I put no more than 6 yards of fabric in a rinse cycle, very few threads. Be sure to cut any threads before drying.

I also had to wash my entire stash. My autoimmune syndrome was affecting my lungs and I also was having blisters on the palms of my hands. My pulmonologist asked me to stop quilting for 3 months to see if that was causing or exacerbating my problems. The blisters went away and my breathing improved. So, I washed everything and yes, I dealt with all the strings. Now every fabric (except charms and strips sets) goes immediately to the laundry room. I wish you healing and renewed fun with your quilting; it will be okay.

I serge the raw edges before washing.

You could pink the ends and then they wouldn't ravel.

I don't use soap, but I always wash fabric in HOT water. The purpose is to shrink and remove any bleeding color. Hopefully the hot water will remove the chemicals.

I was watching an episode of Fons&Porter and there was a section where quilters write in with suggestions. One was to fan fold your fabric and safety pin the top and bottom of the folds. It works

I have a surger and surged my edges, like the idea of basting edges together too.

oh I feel for you! I do not prewash my fabric because of the threads but more so because I hate ironing it, some of the fabrics come out sooooooo wrinkled and I can't seem to get them out like I want. So I launder the quilt after I'm finished with it.

Whenever I go into a fabric shop I cough my head off, my hands get super dry from handling fabric, after reading this thread I think I plan to wash my stash as well. Thanks for bring this to my attention.

I use mesh bags or was thinking of one of those pillow case covers that are zippered and would hold more fabric.

If you have a serger or know of someone who does, serge the raw ends, then wash. I have done this for years, and never have had any thread tangles. Good Luck!

I know how miserable you are. My hands don't burn, but unwashed fabric 'excites' my eye and sinus allergies to the 'miserable' setting on the allergy meter!

I've just gone through the arduous task of 'sanitizing' with a stash I purchased on Craigslist. It was from the home of a smoker, and, while the odor was not terrible, cigarette odor can move the allergy meter to the 'OH MY GOD what have I done to deserve this level".

What I found works well:

1) no more than 10 - 12 yards in a load. For me, that was about 4 - 6 pieces. It's hard to resist adding more, but 10 - 12 yards in the washer gave me the best results.

2) Gentle cycle

3) cold water wash, using laundry detergent (I always use an unscented one)

4) Open the fabric to it's full WOF - never leave the fabric folded.
Washing and drying fabric folded in wof will SET the fold permanently. (I know because I've made that
mistake.)

5) I found the best average length of a single fabric to wash was 2.5 yard.
You can go up to 3, but after that the fabrics twist around each other very tightly in the washer and ravels more as a result. Put some shorter lengths in with the longer lengths so that the washer doesn't get unbalanced during the spin.

There was some very long yardage in the stash I bought, so in some cases it was cut into 3 or 4 pieces.

6) use color catchers, sometimes 2, depending on the colors in the load you are washing. Of course, wash similar colors together.

7) Remove each piece of fabric from the washer individually. Keep a scissor handy to cut off the ravels as you remove the fabric from the washer. Keep in mind that no matter what you do, there will be some tangling and raveling of threads.

8) Shake each piece of fabric out to it's full length and width, then put it in the dryer. You don't want the fabrics to 'ball up' in the dryer, because then the outside fabric is dry, but the center of the ball of fabric is not. It is also unbelievably wrinkled. Ugh!

9) Take each piece of fabric out of the dryer individually, measure it's length, fold as flat as possible.

- Have some selvage or thin strips of fabric ready to 'tie' the fabric immediately after folding.

- Use two address labels, back to back, one address label on each side of the 'tie"; write down the length of the fabric on one side of the address label. Then you will know how long it is when you are auditioning fabric for a quilt. You won't have to open it to measure it because you already know the length.

10) Store fabric. Iron when you are ready to use it.

Good luck.

Jeanne, I have the exact opposite problem. The strings and tangles occur in the washer. If not cut off as they come out of the washer, they're still there after drying. Darn pesky things!

I have had pretty good luck by snipping off a corner of the fabric at an angle, so I don't get many unwanted threads. I tried to wash my fabric when it came into the house, and that helped, as well as taking the fabric out of the dryer when it was half done and then immediately (or so) ironing the fabric. I have found that the half dried fabric irons fairly quickly, then it's folded and ready to be cut.

Since you don't want to handle the fabric much you can try the pinking rotary blade. I've used it and it seems to help. It doesn't seem very sharp though so you can't cut very many layers at once. Maybe you can wear gloves for this part of it.

I also put smaller pieces in a mesh bag.

I have the same problem this winter with my thumbs. I have had this problem previously but not to this degree. The split keeps getting deeper and has peeled to the extreme all across the end of my thumb. I didn't think about the chemicals in the fabrics. I have spent a lot of time with my stash since the holidays. Always learning something new here on the Quilting Board.

As for washing your stash, I would suggest pinking the raw edges as it does cut down on fraying. It doesn't completely eliminate it but does help. I bought a pinking blade for my rotary cutter; what a time saver over scissors.

I put FQs and other small pieces of fabric in a zippered net bag and throw it in with other wash. I also use pinking shears on the raw edges of all my fabric before I wash it. Haven't had a problem with string tangles since I started doing this. I also wash my fabric when it comes in the house and I know everything in my stash is cleaned.
peace

Red is not the only color that can be a problem.

I wash all my fabric for the same reason. If you clip a small piece off the corners it will not fray much. I have left some fabrics folded in half, but find I get a permanent crease on the fold. Since I like to cut WOF strips, I unfold my fabrics before washing.

when i started Quilting i made it a rule that no fabric goes into my sewing room unless it has been washed , this way i also know before starting a project the the material has been washed if it is in my quilting room , because I like a few others have terrible sinus problems when around a lot of material ,but since i have only washed material in my room my sinus problems have decreased big time after speding hours in my sewing room !, also the gloves that you said they were wearing while showing the quilts could of been the samr type of gloves people have to wear at quilt shows when viewing or judging Quilts , i know one time i worked at a quilt show and while working with the quilts and setting them up for display we all had to wear these thin gloves to protect them from the oil in our hand and to keep the quilts clean

This sounds like a winner! When I pre wash flannel, I usually serge the ends to keep it from fraying. It works for me.

Prism that is a great idea!

AliKat, you hit the nail on the head about NON-LATEX GLOVES, I'll take the fumes over the latex reaction anyday! Latex allergy is terrible. I can't even eat a Banana (natures latex) without my lips getting so chapped they bleed.

If you don't have a serger see if you could borrow one or rent one and this would be your answer. I serge the raw edges before I was and no threads. Hope you can find the answer.

so sorry you have this problem. I fold my raw edges in, safety pin, and wash. on gentle. then dry in the dryer.

What about getting a hand lotion called silicone gloves to put on your hands while handling the fabric?

I only use the tube method for small pieces or ravelly fabrics. For the rest of my fabrics, I use the soak cycle on my machine. Just fill, let the fabric sit and soak for a while, then go the the gentle spin cycle. Hang drying does reduce the tangles.

The dryer is the worst culprit for creating the string tangles. If you could air dry your fabric that would help. I have a drying rack in my laundry room so that helps.I know it's a big job but once it's done it's done. Baby steps!

:cool::thumbup: How does one delete these. Emoticons?

If the raw edges are overcast or serged, the fabric will not fray while being washed or dried.