I don't want my fabric to fray in the wash. Each piece is about a yd and a half. I am thinking of basting the ends of the fabric, or do you think it would be better to sew on my machine using the largest stitches? I only have a regular sears sewing machine

What kind of fabric is it? Manufacturer? If it's a good quality quilting cotton (Moda, Kaufman, etc)with 1.5 yard pieces I don't worry about fraying too much, it's pretty minimal with pieces that size.

Another option would be to hand wash.

I can't remember the reason, and it may be one of those "old wifes tales", but I was told to never stay stich before laundering. That was ... more years ago than I care to remember.

Put fabric in a pillow case to wash.

Trimming the ends with pinking shears usually works pretty well. I have a serger so I serge mine.

I have a small inexpensive mesh laundry bag that I use to wash smaller pieces in. Dollar store sells them in packs of 3. DogHouseMom is correct. Better quality fabrics will only have a minimum amount of fray.

staystitch!!! i use a zigzag stitch to confuse the threads..

This is what I do and it works great.

me too

If you're meaning hand basting ... it isn't going to help much.
A machine stitch would be required.

As the others said, if it's a reasonable quality there should be minimal fraying. Then just trim it up when you go to use it.

If u cut a notch in the ends of the rows that feats it cuts fraying down also

I always get some fraying and thread boogers, which I HATE. Recently washed a set of Moda Civil War repro fabrics that had a lovely hand before washing. Not a speck on my color catcher, so it was a waste of time, and I spent an hour cutting the thread tangles iff before drying. I still have to iron them. Back to NOT prewashing for me!

zig-zag ends with the longest stitch you have

i totally agree with that. I bought several yards of LQS fabric to make curtains with. I wanted to do everything right so I washed and what a mess. I think it took me longer to trim the loose threads and iron the wadded up stuff then it did to make the curtains! :?

Get pinking shears and trim each cut edge before washing. This will also help identify washed fabric in your stash from un-washed. I always wash fabric before it goes in my stash. This also indicates wether I want to use the fabric or not, if it doesn't wash well enough, I save it for projects that don't need the best.

I zig zag or serge the cut edges. I don't like the mess of the strings in the washer or dryer.

If you wash you fabric when it comes to your house...doesnt that remove the insecticides that keep bugs from eathing on it? I have a lot of fabric and I have kinda worried about that...........

For smaller pieces - up to a couple of yards, I put in mesh bag to wash. There is very little ravelling.

I haven't tried this but yet but I've heard of people using a zig-zag blade on their rotary cutter.

I serge the raw edges of my fabric before washing. Sure solves my problems.

There's insecticide on new fabrics?!? If this is true, do you really want to be handling it while you make a quilt? I wash everything I bring in the house. Most of the time I serge but sometimes I'm in too big of a hurry and then I pull off threads before putting in dryer and then there's not too much when it comes out of the dryer. If I don't pull off threads and fluff a little coming out of the washing machine it's a terrible mess coming out of dryer.

I've been thinking about trying this too. Has anyone here used those rotary zig zag blades for pre-wash cuts?

i am with you..unless it is a red or black..no pre washing for me either. WHEN i did, it went in a pillow case, and i pinned it shut.on gentle cycle. still frayed though.

I've started using my serger on the cut ends before I prewash. Saves a lot of mess from frayed edges. Zigzag on a regular machine work probably work just as well.

I machine stitch the ends of my fabric before I wash.
I also set my washer on the handwash cycle.
I have very little fraying. The cheaper the fabric the more fraying you wil have because it will be a looser weave fabric.
The ends of the fabric have to be trimmed/straightened when you start cutting anyway so a little fraying isn't a problem.

Pinking shears, zig zag the edges or serge all cut edges works
for me. My grandmother turned a very tiny hem and straight stitched it down before she washed.
Brenda

I always cut about a 1/4" off of each side with my wave rotary cutter and it keeps fraying to a minimum.

Eons ago when I learned to sew, 4-H recommended folding the fabric as it comes off the bolt and use the longest machine stitch across both ends. It keeps the ends from fraying and easily removed. Of course, that was in the day when we pulled a thread to straighten the fabric, too!

sew the cut ends together with a basting stitch--this really works well for long pieces of fabric because the fabric doesn't get twisted

I seldom pre wash..but when I do..I hand wash fabric!!

oh...you mean pulling a thread to straighten the fabric has gone the way of the dinosaur???? :shock: :shock:

I guess I didn't know we didn't need to do that anymore. :oops:

If I have a fabric that I just can't eyeball the straight of the grain, I still pull a thread :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I do all sorts of different things with my fabric...some I serge, some I wash and then clip frays....some I just use without washing...no rhythm or reason to my madness... :wink: :wink: :lol: :lol:

trim a little corner off the selvage edge--about 1/2 inch---works for me

I either use pinking shears or serge. Both are pretty quick and I don't have to worry about the gobs of thread if I don't!

I cut a notch in the corner with a pinking shears and it cuts down on fraying.

Or serge them together. Really does work!

Cut a triangle off of each of the 4 corners and it will minimize it a lot.

I use my serger but if you don't have one zig zag close to the ends....

Trim the edges with pinking shears or a pinking blade in your rotary cutter (my favorite and very quick method) if I ever got any shredding with that method it was very minimal.

I was told to cut the corners. It worked for me.

While I haven't personally tried this method yet, Anita Grossman Solomon, a member of our board, suggests this method where she sews the cut ends of her fabric together (of like colors) so there are no exposed ends left to fray. Sounds pretty neat.

http://makeitsimpler.blogspot.com/20...bric-love.html

If it were me I would use a regular sewing stitch to sew alone the edge of the pieces that do not have selvages, wash them and then take the stitches out.
IdahoSandy