I also wash when I know it is going to be used a lot and especially if it has any color with red dye or blue.

I absolutely prewash - warm water and soap - every single piece of fabric that comes into the house. 100% of the time, and I feel very strongly about it.

Can you tell? :wink:

It is all personal preference. There is no right or wrong.

I serge edges and prewash without soap. I fold as soon as it comes out of the dryer and don't iron until I use it. I've heard that MOST of the shrinking happens in the dryer. Don't know if it's true, because who wants to measure WET fabric? I use fabric sizing when I iron, because I don't want to deal with the bugs that are attracted to starch.

I also soak cotton batting and then dry it in the dryer per Harriet Hargrave's instructions. I've never wanted the old fashioned look, which you can get by NOT pre-shrinking cotton batting.

I have been washing my fabric (usually from my LQS) in the hottest water and with detergent - and sometimes fabric softener - and dry it in the dryer. Whoever gets the finished product may not know how to handle the quilt, and I may not be around to tell them.

So far, I haven't had any bleeding or running in my fabrics.

I only prewash if it is for an exchange. Or if I am using flannel. Otherwise I like the feel of the fabric and love the aged look it gets (wrinkles) after I wash the quilt.

Sometimes I pre-wash and sometimes I don't. I didn't pre-wash for a quilt I just completed but, I just tonight washed and dried and ironed with starch for another quilt. That one has very bright white, very red, and very black all in the same fabrics.

It just depends on what I think it needs.

I always always pre-wash. I want all colours to do their running, all shrinking to happen, and the sizing washed out before i have to handle it, can't stand the smell and feel of sizing. I want to know that when my quilt is finished, it will be the same after it is washed as it is the moment i finish making it. I want to know that my quilts are meant to be washed and used.

i always pre-wash everything before i use it. i try to do it as soon as it hits my door, but it doesn't always happen that way.

i use the hottest water, detergent and the dryer. if it had a chemical smell, then i wash 2x. i always wash reds alone. there has been bad bleeding.
same with blues. if they still bleed after 3x, they go out the door. i don't trust retayne for the long haul. i'd rather replace the piece.

before i cut i press, except for the backing, which i spray on the quilting frame. i starch as i cut and piece.

i toss the batting in the dryer with hot wet towels to shrink those. i don't like surprise birthday parties either.

It really is personal preferance. I never pre wash unless it is fabric that might bleed. I have only once had a fabric shrink, and that was years and years ago. It's good that you are trying it both ways, you can decide which way you like it better.