I do not wash new fabrics. But I do think it was necessary with old fabrics.

I've been quilting for nearly 40 years. I don't pre wash -- I use color catchers when I wash the quilt before gifting it. Have never had a problem with using the color catchers. Before those, I was a bit more selective with fabrics purchased and threw something white (like one of DH's old tshirts) in washer with it. Never had a problem then, either. I iron with steam but I don't pull the fabric, it works fine. There are many different ways to do things right!

I don't normally prewash. The one exception is if I am using a deep color that I think might bleed, then I prewash all fabrics that I will use in that particular quilt. I guess with me it is all or nothing. I also iron with best press before cutting my fabrics.

I don't pre-wash but I always wash the finished quilt with a color catcher. I know someday I will probably regret it but so far, so good.

And yes, that advice about ALWAYS covering the rotary blade is good. I do, but once I left it uncovered as I moved fabric for a second cut (rotary cutter was still in my hand) and I nicked the side of my hand with it. It drew blood even though I barely touched myself with it. You just can't be too careful with those things.

I would suggest the same thing, but instead of long strips, maybe some square sections. they are easier to join than the long strips. Definitely take the offered lessons if you are new to sewing. Good luck!

It's personal preference. I personally don't prewash, I did when I first started quilting 3 years ago, but I got tired real fast of dealing with all the strings. I always steam iron all my fabrics. If I am not sure about a fabric, my washer has a steam setting that I use then throw it in the dryer. I do wash all my finished quilts with color catchers...I haven't had a problem yet. I have a red and white quilt that needs to get washed before I give it away, so I think I might run use two. Just do what works for you.

The only thing I prewash is flannel. It usually shrinks so much I want to make sure I have enough for the back of the quilt before I put it on the quilting frame.

There are so many reasons I prewash, I have lived overseas where a lot of it is made and seen how and where it was stored before shipping. Plus all the chemical's they put in the fabrics. Just last week I bought from several places and got home and was petting all my beautiful new fabrics before I washed them and my hands turned red and started itching so bad I had to start treating them with allergy cream. This had never been a problem for me before. I told one of the women who cut at one store about it this week and she said some time ago her husband had to come get her and take her to the emergency room as her hands started doing that and turned into blisters after she had worked with a new shipment. As a new sewer years ago I learned the hard way by having a beautiful project bleed and shrink. From that time on I have washed as soon as it came home with me.

I prewash all my yardage. Simply because I don't like the smell of the chemicals, gives me a headache, and they dry my hands out. I make my own starch that I use. I don't use the steam on my iron but I do have a spray bottle handy. I iron before I cut but not before then. I live in GA and don't want even the chance of encouraging creepy crawlies.

I have always been a prewasher but made Yellow Brick Road from FQ's. Told not to wash or they would shrink and not be enough for pattern. Then even though using black backing still told not to wash or my front would shrink differently than back when washed and pucker my quilt. OK so I obeyed only to have my black backing bleed badly when I washed the finished project even though I used color sheet. Washed twice with same results. Thankfully color sheet kept light color from top from being grayed but still those lights no longer pop with brightness they originally had and the cream colored label I made for the back turned dark gray mottled or marbled. I will definitely be prewashing from here on out no matter expect for charm squares that are precut for making purses.

beksclen, So sorry about that bad advice you got!

These days shrinkage is not an issue as long as the quilt is quilted moderately (I would guess no more than 3" or so between lines). Colorfastness is a *much* bigger issue. Most fabrics are colorfast, but there are always a few that are not. At the very least, you should have been advised to test the backing fabric. That would have given you the option of choosing a different fabric for the backing.

In my experience, mixing washed and unwashed fabric makes no difference at all in terms of shrinkage because, once quilted, the batting controls shrinkage. Batting is stronger than fabric so, after quilting, fabric is not strong enough to shrink more than the batting shrinks. It is the potential color bleeds that are the problem.

I always soak it in hot water to see if it's going to bleed first, then use retayne. It would be heart breaking to work so hard on a quilt and have the different colors bleed everywhere. I tend to use a lot of red, oranges and blues which normally bleed.

Hi Lori, Welcome to the board. I have sewn for 50+ years and am very good a figuring things out from reading directions. I too am working on my first quilt, and not using a pattern, and QAYG (Quilt As You Go). Take a deep breath and realize that there are more than one way to to almost anything, so do what works best for you.
And of course, come back, read, you can learn so much here as I have and remember no question is a stupid question if you need an answer. Look for classes in your area, that might help your confidence and DH sounds like a keeper. Take big breaths, relax and enjoy what your doing and it will be better every day.

I prewash my fabric and have pretty much since I began quilting. If I'm on the ball, I will pull the fabric out of the dryer while still somewhat damp, then iron right away, which makes it easier. If I'm not, then I will spritz the fabric, bunch it together so the entire piece gets damp then iron with steam. If I've been given fabric that I'm not sure about, I will prewash just in case. I remember washing fabric with a black background - it came out fine - however, another piece that was much lighter in color and it kept running, so you just never know. It's your own personal preference and you alone should decide which is right for you.

I do not prewash. I am an old woman and probably have a limited time on this earth, so I use my time and talents on making the quilts and leave the washing up to whomever I give it. I just don't have time to do this.

delma

I prewash -- I do not buy precuts so I have no comment on that -- but I recently got a lesson that convinced me I was right to always prewash. I bought a significant acreage of extra-wide fabric to back a quilt. It was from Fabric Depot where I have gotten only the most wonderful fabric.

