I know there have been several posts in the past on this subject, but I need to add this to all others. Sat. when I was in Hancocks, my husband had to leave the store, because something in the store was bothering his allergies. The floor manager was cutting my fabric at the time and related this story to me about washing fabric. She has a friend who was sewing and cleaning up in the evening when she scratched her finger on the needle in her machine. The skin wasn't broken, so she didn't think anything about it. The finger begin to show some infection a day or so later and she went to her doctor. He put her in the hospital with a staff infection. He asked her what she was doing and when she told him, the Dr. told her to always wash all of her fab. before using it in any way, because of the dyes and what ever else might be on it, since most of the fab. comes from overseas now. Their processes may not be the most sanitary. She spent 5 days in the hospital and almost lost her finger the manager told me. She (the manager) saw the finger after the hospital stay and said it looked horrible, her finger had split open and really looked bad. SO PLEASE folks take the time and effort to WASH your fab. before using it. We just can't be too careful, and we don't want any of our other sewing friends to have any problems. I almost always wash mine, but I certainly will wash any of it now.

Wow, that's incredible! I think I will start doing the same!
Thanks for the info.

I automatically put new fabric in the laundry pile. Now I have another reason!

Man, I never washed my fabrics before, but I sure will do it from here on in!! I am always pricking my fingers!!!

OMIGOSH! After of 30 years of washing and not washing fabric, it never occurred to me to think of overseas, 'dirty' environments, multiple hands handling, infections and germs, ALONG with the yucky dyes and starches and finishes and other chemicals that make me feel all gummy-eyed and itchy! My washer will definitely be getting more of a workout these days!

UUUUUKEY!!!

Jan in VA

ugh. Lady Ga Ga wore raw meat- talk about germs everywhere!!! i'd go behind her with an anti septic spray!

That sounds extreme to me. Staph is a bacterial infection you can get from touching almost anything someone else has touched. I think it would make more sense to advise someone to wash their hands frequently.

Of course, there are people who are allergic to some of the chemicals used to finish fabric; those people need to wash fabrics before handling them. However, allergies and staph are two different problems.

Money is alot dirtier than fabric is and there is no way I am putting money in the washing machine! Next time you hold a dollar bill in your hands think about how many stipper buttcracks its been in. Are you going to wash it? I guess I just don't worry about stuff like this but really there is bad stuff every where you go, in everything you touch. NOT JUST FABRIC!
The only fabric I wash is swap fabric for this reason!

I have a tendency to think for me when I worked with fabric, it was after the holiday fabric came in. It didn't "feel" right but not long after I developed an inflamed rash all over my face that was beyond itchy and kind of burned. Couldn't wear makeup or anything. Didn't have insurance but was able to find a kind dermatologist who prescribed the meds that helped. Ended up being off for three weeks while it got under control and cleared up.
That was my first and only holiday season there and never had any problems again.

I've always been a fabric washer regardless but mine is motivated by bleeding color dyes than anything else.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I'm sorry, but that line totally made me crack up laughing (no pun intended?), although it's kinda gross to think about. ;)

I don't wash any of my fabric, because most of what I have was given to me and is smaller, almost scrap size. Well, that and I've never been very concerned about germs. I was raised on a farm, and, well, germs have just never bothered me.

With that said, I do think it's a different matter entirely if you're doing something for a swap.