stopped at yard sale advertising fabric. didn't see much special and was over priced anyway but as leaving saw box full of cut xmas fabric squares. asked what she was selling those for as no price tag. only $3.00! Downsize is having to re-cut them - well really just trimming to 6.5 inches (size width of my cutting ruler). I think she must not have used a cutter/ruler system as her squares are a bit wonky. Other downsize is that were not pre-washed and now hope colors don't run. Definitly will use color catchers. But I guess this is always a problem when you buy precut squares. Can't prewash b/c may shrink (and would be a mess) and then have odd sizes of pre-cuts. Do most of you just sew with them and then wash after put together with color guard?

anyway - think will make easy type xmas quilts - maybe D9P ?

Where am I when all these goodies are for sale? Lovely. My lqs owner never pre-washes her fabric. She says you don't need to. I've done both....wash or not wash and it doesn't seem to make a difference. Lynn

MHO: If you feel the need to wash them, just stick them in your kitchen sink and hand wash lightly. Set them out to air dry. Then press them. D9P sounds like a wonderful idea for these! You really hit the jackpot for $3.00!!! What a lovely variety you have gotten. Good luck with them!

What a great deal. I don't prewash my fabrics anymore, unless they batiks.

What a neat find. I can see a beautiful quilt setting there.

Lovely Christmas fabrics....you'll have fun with them and what a fabulous deal!

What a great find. Those are going to be a wonderful Christmas quilt.

Stunning fabrics.

I don't prewash, but do test fabrics I think might run before using them in a quilt.

I always wash the quilt in Synthrapol for that first washing (suspends dye particles in the water so they don't settle into other fabrics) and also use color catchers if there are any suspicious fabrics in the quilt.

The only time this might not work is if you have a truly bad "bleeder" fabric -- the kind that bleeds a *lot*, not just a little, and keeps on bleeding forever. You can spot this kind of fabric by placing a 1" or 2" scrap in a glass of water; it will leave ribbons of dye in the water. With yardage, I would wash a fabric like this in Retayne to set dye and then re-test; with your pre-cut pieces, I would just not use that fabric in the quilt.

What a great deal :D:D:D

Now that you have them trimmed, I would not prewash them. The cut edges would fray. You really hit the jack pot dodn't you! Beautiful fabrics!

I saw a tip recently to use a salad spinner to wash small pieces with some soapy water, rinse really well, rinse the spinner and spin them dry.

Good for you. Will the quilt be for you or a gift?

How about disappearing 4 patch? Cute and different. You really scored for $3!! Lucky gal!

Sue

A few of those prints are right from my stash. You got what we call the buy of the auction. Enjoy using them.

I love the colors, what a great find and just in time for Christmas too.

Andie :-D

Cute fabrics! :thumbup:

For 3 bucks I would have jumped on it. Who cares if their a little wonky. Still very useable. Good job!

Wonderful deal!

I recently bought a couple of baggies of assorted pieces at a quilt show - they were in the sponsoring guild's members sale. I always wash and dry my fabrics. I wash new pieces with the towels or even with regular loads, and alway put color catchers in for insurance. Then I'll add them to my stach. This way anything in the cabinet is ready to go.
Since I was unsure as some didn't feel like they had been washed, I washed all of them so I could use with confidence whenever I would want to use them with other fabrics from my stash.
The pieces that were already cut into patches I put in a lingerie mesh bag to keep them from going down the drain(just in case) and to keep them somewhat corraled. This seemed to work out ok for me.

For a Pattern suggestion for your find I just saw a darling pattern in Quilt Magazine -the October November issue pgs.90 & 91 have the picture. It is all half square triangles. I checked the cover and since it is displayed until Oct 11 I bought it as I want to make it and didn't want to risk not getting it. I will try to scan and send a picture tomorrow if you like.

probably both - can make at least two or three lap quilts from them - have some xmas fab left from last year also - much will go together. want to get started on something but of course in the middle of two other lap quilt projects for xmas gifts. knowing me will start something new before finishing something i have already started - love new projects!

What a great deal you got! :thumbup: Have a wonderful time with your loot. I never have found fabric or sewing machines at the Sales around here. Wish I would! :wink:

yes - i think i may try that. any quilts made b/t now and 12/25 have to be easy and FAST! can't believe almost 10/1 already! good thing i work best under pressure!

I have never washed fabrics with the exception of unbleached muslin. That pre-wash is a must because there is a lot of shrinkage.

About washing/not washing the fabric pieces, if you steam press them with a hot iron it gives you both parts of washing/drying in the machine. I found that out a long time ago from a friend. The steam is instead of the washing part and the heat instead of the dryer part. It will set colors and help control shrinkage.
Found this out when I had a bunch of squares that were new to me and it was a great solution.

Wow! That is some pretty material! What do you all use for color catchers? is there something affordable (cheap) I can use?

Now that was a good buy!
Not to take away from you;
I also went to a yard sale a few weeks ago,looking for fabric. The lady had a box full of yarn new 16oz skeins, about 30 of them, I bought for $8.00. now if any is a crocheter here you know the bargan I am talking about! and all different colors as well, now if I can find fabric like that what a find!

that fabric you got is beautiful!

I have to agree as to 'why don't I ever happen onto these wonderful finds?' :?

I have heard you girls talk about color catchers or dye catchers, where do you get them? are they available in the stores or do you have to go to LQS?

Shout makes sheets called Color catchers, it is in the laundry aisle near the dryer sheets, and you put it in the washer when loading your clothes. If any fabrics in the wash have dyes leaking into the water it catches them and keeps them off the clothes. My youngest son would NEVER sort out his laundry and washes everything together, so I bought some and just told him to always toss one in the washer. That he would do. I think it has saved many of his clothes. When you take the clothes out of the washer you can see by the little sheet if any colors leaked into the wash, and it will be on the sheet instead of the other fabrics.

Nice selection...great score! You could re-cut some, use some for paper piecing, some for applique...tons of uses! Oh, how about jar covers for home-made food gifts? I took some of my scrap fabrics to school, I am a teacher, and for math, the kids had to cur the fabrics into 1" squares...and various other sizes and then in art they mod-podged the squares to smooth vases and jars (bought at Good Will, garage sales, etc.) for gifts for moms, sisters, aunts.

If I don't was the cut pieces of fabric, I make sure I do wash the top in cold water on my very gentle cycle with , and I can't think of the name of the product, a wash made to stop bleeding. It works every time for me. I have made a Christmas quilt top without washing any of the fabric but I have it commercially cleaned when needed. I just want the quilt to last my life time and still look good. I have had it cleaned twice and it still looks crisp and new.

Oh boy, I wish I'd stumble on a find like that! I could use the small prints for my ornaments.

What a great find. Enjoy.

What a nice save and great value. You will have a great time making Christmas out of them. Now who will bring in the apple pie?

These are very nice, wish I could run upon a deal like that sometime. :lol:

Good find. I really need to start going to sales.

last year our shop hop gave away charms... 8 @ each shop.

my dd & ddil & i all put them in individual lingerie bags & washed & dried them... i think out of all of them we had 1 charm that came out "off"

Could also make beautiful table runners. Great buy for $3!

Love all of it, don't know what I'd do with it, but I'd figure out sumpin for that good of a deal!