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A woman who goes to the retreat I attend each year is also allergic - and it's her livelihood. She tests and teaches for square in a square.
Her solution? She wears rubber gloves! They aren't as heavy as the ones you use to do dishes, more like what the dentist or doctor uses. |
Repeated, heavy exposure to formaldehyde can cause such allergies to develop. You probably already know, but just incase . . .it's also found in many makeups, antiperspirants, creams, mouthwashes, etc as well as in the glue that holds particle board and plywood together (incase that's present in your sewing cabinet/table) and even in cigarette smoke, burning charcoal, etc.
I usually serge or pink the cut ends of my fabric before washing (you could probably just wear non-latex gloves to handle. Be sure to use warm to hot water to ensure you get all the formaldehyde out of the fabric. I smooth my fabric out a bit before placing in the dryer then remove it while still damp and press. |
I heard about the formaldehyde ages ago when I worked in a fabric store. I also have allergies. Anything that touches my skin needs washing first. Fabric, clothes, sheets. The only thing I don't prewash is precut fabric.
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That a real bummer!
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my sis, is allergic to new material so she made all her quilts out of used clothing. She made beautiful quilts until she began to lose her eyesight.
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I am so sorry to hear this. I am glad you posted. I didn't realize there was formaldehyde in fabric. I am sensitive to all those other things people said formaldehyde is in : ( While quilting today I noticed that my face is all itchy and I didn't touch the cats at all today. I have never pre-washed my fabric becuase I hate doing it but I will now.
I am glad pre-washing helps you. |
I'm allergic to the formaldhyde as well. As well as any chemicals used in the dying process.
I can only go fabric shopping(LQS) a couple times a year, and have to limit my time in the store. I wash all my fabric as soon as I get home in chemical free laundry soap. And use vinegar in my rinse water. Storing fabric in plastic containers is also bad. The formaldhyde gasses collect in the plastic container and contaminate the fabric. I store my fabric in wire baskets so the fabric can breath. |
Originally Posted by MadQuilter
That sucks! At least you can still work with it after it's washed. I usually dry mine on regular dry and take it out as soon as the dryer beeps. I smooth it out by hand and fold. Pressing/ironing comes later when I need to use it.
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I don't know if you know it but there is formaldehyde in everything, that has fabric. Your carpet, furniture. I had a friend that bought a new house and had to resale it because of it.
I used to work for JoAnn Fabrics. The formaldehyde is terrible when you open up the boxes of fabric. I had to quit. I am a liscensed cosmetologist but had to quit that years ago because of it. The headaches was terrible. I wash my fabric and dry completely then use spray starch when ironing. That way it puts some of the stiffness back into the fabric. It eliminates the wrinkles. It works well for me. |
Originally Posted by natalieg
The doctor confirmed it this morning!!!! I went in for allergy patch testing on Wednesday. They even made a few patches out of some of my fabrics! They did the preliminary testing today and will do the rest on Tuesday. They said normally they don't see many, if any, positives on the preliminary because it is so soon and this is a delayed test. She took off most of my patches and I had blisters on the one spot where the chemical was for the fabric treatment!
I didn't know that they use formaldehyde to treat fabrics....yuck! But, lo and behold, I am allergic to it! They said that normally people that have this allergy can wash their fabrics at least twice and then the allergy is not as active. So, in the midst of wanting to reorganize my fabric, I guess now I get to take it all down, zig-zag the edges and wash them twice!!! For those of you that pre-wash your fabrics, do you take them out of the dryer when they are barely damp and iron them, or let them dry completely, then iron them? I have tried both ways awhile back and they came out pretty wrinkled for me. Even stayed wrinkled after I pressed them. Maybe I washed too many, but I don't want to do a few pieces at a time, unless I mix them with regular clothes (hate having a half empty washer). I have heard that serging them is easier and better, but don't have a serger. Any suggestions??????????? |
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