You didn't state what colors you are using. Some are "safer" than others where color is concerned.

I do not always wash mine first either but when I deal with intense colors (particularly reds, blues, and blacks) I do a color test. Put a small piece in hot water. You will see if it runs. Or rub a wet Q-tip over it to see if anything rubs off. Or rub it wet on some white muslin to see if you have any transfer.

Batiks have a tendency to run like crazy in my experience so I wash all batiks first.

Now some members swear by the color catchers.

I have only had one quilt run and it used some hand-me-down fabric from days gone by when the indigo dye process was the rage. 9 washes later and I still had ocean water in the machine. But all the others were fine.

I wash all my fabric's when I first bring them home before I fold them and add to my stash (lol) that way I know they have been. I always heard to prewash just my 2 cents

ps I don't actually wash I put in sewing machine with very little or no soap

Depending on the type of embridery, I would prewash. If it is something you don't want to pucker, prewash :wink:

LOL LOL What kind of a sewing machine do you have that sews and does your washing too? I want one of those. LOL

Thanks everyone - Liking the answers better now. I will however this once prewash and then wash the quilt and one of the others - that will determine if I wash ever again. I am using some batiks but they are not dark colors and mostly pinks, peaches, greens, off whites , golds and browns.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-42054-1.htm
This is one of our post on your question of prewashing and washing a finished quilt. Good information in it too.

I've never prewashed and have never had a problem. I also haven't ever gone to the trouble of making an heirloom quilt, one with a lot of time invested. My quilts are all bed quilts meant to be used, made with easy patterns. If I were making a quilt that took a lot of work/time I would prewash just in case.

Dorothy, thank you for that link - great info there and lots that don't prewash. That is what I wanted to hear. LOL
My pieces of fabric are in the washer now so this one will be the test as to whether I do this again or not. I think it is the feel of the new fabric I like and not so much like after washing. I just like working with "new fabric" - it feels different than after washing.

me too, the only time I would wash is if I were using red, or batiks.

Same Here!!

I think it's also important to take into consideration the quality of the fabric also. Especially if you are mixing good quilt shop quality with cheap FQs from your stash. If you are mixing quality, you probably should prewash because they will likely shrink at different rates. I have found that the better quality fabrics not only shrink less, they are nearly wrinkle free. I barely have to touch the iron to those! But some of the cheap fabric I've used has shrunk more and wrinkle like crazy.

I prewash just about everything except for precuts and put a color catcher in with it. My quilts get used a lot, and wash up nicely.