Why not pre-wash your fabric the same way you will be washing your finished quilt?
I use my regular detergent, but a lesser amount.
Don't use any fabric softener, it can cause greasy looking spots on your fabric. Happened to me, so the fabric shop was the people who gave me this information.
I too, separate the fabrics by color, but we know we can't do that after the quilt is finished, so what is the point when we pre-wash?
Joyce

Do you mean you wash your white fabric with a deep dark red? Sounds like a prescription for disaster. If you rid your fabric of excess dyes, it should be pretty stable on subsequent washes. I always use the hot water cycles for my initial wash.

tim in san jose

If it runs really bad in the pre wash it could ruin your other fabric''''''''''at this point you could replace a fabric

prewash, to get all sizing and extra dyes out. If I think a dark color is going to run, I wash it separately (in the washer with regular detergent) and then rinse with salt and cold water. It helps to lock in the colors or so I learned in Home Economics class in, oh, a couple of years ago just before I graduated high school.



What is the ratio of salt to cold water that you use? Thanks.

I agree with the prewash for a couple reasons. Of course it lets you test for color fastness. I never had heard of salt to set the color, white vinegar would be another method. I usually just wash it in warm with soap like any other load. Sorted by color of course! But other than color fastness, shrinkage in any sewing project can mess up the finished project.
That is why I prefer warm, or even hot water for whites and lights. whatever the fabric is going to do in the first wash it will do in pieces the same as in bulk. After the sewing if you prefer the sizing look, you can replace that! just use a little starch from the laundry care section at yor local store. I would probably use liquid rather than aerosol due to flaking. :) . I myself have never tried one of those color trapping additives so can't comment but, salt or vinegar (I suddenly want potatoe chips! :lol: ) are so much cheaper. And environmentally friendly!

I just now did my first prewash... Only third quilt (1st a kit and 2nd wallhanging). This is for a baby quilt and I wanted to preshrink first. Anyway, my question is: How do I keep the edges from fraying and tangling all together? It was a mess when I took out of washer. Any assistance in this would be appreciated. I think I want to prewash all my fabric.
:?:

Clip the corners of your fabric , at an angle. this will keep them from fraying too much.
Elaine

always prewash fabric,even the pricier stuff doesn't alway shrink the same way or" amount" if you wait till after it could spell disaster for something you have worked really hard on.I just use regular soap.
But you will find alot of quilters don't but I wouldn't take the risk no matter how small 8)

I know people who either use there serger and serge all the edges of the fabric or zigzag the edges before washing 8)

If it is in a kit and already cut you don't prewash. Everyone who has done precut quilts says they have never had a problem with them