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I have prewashed a few batiks. noticed while makeing a test block that one of them bled on my ironing board so i did prewash the rest. and i wound up prewashing about a 4 yard cut last week. not because i wanted too...... but it turns out that leaving your spray basting on your ironing pad where your starch usually is........well. not a good thing, and i do tend to starch heavily. lol. got a nice clean iron also.

Well, I knew after searching through prior posts on this topic that it was a "hot" topic! I think I'll occupy myself with some stash sorting and knitting while I think about it. :)

I just read in a quilting magazine that you can use the salad spinner to wash these. Good luck and enjoy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cecelia363 (Post 6909962)

To pre-shrink , fade and bleed test= I don't usually pre-wash FQs but when I do it's in the sink with hot water and a few drop of liquid laundry soap, soak for 5-10 minutes, swish, rinse, squeeze out excess water then squeeze out again with "iffy" pieces rolled in white paper towels. If there is any color transfer I do it again. Toss I hot dryer until almost dry then stack and lay flat while pressing one at a time. After all these years I have only had problems with one fabric line-I loved this fabric and all that was available was FQs - I bought a lot! It was tone on tone in NAVY and in RED the lighter tone was a dragon fly pattern. It bled, faded, schrank and every crease fold faded !
,

It seems like washing the whole piece would be no more effort than what you do.

I never pre-wash my fabrics. To me it's like washing out the sizing to replace it with twice as much starch in order to keep it from stretching while you're working with bias edges. When I'm done with the quilt, I'll often wash it with color catchers, but I have never had a problem doing it this way!!

Because of sensitivity to whatever it takes to make fabric beautiful I previously prewashed. Lately experimented with soaking in hot water, agitate a short time, and spin. That seems to take out what ever bothers me and takes less time. Fat quarters do fine either way but charms would be better done by hand. Jelly Rolls best if left alone. The only quilt I made without prewash was a one block wonder and while it was nice working with unwashed fabric my eyes and skin were really glad when the quilt was done. Have fun with the gift of extra fabric.

Glad ann31039 mentioned batiks. Always wash and rinse. They almost all have left over die and have been through so much in processing cannot be hurt in any way.

Putting the,on a lingerie bag sometimes helps

Quote:

Originally Posted by HouseDragon (Post 6908716)

I buy kazillions of FQ bundles and they are actually easy to prewash.

I use my rotary cutter with a pinking blade on an old cutting mat and pink the edges of the FQ.

zip zip zip

Then wash as usual by colour family. As you remove each FQ you may have to snip off any long hanging threads. Then throw into the dryer.

Pinking does several things: it eliminates most or the worst of unraveling threads and it makes it easy to tell that its been prewashed.

BTW, I pink all my fabrics before washing for the same reasons. Use an old cutting mat: the pinking blade is a mat killer even on self-healing mats.

Thanks for the info on the pinking blade, I use it to make the tie off blankets, I'll know now to use the back of my mat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiffie2413 (Post 6908724)

I'm one of the "crazies" (said with love, after all I'm in the group) who does pre wash fqs... Mainly due to allergens in many of the people I make things for. The sizing used in many fabrics also gets to me. I also participate in several of the swaps here on QB, and sometimes get fabrics from smokers. Which is not a complaint, because when we sign up for swaps, that's something that can happen.
I usually wash them by hand, warm water, "Free and Clear" soap. Sorry, have to laugh at that, as it's certainly NOT free when I go to purchase it! Badda Bing :p
I either pinking shear them or clip a tiny bit off each corner (supposed to help prevent the unraveling, not sure it really does) then I wash them by hand. There's been a few (especially reds) that it took a bit for the water to run clear, so I'm glad I pre washed on those for sure.
I then carefully "wring" them, smooth them out, hang them to drop dry. Usually when they're damp I press them.
I'll admit, it's work. But there is something nice about putting up a fresh smelling piece of smoothly pressed fabric...lol
Regards,
Kif
PS I had to pre wash a jelly roll once, it turned into a crumb cake...:shock: never again!

I am a smoker but only outside & I wash my hands before I go into my sewing room, the few quilts I've made the people can not smell any smoke on my quilts. My problem is buying fabric at Estate sales that have that musty smell to them. It's the only time I prewash (other than obvious bleeder fabrics) and then usually with vinegar, baking soda & detergent the musty smell comes out great. I was recently given 2 big tubs of fabric with the smell so I went out & bought 2 mesh bags to wash the scraps in. Hopefully I won't have to throw out too many tangled messes.