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I am a dedicated member of the pre-wash group to avoid this. So sorry it happened to you but at least you caught it early.

The only fabrics that I could actually see "shrink" before my very eyes was cheap cotton that you could actually see the warp and weft... AND a blend which I didn't think was a blend until I "smelled" it while ironing it in a finished block; the heat from the iron shrunk it!

I now wash all fabric in warm to hot water (for shrinkage &/or removing dyestuffs) and don't worry later on. A pound of prevention....

Shrinking is not complaint-worthy. If you've never experienced fabric shrinking, you've ben very lucky- especially if you don't pre-wash before a project, which it sounds like in this project you didn't. I expect 100% cotton fabric will shrink, so if you don't have a chance to prewash before a class, steam and try to shrink a bit before you cut anything.

i always steam press my fabrics before putting them away. i don't prewash, just steam it really well. it is damp when i am done. never had any problems with shrinking.

I always prewash fabric, any coming into my house, as I sometimes find awesome cottons at yard sales. I did learn a lesson recently from fabric purchased at a big-name store--never buy fabric on which the manufacturer is ashamed to print their name. This fabric, sewn into blocks with good quality fabrics, stretched while sewing. It was for a charity lap robe, so not a big deal, but would have been if a gift or cherished quilt pattern.

Quote:

Originally Posted by erstan947

I had a same experience. I went back to the quilt shop and read the bolt end. Sure enough....it had a high percent poly and the heat from the iron shrank it. I adjusted my seams to compensate for the 1/4 inch loss and finished the top. I have yet to quilt it. Guess this one will stay here....the dogs will appreciate it.

They sell cotton/poly at the LQS?????? Now I have to go burn test every fabric I have bought at LQS. I had no idea they sold any poly. I thought they just had high quality cotton! Well, I guess I have yet again proved the 'assume' theory! Dang! :oops:

ALL cotton shrinks! It makes no difference if it's fabric, clothing, curtains, etc. It may not always shrink both ways but it will shrink. Batting with cotton will also shrink. I remember when poly/cotton fabric first came out, we were so happy about no more shrinkage and a lot less ironing. Now we find ourselves going back to the old ways of 100% cotton.
Brenda

What do you with jelly rolls that can't be prewashed? Do you starch and press them or just use as they are?

Hancock's Cotton Loft is all 100% Cotton except for the broadcloth which is a poly/cotton blend. If an LQS has cotton/poly blend without it being in at least a specified area for such, go somewhere else!

I also thought all LQS fabric would be cotton. I do look when I buy at the Fabric stores like JoAnns, Walmart, ect, but never thought to check bolts at the LQS!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JanetLW

What do you with jelly rolls that can't be prewashed? Do you starch and press them or just use as they are?

I would just use them "as is". Wouldn't want to take a chance on starch shrinking them.

I always pre wash !!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by justwannaquilt

Starch and press BEFORE you cut. I never prewash, I have seen some fabrics shrink as I am spraying them with starch! I always starch before cutting for this exact reason. Wasting expensive fabric!

My thoughts exactly. I estimate how much fabric I need, add a bit for waste, and tear off a slab of fabric. Then I starch a couple of times BEFORE I cut my strips, and I use a HOT iron each time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaciqltznok

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonnieLoree

While it seems complaint worthy, did you read the care instruction on the end of the bolt? If you over-looked that little piece of information, you probably will not be compensated for your loss. If it is not printed I would request a refund, or credit or new fabric all together.

seriously...a refund...COTTON fabric shrinks when it gets wet and it hit with heat...it is a world wide known fact that has been on the record books for thousands of years....
Anyone who has ever sewn clothing(and 99% of all quilter's) know that shrinkage occurs with cotton fabric...like don't buy a cotton TEE unless you get a size larger so it can shrink....don't buy cotton towels with heavy banding on the ends because when the towel shrinks the banding does too and it makes your towel funky on the ends....

cotton fabric shrinks...the bolt does not have to tell you that, LOGIC tells you that!

wow...that's why I have so many funky towel ends in my linen cupboard...I spend a good part of every folding session stretching back out the end of my towels so they will lay as flat as possible on the shelf....I never thought about the reason why...I just figured all towels did that from time to time :roll: Man..don't I feel stupid!! :oops:

I prewash...just a habit cause I hate surprises later... :shock:

Boy!!! I will always wash my fab first now, Thanks :thumbup:

My mother had a similar shrinking problem recently. She spritzed some fabric squares, and left them on the ironing board overnight. when she got back to them in the morning, they had shrunk. Unbelievable.
I'm glad I prewash and dry!

There is more than one way to shrink fabric and You just learned one of them. If I have a lot of fabric to preshrink I put it through a rinse cycle and dry it in the dryer to damp dry and Iron it. If I only have a 1/2 yard or a few fat quarters I spray it and iron it as you did.
Some fabrics shrink a lot and some don't but I don't like surprises.