Has anyone ever mixed fabrics that have been laundered with fabrics that have not been laundered in the same quilt? I now no longer pre-wash my fabrics. I love the crinkly look. However, when I first started I did pre-wash. Now I have a couple of large pieces of fabric that have been washed and an unwashed stash.

I would like to use the washed pieces as backing and mixed in with the other projects. Has anyone had any experience with this? Will the washed piece still crinkle with the batting and other fabrics?

I hate to experiment and ruin a project but then again I hate to just have the fabric sitting unused as well.

Watch out for the dark colors like reds and blacks, they will bleed the first couple of times they are washed. If you wash light colors like whites, pinks, and yellows along with the darks, the lighter colors will pick up the dyes and you will end up with dull whites, pinks and yellows,
Especially if you don't use a lot of water. Same goes for washing regular clothes. There are people out there that CRAM their washers with clothes when they wash and it can't rinse properly and leaves soap and dirt scum on the clothes making them dull

i have many times- without adverse effects- i only pre=wash fabrics that may run- or feel funky to me so most of my quilts contain both.

Same with me. If I think it will bleed, I wash or if it is for something very important, I wash. Otherwise I don't wash. Sometimes the washed and unwashed get mixed. I haven't had problems.

I have...sorta. For one quilt, it was an irish chain, I used a FQ collection for the nine patch colored squares and an old cream colored sheet for the contrast/background. The sheet, obviously, had been washed the FQ's not washed. It turned out fine.

use color catchers by Shout, when you wash your quilt for the first couple of times. I am a true believer in these little white sheets of wonder.

I did that once, didn't turn out, 100% cotton fabrics, but didn't shrink uniformly. Personally won't do that again.

I do all the time and have had no problems sofar. Like you I used to wash and iron everything while now I am going for the crinkled look.

I am going to get some. Thanks for the tip.

I haven't. I wash everything before adding it to my stash. My fabrics come from a variety of sources and are made by many different manufacturers. Some are older (Mom's stash) and some are newer. I need to know I can pull any thing from my stash and not be concerned about bleeding issues.

The wrinkly look can be achieved with the batting. Most of the time I use Hobbs Heirloom batting, 80% cotton, 20% polyester. For a wrinkly look, don't pre-wash the batting. When the finished quilt is laundered, the cotton will shrink a bit and give that antique look. For a smooth look, pre-treat the batting. The instructions are on the label.