I washed the extra wide fabric, which is a dark blue print, with a color catcher. It (the color catcher) came out so dark that I decided to rewash the fabric. As of now, I have washed it 9 times and the color catchers are still showing a lot of color. I am horrified, even more so when I think what would have happened if I had used the fabric without washing it, then washed the quilt. It would have been a disaster.

Put me firmly in the "always prewash" column.

gramma nancy, If you have washed the fabric 9 times and the color catchers are still showing color, this means that the dye was never set properly in the factory. The fabric will continue to bleed indefinitely. You can treat the fabric with Retayne (a home product that permanently sets dye) but, if the fabric still bleeds after two Retayne treatments, then it's probably not suitable for use in a quilt. Also, the Retayne cure is lost if the fabric is washed in hot water later on.

Some fabrics that bleed are simply over-saturated with dye. In that case the manufacturer simply did not rinse sufficiently. Fibers can absorb only a finite amount of dye; over-saturated fabrics mean that there is extra dye still in the fabric. This type of fabric will bleed much less after a first washing, and very little (if any) after a second washing.

Which is why I will only use fabrics that either never colored the rinse water or have stopped coloring the rinse water. I want to not worry when the finished item gets washed.

That sounds like the dark blue/turquoise print I bought, from Hobby Lobby (only it wasn't extra wide). I finally took it back to the store and my money was refunded. Hobby Lobby fabric is usually very, very good about not bleeding but that particular piece just wouldn't stop. I wonder if it might have been produced by the same manufacturer as yours!

I no longer prewash because I decided I like the crinkly look and feel of washing and drying in the dryer the quilt after I make it. I do add a sheet of Shout color catcher to catch any bleeding of fabrics when I was the finished quilt. I no longer steam with my iron but I do use a iron on a hot setting and spray starch out of the can when I press the fabric before cutting. I hope this takes care of the majority of shrinkage before I cut and sew pieces together.

I like to prewash yardage. I love getting all the finish and chems out of it and then pressing clean, soft fabric, all ready for use. It makes it nicer to work with.

I used to wash but don't now. I really don't feel it is necessary and have never had a problem. After it is quilted, it will never lie flat like after it is ironed. I like the look of the fabric after it is used and puckered up (for lack of words).

Hey, Scissor Queen, I absolutely agree with you. Everyone needs to do what works for him/her. It's good to hear from you. froggyintexas

Neesie,

I agree with you. My first large quilt was a white background, with red Razorback embroidery, and with red borders. I tested the red -- a small sliver in a glass of hot water. WOW! Did it ever bleed. So, I hunted for a product which would "set" the dye in that fabric. I found it, too. It's made by Rit Dye and I will always dye set vibrant colors. I don't want to take a chance on "flushing" all the work that goes into a quilt! Just MHO! LOL. Every person has to do what's right for them. I prewash and dye-set anything I suspect will bleed. It only takes a small amount of time, compared to the time invested in making a quilt. AGAIN, there are no "absolute" hard and fast rules -- whatever works!

Jeanette Frantz

I want to thank all of you for your opinions. you guys are great. I think what I'm going to do is start with a table runner and wash, dry, press.
Then make another runner without washing anything. I think that's the only way works best for me. I could not thank all of you enough for responding.
I was so happy when I saw how many of you did reply and you made me a very happy lady.
Happy Quilting!!!!,
Scuddles, aka Lori :)

Here's some input that a LQS owner told me she got from frabric manufacturer reps: "Most quality fabrics sold in the US are colorfast. The exceptions usually are those that are color saturated, i.e. navy, reds, black. To "test" those possible culprits vigorously rub a sheet of clean, white paper on the fabric. If you see any color on the white paper, then prewash and use a color setter or color catcher. " As far as steam vs. dry--I personally like steam unless it is a very hot, heavy iron--otherwise I think it's hard to get a crisp press---but each to her own on that!

Lori -- my 2 cents. I was not a pre-washer, but had a disaster with a red batik -- yeah it bled, so I started washing all the batiks. Then I made a flannel quilt with flannels from many LQS brands -- and it seemed like every piece of flannel shrank a different amount, so I started washing flannels.

Then, I started having a rash on my hands and a headache when I was working with the unwashed fabric and so I started washing the fabric before I started a quilt (I washed and starched). Finally, I started getting migranes just being in the sewing room for any length of time -- now I am trying to wash all my fabric. I have heard that the unwashed fabric has formaldehyde and other pesticides to keep the bugs away from the cotton, and my body doesn't like them much.

I love this quilting club. I was amazed at all you people joined in for their opinions. You are all so sweet. I just received my order from Jenny. I ordered a Crackle jelly donut and a solid white jelly roll and 3 yards of the green crackle for the border and the backing. I guess the 3 yards of green fabric I will pre wash because it is really dark green. As a matter of fact, I will wash that by itself.
I really want to thank you guys for helping me out in deciding what I want to do.
I could be imagining this but, did you ever buy fabric that has a weird odor to it. Once in a while it will happen, I am going to wash those, because, I am asthmatic and it makes me wheeze

YES! Weird odors are rather disturbing, to say the least. My nose is pretty sensitive, as are my sinuses. Sometimes I feel it in my sinuses, even before my nose picks up on it.

I think it is interesting how many LQS owners claim that it is rare for "quality" fabric to bleed. I hear it on the board and firsthand from the LQS owners. Unfortunately I have not had that experience with "quality" fabrics. Their non-bleed rate is about the same for me as any other fabric I use.

Yep, that's been my experience, as well. Most fabrics don't bleed (regardless of "quality") but all it takes is one bleeder, to ruin a quilt.

I don't wash my fabric. You should use unwashed and washed fabric in one quilt.