I believe I have read here a few mentions that people snip the corners of their fabric before washing so it doesn't unravel too much. Is this correct??

Do you snip a small (around 1/2 to 1 inch) section diagonally (like a snipping off a small triangle) off of each of the 4 corners?

I don't. I took a tip from this board and wash on the shortest delicate cycle. I stopped getting a gazillion strings when I did that. No need for a full cycle (although I don't use batiks).

I don't actually wash the material. I fill the machine with the temp of water that I would use normally to wash the finished quilt. I put the fabric into the water, and let it sit for an hour or so. Then I spin the water out. I decided that I only need to go for shrinkage, and not remove soil that isn't there. By removing the agitation process, the material doesn't get so tangled. I just hang the material on a clothes horse to dry. That works for me.

Geesh. In my crazy life with 3 kids ages 8, 9, & 11, my fabric often is forced to fend for itself in a load with whatever needs to be washed at the time. Some fabrics leave lots of strings, while others hardly make any at all. I would like to use delicate or just soak, but the washing machine is usually in too high of demand for that. I press the fabric & trim strings as I go.

I bought a front-load HE machine a year ago and have cursed about it pretty much from the second week on. It is so frustrating to not have any "control" over the process. With a top load machine, I was able to open the door and test the wash or rinse water temperature and toggle back and forth between hot and warm or cold to get the temperature I wanted. I could leave the door open after it filled with water and was suddsy, and this gave me a soak period.

Now, with a front load, I can never tell what temperature it is using (meaning, I can't tell how hot the warm cycle is--with my old machine it was pretty hot so I blended some cold in sometimes). I can't just turn the dial ahead in the cycle or really override anything.

I am prewashing these fabrics because they are dark christmas colors that will be blended with a few light colors.

i clip about 1/2 inch off each corner,it really helps. i totally agree about the top load washeer, its horrible, and not cheap, top of the line. wish i had my olod ones back.

I cut a snip on each end and wash on delicate. I like the just soaking in water. To do that can u soak in cold water? I wash my fabric in cold water.

I did clip the corners of the fabric with pinking shears before washing and had very little raveling.

I have my DH zigzag the raw edges for me and that works Great!

remember it is not just "soil", which is there in the form of dirty hands, dirty floors, germy hands..you know..BUT there are chemicals sprayed on that fabric as well! at least put some lysol concentrate if you don't want to use soap!