Yes! We'll start our own organization, and have meetings! (At the laundromat.)

@ hopflower: A more complete explanation is posted earlier in this thread, but basically it is to ensure that any fabric changes possible (especially shrinkage and color loss) show up before you make the quilt. Unless you keep all of the quilts you make you can never be entirely sure of how they will be treated in their new homes, so if you pre-abuse your fabric the future owners will not have to deal with unpleasant surprises down the road.

I've never had a huge shrinkage problem before, but I have had fabrics unexpectedly bleed in the prewash - fabric that was not even dark or batik. And once I had a fabric actually SHRED in the wash. It was a deeply discounted clearance cotton fabric, so I wasn't out much cash, but it was truly startling to open the washer and see strips instead of yardage! (I suspect it had been exposed to sunlight.)

Alison

PS I really didn't mean to reopen the wash/not-wash can'o'worms.

I had the same problem with one of Joann's backings. It shrank from 108" to 102". I didn't wash it in hot water. The store didn't do anything about it. They still had it on the shelf a week later.

Proportionately, that's the same as a shrinkage of 42" to 39-1/2" ... not really abnormal.

low temp dry by blowing gently across the fabric with slightly puckered lips on a warm summer day

It only shrank because you puckered too much. Guess you'll only do THAT once...note to self: no practicing for Valentine's day while prepping quilt fabric.

LOL- Alison, you're a gem. Washing & drying in hot/abusing the fabric up front makes perfect sense since you don't know what kind of abuse it will get on the other end. Better to get it all cleared up beforehand than have a paying customer accuse you of shoddy workmanship.

On the laundramat comment...that, too, makes sense since my own washing machine- while "XL" capacity, doesn't like being overloaded, so I'd be inclined to take a quilt to a commercial washer/dryer for just that reason.

All good points, allisonquilts. Even though you give care instructions, it doesn't necessarily mean that the recipient will follow them. I like your "kamikaze approach" to save headaches and heartaches in the future.

I also wondered--why was in hot water? If I prewash I use the same temp that I would wash the finished product with.

Heck ... it happens in our own homes!!!
......... where things jump into the washer at the wrong time ... hot water instead of cold or whites in with denim.

Surely this has happened to some others! :)

I didn't realize that the laundry police read the posts on the Quilting Board! LOL

I agree. I don't want anything that sits on a bed where people sit, lie down, pet the cats or the dogs or each other that I can't give a good hot washing. froggyintexas

Alison...Now is your chance to test your creativity. I always put something that complements the front of the quilt when I am making the back. I cut the backing in half lenghtwise and insert some that uses some of the fabric from the front. It lends a lot of interest to the quilt. Let us know how you make out....

I, too, am one of the hot water and RETAYNE users for prewashing fabrics. I wash all the fabrics for the quilt together so that if there are any bleeding fabrics, the RETAYNE will hopefully have taken care of it and the rest are pretreated/preshrunk at the same time. Haven't had any problems so far and have done that procedure for many years. I also include "Launder in COOL water only" on the label cuz that's what the bottle says!!! Before I started piecing quilts, I was a garment sewer (for myself and four children) and learned to prewash fabrics before cutting. I couldn't imagine sewing a garment and only getting to wear it until it was laundered because it then shrunk. Alisonquilts, am sorry of your aggravation. That massive shrinkage would be so disheartening. Thanks for sharing.

I made some tablecloths for a customer and used 200 count Avalon Muslin fabric, when the customer used them and washed and dried they shrunk so much the customer couldn't use them on the longer tables that I made the cloths at 114", they ended up using them on the 6' tables. I figured they had at least 10% shrinkage and this was from Rockland Industries, but they had purchased the fabric from China. I made them replace the fabric and returned the cloths and had to be out the labor to remake the 14 tablecloths for my customer. Needless to say I don't purchase anything from Rockland anymore.

That is what I am querying also as IMO no-one would wash a quilt in hot water, would they?

I am a member of the Sisterhood of the Fabric Abusers and I am proud of it. Rather it be me that discovers all the problems than the person to whom I have given the quilt. I always tell the person that if there are any problems just let me know and I will fix them. I try to include care instructions and a color catcher when I give the quilt. This does not mean that they will be used. We don't know how other people treat their wash. Better to be safe that sorry, I say. All that said we can only do what feels right to us. Sorry for the problem you had. Thanks for the heads up. Let me know when and where the next meeting will be, BrendaK

I usually wash in warm, but thanks for the info.

As above! :)

I always do.

Apparently it has become a sin! :D

BTW ... welcome to the club!

A thread was deleted today mentioning the fact that so many posters did not read the posts. Too bad. If anyone is interested, several posters have already said why they do wash quilts in hot water. They have good reasons for what they do. It is interesting reading.

I agree with you - just about every quilt especially if it is used well (not a hanging show piece) is washed in regular laundry procedure - usually a warm.

Marysewfun

I'm in that club!!!

I have to ask another question though to the OP ... are you sure the fabric was 108" when you started???? Hmmmm ... the plot thickens!!

DHMommy ... You mean you want to show your face about such? :D

Good thought re the original width ... I know I that generally, I do not measure regular widths, let alone widebacks before or after wash ... unless I have a specific reason to do so.

No, as a matter of fact I do NOT know that it was 108" - excellent point! However, it was being sold as 108", and the wide backing listings usually say pretty specifically what size they are (I've seen them range from 104" all the way up to 118"), so I am assuming that it was pretty close to the advertised width...but maybe that is a poor assumption?

