Prewash or Not Prewash
 

I have a large number of fabrics left from a clergy stole I made for our pastor. I want to make a quilt using these leftovers. I did not prewash the fabrics before making
the stole. Should I wash the pieces before I cut them to use for the quilt I want to make or is too late? I usually prewash all my fabrics when I make a quilt so I want to make sure I do the right thing.

If you wash the smaller pieces then you will need to press them. Pressing and washing will probably shrink them a little. So if they don't have to be certain size (example: precuts ) then pre wash. Or wash after the quilt is made.

I only prewash if directed to do for for a swap or something like that. If your fabric is 'close' to quilting cotton you should be safe but not I would not prewash. Other than that I would follow Onebyone's thoughts on this.

I am a fan of prewashing for many reasos and that includes scraps. Basically, if it is a fat quarter or larger, I treat it as fabric yardage and just wash with like colors and my normal wash. I do watch to get them out of the dryer just before dry and press hot to a crisp finish.

I do cut off any long stringy ends or ragged bits both before washing and then as I take things out and before I put them in the dryer, I cut off any tangles and give the fabric a nice Snap! (you'll know it when you hear it) and toss it in the dryer.

Small bits I wash in lingerie bags or inside pillow cases that I tie shut (I use hair elastic actually).

The worst things to wash in my opinion are long skinny pieces. It is hard to make me wash/use precut jelly roll strips for example. If I felt I couldn't use them without a prewash, it would probably be more of a gentle sink/hand treatment. And I'd probably just not bother and cut something similar from my already pre-washed stash.

Leah Day did one of her great quilting debate videos on this topic.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Eenoe-9mSko

I don't pre-wash and have never had any problems. My concern would be the type of fabric your scraps are.

I prewash anything where I think the dye might run or bleed onto bordering fabric - especially reds and dark, rich colors like navy or green.

I (soak in hot water and then) wash everything that is washable before cutting it.

I only started the soaking in hot water before washing a few years ago. I learned that a quick "swish" in water did not remove much excess dye. Learned that when pressing some dark blue and dark red - washed - fabric that I had sprayed sizing on. I was not happy with the bleeds on to the pale gray fabric that I was using. They were Jinny Beyer fabrics by RJR.

If a large piece of fabric has something in/on it that I want removed or modified, then a small piece of matching fabric would have the same characteristics.