I have started washing all fabric because it started with the darks and the reds. I thought if I washed part of the fabrics I should wash them all so they all started out with fair "shrinkage" if there is such a thing. I sniffle in the fabric store,(which I thought was the chemicals and dust from the fabrics) and I sniffle after they are washed when I am cutting them up. I have determined that I am allergic to the "dusty" fabric fibers. Am I going to give up my hobby? NO WAY...Zyrtec and Claritin are my friends.

wow what a horrible ordeal that lady had to go thru, i always wash my material before it gets in to my sewing room

My sentiments exactly. i take anti-histamines.

Very interesting. Thanks for the info.

I have gotten lax on washing fabric. But I would rather be safe than sorry. I will start washing all my fabric, I use starch when I iron them, so they have that crispness back.

ROFLMAO
Thanks for the visual, I could have gone all day without that crack! LOL

But i do wash all my fabrics because of the formaldehyde, it just makes me feel bad. I get that way in the fabric stores as well and sometimes my eyes will start watering if I stay in the store a longer then an hour but I have learned to get over it long enough to buy what I need so I can get it home and run it through the washer.

Not me-I never put my purse on the floor, anywhere, ever. I put it on a chair or on my lap or I might hang it from my chair (as long as it doesn't touch the floor). Never ever in a bathroom-ugh. I don't even want to put my feet on the floor in a public bathroom. lol. I've seen women put their small, crawling, thumbsucking children on a bathroom floor while they use the toilet. ick. btw I never did that either. I was lucky enough to always have help with me or I could hold it until I got home.

I washed some fabric today but I usually don't. I sure will now. Two weeks ago I had a bad week and sewed right through my index finger. The needle broke in two and I had to pull the point part out the bottom with the string still in it. Got an x-ray but the needle was a clean break.Talk about severe pain. The end of that week, I will be darned if I didn't do it again on my middle finger but just took a piece of nail and meat off the tip. Like I said, a bad week. I am very surprised now that I didn't get an infection. So you know now I WILL WASH!!Thanks a bunch for telling us the cons of not washing fabric.
Can anyone tell me how to wash fat quarters?? I would appreciate it. Thanks, Marlene

I have had a similar infection recently but doubt that it would 'live' in material. Most infections would come from personal transfers and gardens, plus over - use of antibacterials causing resistance. These antibacterial fad/obsessive cleaning behaviours also kill the good bacteria. Any puncture wound or cut in the skin allows these type of germs to enter the body as they live on the skin anyhow. Those with low immune systems need to be careful.

I've always washed everything new, including clothes, can't stand the smell of new fabric.