I am very new to quilting and when I started knew absolutely nothing. I saw a tutorial for a wall hanging using charm packs and
decided I could do it. Since I've heard that pre-washing fabric is the way to go, I hand washed the charm packs and dried them in the dryer. When they came out of the dryer they were not square anymore and of course had all shrunk differently. Do any of you pre-wash charm packs or other pre-cuts? I had to re-cut all the squares. The tutorial made it look so easy, they used the charm packs without washing first. BTW, I've learned a lot from all of you, thank you.

I do not wash charm packs. For the very reason you found. If they are in the same pack they are from the same line of fabric, usually, and will shrink the same once the top is put together.

HOWEVER, if you like to prewash put small pieces in a mesh bag or pillowcase and wash them that way. I've also put them in the sink in warm water and washed them by hand. Others like to wash on delicate in their washing machines. Hope this helps.

Hand washing and wringing out the water may have destorted them. I pre-wash and dry everything. Smaller pieces in a lingerie bag. It's just how I prefer to do it.

Moda does not recommend washing the pre-cuts.

For those who DO wish to prewash their pre-cuts, may I make a suggestion? Instead of wringing or squeezing the water out, use a salad spinner!
I have one dedicated to food, and another dedicated to wool, and am considering adding a third for fabric!
(Which reminds me, I need to get busy cleaning the last of the fleece in the spare bathtub!)

I never prewash fabrics. I do test for colorfastness if I suspect a fabric might be a bleeder. Saves me a lot of time, and fabric and batting (I use primarily cotton batting) crinkle up together in the wash. (I look the soft antique look.)

Which is why I wash everything that is washable before putting it in a quilt or garment.

It's also why I'm not particularly fond of small pre-cut pieces.

It's amazing to me how much variation there is in the fabrics after washing them!

I just want to mention that the different shrinkage rates of different fabrics actually don't matter when a quilt is closely quilted. This is because the quilting stitches that bind the layers together also prevent fabrics from shrinking overly much. This doesn't apply if quilting lines are far apart (say, 10" ). As long as you like the crinkly look, as I do, use primarily cotton batting (shrinks on average 3%), and quilt lines fairly close together (I usually do 2" but probably up to 4" is okay), then the variability in shrinkage of fabrics won't matter.

The one exception to this may be flannel, if you are combining it with other fabrics, because flannels can shrink an outrageous amount compared to other fabrics. I once saw a quilt that Harriet Hargrave made to prove her point about not prewashing. She made a quilt entirely out of flannels that she did not prewash. She measured the quilt before washing and again after washing. It shrank the amount of the cotton batting (about 3%) but no more than that because the quilting kept the flannels tied to the batting. Washed by themselves, flannels can shrink 10% or even more!

I prewash for one reason only, to remove the chemicals in the fabric they put in there to deter mildew. When I was a new quilter, I would store my newly bought fabric on open shelves in my quilt room, only washing it right before I was ready to use it. I was getting headaches and feeling generally queasy when in my quilt room. I soon realized it was the accumulation of all the chemicals in the air making me ill. I took a few days to wash all my fabric and within a few days I was feeling much better. I always wash my fabrics the minute I get them home now and have never had any more trouble. That's my two cent worth! :D

A lot of us don't prewash. I almost NEVER prewash, especially precuts. I do prewash red, blue, and black flannel if it fails the hot water soak test.

You can use the search function at the top of the page. You will find all kind of prewash/no prewash topics. It's kind of a which came first...the chicken or the egg topic.

Welcom to the board. It's great here!

I do not prewash fabric.

The only thing I prewash is flannel.I find the sizeing gives the fabric more body which I like when cutting.If iam worried about bleeding I use a color catcher the first wash.

Same here. The lady at the quilt store said no prewashing necessary on modern fabrics. Although if one has a sensitivity or allergy, that is another story.

What is a color catcher? :?:

DITTO....this works for ALL small pieces of fabric, even FQ's

what make MODERN fabric any different from VINTAGE fabric?
It is all the same and in todays market MODERN fabrics can contain up to 73 chemicals with more than 50% of being carcinogens! So I would rather wash the NEWER fabrics than the old...BUT all fabric should be washed so to remove left over dyes, oils, dirt, and for proper shrinkage!

i do not wash pre-cuts...but i do color test if i have any colors to worry about and if there is a (mis-behavin' piece) i either do not use it or i do pre-wash and try to set the color. i only pre-wash if the fabric feels or smells funky...or is wool, or batik/hand-dyed, or the color bleeds.

I stand corrected. Thank you for this information.

The only fabrics I prewash are flannels and very dark colored anything else. Flannels only for the shrink factor. Someone told me when I began quilting 10 or so years ago, that today's fabrics are usually stable...and to trust them.
I found this to be true. I like the crispness of unwashed cottons...they cut better, are less fray-edged or distorted, and I hate when they turn out limp from prewashing. Several pros do not advise prewashing....the battle has been going on for a long time.
I also find that washing my quilts in cold water, delicate, and damp drying them in the dryer, then gently reshaping if necessary works just fine. I do small things...lap quilts, wall hangings, and the like and have never had a problem with not prewashing.

