like bugs on me from head to foot. I ate benedryl and avoided my medications, and foods, only to discover I was piecing with old fabrics from my mother's stash. It must have been the dye or the dust. All better now, but machine washed the quilt top and rinsed with baking soda in the water. All is better now. Good luck.

Could have been some mould in there if they have been stored for a long time. It doesn't have to be visible to affect you if you are allergic.

here is one suggestion...i have done this myself. if there is a lot of lint, i use my small hand-held vacuum before unrolling the jellyroll...it is amazing how much line this removes. don't elimninate the possibility you are reacting to the dye. either way, i would vacuum the roll, open it and lit it 'air' for several days, and use sizing before sewing. hope your situation improves. being alergic to fabric would be worse than death!