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???????????

If you have a clothes airer it might be kinder on the fabrics, and it helps reduce wrinkling.

Bummer about your allergy, but at least you know.

Is it possible to buy fabrics that have not been treated in this way, or is it necessary to preserve the cotton?

I use a 2-thread serger, but I have been told a straight stitch works good as well as a zigzag.

Hi, I react to some fabric too. I wash them once on a normal cycle with warm water and detergent. Then I put them in the dryer and take them out when they are still damp to be ironed. Sorry. Hassle. I do not serge or do anything to the edges. I just trim the extra loose threads and often get help from one of my daughters with the trimming. You can also lay them on a cutting baord and lay a ruler on the edge and trim all the loose threads that way.

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.

Hang in there and hope the blisters heal soon.

BTW, I don't prep the pieces. I'd rather deal with the tangles. Not really a big problem for me.

Oh gosh--what a pain!
I wash-but agitate it all by hand, but I don't know if that's such a good idea for you.

If you don't overload the dryer, they shouldn't be wrinkled. Use the permanent press option.

Good luck!

What a bummer!!! Hopefully washing it will help!!!

I remember another question I had, they say that fabric that is mercerized or sanforized is ok, but when I look that up on google, I find gingham, but not anything else yet.....

How sad. At least you can wash it and use it.

From what you've said - you should avoid handling fabric until after it's washed.

Is there someone that you could get to do all the washing for you?

Overcasting/serging/pinking the raw edges does minimize fraying, but that's another time of handling for you.

It also saves on fabric - with the overcasting - maybe lose 1/8 inch on each end - I've lost up to an inch on each end (on a very few fabrics) before I started overcasting the raw edges.

I usually dry the fabric just until it's dry - don't overload the dryer - hand press it and fold it - then press it (with an iron) right before cutting it. (Like MadQuilter does)

As you can tell - there is definitely more than one way to do things. :?