To Prewash or not to prewash
 

I used to prewash everything, but I have found that working with non-prewashed fabrics so much easier to handle, to measure and cut and sew. What do you think?

Pretty much I am a washer. I mainly want to take care of bleeding and shrinkage (if any), then secondly the 'dirt'.

BUT, I do a BOM at my LQS and receive enough fabric to do the one block, so washing is not in the cards. Yes, with the sizing still in, it is 'easier' to handle.

Another BUT, sizing/starch to the rescue. I now invest in Best Press. :)

This is a regular topic on the board, and you will find there are fanatics on both sides. Funny thing is, there are seldom people switching from the wash to the don't wash camp as you have; it's usually the other way around, when a non-washer has a problem with fabric bleeding after not washing. I wash everything, and the only time I feel there's a big difference in how the fabric feels is when it was too full of sizing to begin with. I use starch or sizing before cutting.

i prewash mostly for the shrinkage issue. if i'm having trouble cutting, etc., i just restarch.

I quit pre-washing years ago. Bleeding is a non issue. Any dye that's not set in the original will still not be set in whatever picks it up. It'll wash out of anything that picks it up. Shrinkage isn't an issue either since quilting stabilizes the fabric. The batting has more to do with shrinkaage than the fabric anyway.

I waffle between. But after the last batch of FQ's that I washed, I may be back in the non-washing group. Shredded like crazy, and even starching them didn't help with the sewing.

Very true. Usually you read about the "non-washer" crying here when their project is ruined or begging for help on how to fix it....

I can fall on both sides of the aurgement, except when it comes to batiks, I ALWAYS pre-wash and treat with retayne. I am a firm believer starch is a sewers best friend! I starch prior to cutting .

I tend to waffle between washing and not washing. Cheaper fabric always gets washed with any other fabrics I plan to use in the quilt so I don't have randome shrink issues. I wash reds and blues as I have had issues -- and I wash all flannel since no two pieces seem to shrink the same. I starch and iron like crazy whether washed or no.