D

Agree 100%

I only prewash when I think fabric might fade or bleed( hand dyes) Diane C.

try washing and rinsing in a salad spinner---can do all with out opening it till done and not as rough as a washer and spins them fairly dry too

No & why woud you if it's for a wall hanging??

I make quilts primarily for charities and would never think of making and sending one off without prewashing the fabrics in it. (And the quilt itself when it's completed). I don't want to donate anything that might sicken a child from the chemicals in the fabrics, or have the various fabrics shrink differentially or bleed from one color to the other and become a depressing mess. I think for wall hangings and other things like art quilts that are for display only that aren't needing to be washed and dried, then of course not prewashing is reasonable if we want to keep the fabrics new-looking.

Dana

I don't prewash. Period. Have never had any problems. Most patterns that use precuts will tell you NOT to prewash for just this reason.

BTW, to prewash or not is about as divided an opinion as you can get.

I do not wash my fabrics at all. I am a new quilter but find fabric is easier to ork with if I do not wash it. When I give a quilt to someone I give them directions on washing and enclose a Shout color catcher.

I just gently hand wash my charm packs in my kitchen sink and I don't wring them out. I air dry them on my laundry drying rack in the bath tub. The first time I washed my first charm packs I put it in the washing machine!!!! The fabric fraid so much I had to go buy more fabric there wasn't much fabric left. I really don't use charm packs to often.

i've thought about using one of these for prewashing. it looks like it would work well and probably wouldn't cause so much raveling and wouldn't be very rough on delicate items. has anyone ever tried one?

"http://www.lehmans.com/store/Natural...___23305?Args="

I'm with Suzanne - I prewash to remove the chemicals. I haven't experienced any side effects, but I don't want to either.

I also prewash for bleed and shrinkage. I wash reds and blues, and all batiks twice.

My fabrics are washed as soon as they enter the house, that way I never have to wonder "has it been washed", or wait to use it cause it hasn't.

For these reasons the smallest piece of fabric I buy is a fat quarter. I wash them on a "hand wash" cycle and dry them.

I never pre-wash fabrics because I son't like the way they feel and handle after they have been washed. I only buy premium fabrics (always on sale) and I usually only buy Moda and I've never had any problems with finished quilts shrinking above the 2 to 3% that the manufacturer warns about. Premium fabrics are colorfast and if I have any doubt I'll cut a small piece and soak it in warm water to see if it bleeds. I always wash in cold water on gentle cycle and dry on the lowest settling of my dryer. Most manufacturers don't recommend pre-washing pre-cuts.

When I get home from buying fabric I always serge the ends with my serger and pre wash it so it is ready to go when I want to use it. Serging the ends prevents all the raveling.

I do not prewash if I am doing a wall hanging.

The only charms I've washed have been batiks and they didn't need it. I am washing fabrics less now if I am confident of the quality. I do wash WalMart fabric and JoAnn's solid quilting cotton - they just haven't got that one right and it's the same price as Moda at the LQS. I had to buy a piece recently to get the color I wanted. I lost 2" in width. 5% is too much shrinkage. Now I'm going to wash a quilt store one for comparison.

I've always been a fabric washer, so my first pack of charms was an experience. I did soak one in hot water and put in the dryer. It was still 5".

Nope.. I'm too lazy to pre-wash.. Id rather be quilting.. So far no OOOOPS..

I get my charms and steam the crap out of them!

I always wash fabrics immediately after bringing them home,so as not to mix the new with the washed. Some cottons shrink more than others.

I just steam the charm packs. But I pre wash all fabric except if it is for chenilling.
It will all come to you a little at a time.
Some will say they never wash. If it is not the same fabric line they will all shrink at a different rate. You spen hours making a quilt and then you wash it and opps. Or you have colord that bkeed after you pieced the quilt...Opps again. I would rather pre wash and know it is colorfast and has shrank and my quilt will not surprise me later. I do also pre shrink my batting if I prefer not to have the crinkled look, but most of the time I like that look. Makes the quilt look like it is old....

I usually, almost always pre wash. My sister bought me some pre cut fabric. I just never though about pre washing them. will tell you how they turn out.

After seeing too many quilts ruined by not pre-washing, I always pre-wash. I've bought a few pre-cut fabric squares, but wash them in a mesh bag and then air dry them flat on a towel or keep them in the bag and dry in the dryer for just a while to take care of shrinking them a bit. I haven't had problems so far, and I like knowing that what I'm putting into the quilt won't change later. I know everyone has their own theories, though. Enjoy your first masterpiece!

I like to prewash. Small fabric pieces by hand and layed out on a towel to dry. Less distortion if at all.