I did email Henry Glass Fabrics about the situation, to alert them to the problem. I have not heard anything back. Maybe if they reply I will find out something further about the fabric that we don't already know?

Alison

I'm proud to say I am a member of this sisterhood! :)

Get the worst case scenario out of the way! BTW, one of our cats hacked a hairball onto the bed last week: hot water but warm dryer. :o

I'm allergic to the dyes and chemicals in all new fabric, so pre-washing is a must. And, I say if you are going to do it, do it right the first time around. :)

I never wash in hot water because I won't wash quilts in hot water....all it does is draw out the dye and shrink fabrics. I do most all laundry on cold setting except for towels and whites on warm. So sorry for your dilemma.
Am not prewashing much nowadays because of all the precuts available and all they would do is fray on the edges anyways.

I prewash all fabrics to withstand all types of treatment. Since a lot of the quilts I make are wheelchair quilts for our local nursing home, the fabrics are usually prewashed on hot like they will be washed there. They requested STURDY quilts because of the frequent harsh washing. Some people have donated quilts that are not prewashed, loosely quilted, tied, or not quilted at all and they do not survive the constant washing and abuse they get. I prewash the flannel backings twice because of the increased shrinkage and then wash the finished quilts before they are donated. Have not used wide backing yet, but definately will handle that as I do flannel after seeing these comments.

It is a legitimate question. I have never heard of any kind of can of worms about this; i just did not know that people washed quilts in hot water. Most people I know advise washing them in warm or cool and on a gentle cycle if they have that option. But many people asked this beside me and I wonder why I am being a bit singled out here.

I have heard that if you buy your fabric at Joanne's that it is made with a lower thread count than other lines. I do not know this for a fact, but have been told this by several people. This could mean a weaker fabric in general.

That was my question!

I was surprised to see that anyone washed quilt fabric or quilts in hot water, but after reading all the posts it makes sense. The only thing I would hate is to have the fabric lose some of its luster and be dull from the hot water and the hot dryer. Would appreciate catching shrinkage up front.

I do know that since I got my new top loading high efficiency washer, if I don't use hot water and a double rinse on my towels they actually stink when they get wet by use. After much research on line, the consensus was that because the amount of water used has been cut back so much in these washers, that they don't effectively wash away all the detergent and grime residues. That would apply to dirty quilts as well. So probably should use hot water on the fabrics in the future.

Agreed! I pre-wash all fabric in hot and dry hot. Then, I wash/dry the finished quilt in hot/hot. I add a note with my quilt gifts saying " Wash - any temp. Dry - any temp." Mom's need to know that the quilt can be sanitized if necessary.

I always use hot water. If it is going to shrink or bleed, I want to know it.

I am sorry that you feel that way. I don't believe that anyone is pointing to you. We all have such different opions on things that there is always going to be such discussions. We are all here to help each other and to talk about something that we all love. I hate it when someone gets their feelings hurt. There are no police of any kind here. As I have said before we all have to do what we think best and what works for us. Take care and hugs to you. BrendaK

I had the same thing happen to me. I returned the fabric. That's why I was everything first. I want the damage done before not after I've spent hours on my quilts.

Alison - LOVE your sense of humor and the quirky & fun way you put your thoughts into words!
This was an interesting and helpful post. I too am in the prewash and abuse the fabric beforehand sisterhood (ala QuiltE ;) ). I have always wondered how quilts with fabrics that were not prewashed fare in normal use. (which to me includes machine washing, at least with warm water)

I asked a friend who makes truly magnificent quilts (but never prewashes) this question. You know what she said? That if the quilt shrinks too much, she just makes another one. i about had a heart attack... and it convinced me that I never want to take that risk. It takes me forever to make a quilt...let alone considering the expense of the fabrics, which has become plain ridiculous.

I use a hot water wash and dry on hot for lots of things....whites that I want to stay white, towels and sheets that have a tendency to stink and anything else that needs the heat to eliminate any chance of bacteria......with all the bacterias/virus going around, as well as dealing with DH ostomy leaks, I wash lots of things in hot water.

Thank you for this information. I have on occasion simply wet my fabric and dried in a towel, hanging to complete the dry, feeling that this would take care of shrinkage and color bleed...boy this note has changed my mind. I will from now on wash and dry my fabric on hot heat! So many good reasons to do so, health concerns being #1 (allergy to dies and bed bugs) and endurance of quilts #2.

This is amusing as I have been looking for a lettuce spinner at thrift stores. The latest tip I was excited about dealt with fat quarters... wet in kitchen sink and put through the salad spinner to take out most of the water... then dry naturally from there... Will quilt looking as I consider this a more viable issue.

Thanks again.

The fabric I bought to make up the extra fabric needed due to the shrinkage of the Henry Glass back is an Anthology Batik wide back. I bought 2 yards of backing listed as being 108" wide. I measured the 2 yard length before washing, and it was 2yds plus an inch or so. I didn't measure the width.

I have now washed and dried it: length 2yards, width 110". Now that's better!!

Alison

I see on fabric.com they recommend this fabric be washed in COLD water. Now I don't know about anyone else but my quilts get washed just like the rest of my laundry. I don't think I would use a fabric that could only be washed in cold in any of my quilts. That is just a ridiculous idea for a fabric manufacturer of QUILTING fabric to make fabrics that could only be washed in cold water. Sounds like they already know there is an issue with shrinkage. Sorry this happened to you

Ditto for me.

That is a lot of shrinkage, but I'm puzzled as to WHY you would wash and dry quilting fabric on a HOT setting ???

I rarely wash fabrics anymore but when I do, I wash on warm or cool only ...