Another Men's Shirt Quilt Question
 

I have cut all my shirts (all 100% cotton - good quality) and am beginning to piece my baby quilt for my soon to be great grandson who will have his name. It just dawned on me that I need to know the following before I proceed so please help (I hope this will be my last question- Ha).

It is obvious that my late husband's shirts have been washed, dried and ironed numerous times. I am using a Kona white cotton 10" square pack as the background for my half square triangles. I don't usually pre-wash my fabric so should I wash the Kona white squares, binding and backing or will it be ok not to wash, dry and iron the background, binding and backing materials?

Thanks again for your help. Cutting my husband's shirts has been an emotional roller coaster, but I really want to do this for the family. Again, thanks.

For such a meaningful quilt, I would do everything I could to make it come out the best... yes, I would pre-wash

I second that opinion

I would not wash the 10" squares. I would soak them in a basin & lay flat to dry then press them if that is what you want. Generally, I don't worry about washing precuts.

I would say to prewash them so that they are in the same condition as the shirts. And I'd wash the backing, too. If you don't then you will have uneven shrinkage once the quilt gets washed the first time.

I would steam press the 10" squares....if you try to wash them, they will ravel A LOT

Since you're using layer cakes for the background I wouldn't wash, they'll ravel all over the place, maybe do as ctrysass2012 suggested, and simply soak the squares.

I believe in prewashing and I think you will do just fine with the 10" squares. Put them in lingerie bags if you worry about it, but I think you could just layer them in with a light load of laundry. There may be a bit of unraveling, but it won't shred any more than a fat quarter would.

The drying and pressing now... that I would be watching so that you don't end up with hard little wads of fabric dried into concrete. Snap out each square as you take it out of the wash and put it in the dryer. Dry for half the time you think and check on them. When they are just almost dry, take them out, snap them again and stack them and press them immediately.

I think I would put the 10 inch squares aside for another project and buy and wash yardage for such a special project. Washing precuts is not always so successful in my experience.

When in doubt, pre-wash. You have everything to lose on this one. I would not take any chances.