prewashing precuts
 

How do you prewash fat quarters, charms, jelly rolls, etc.? Do you zigzag the edges like when washing a larger piece of fabric? Do you put them in a sweater or lingerie bag? How do you keep the fabric from fraying? I make doll clothes which will probably be washed at some point and don't want them to shrink. Thanks.

I would just soak them in the sink in hot water (use lots of water so any dye bleeds are diluted), lay out flat to dry, and iron with steam. Precuts do not usually survive machine washing and drying very well and the hand approach should be sufficient for shrinkage and to determine if there is any bleeding.

Very interesting question. I have often wonder about how to pre-wash the charms and now there are mini charms that are 2.5" squares.

On the very rare occasions that I have felt the need to prewash a precut, I did exactly what Prism suggested. Keeps fraying to a minimum and the act of getting them wet then drying with the iron will shrink them a bit with minimal damage to the fabric. Just be gentle, gentle, gentle with the fabric. And instead of wringing them out, press them gently between a towel after washing in the sink to get the majority of the water out. The iron takes care of the rest and smooths them out. Good luck! :)

If I have a bunch of fat quarters I clip the corners on the diagonal to prevent fraying, then wash on gentle in the washing machine & put in the dryer until damp dry & press. You can also hand wash a bunch of themin the kitchen sink in just a few minutes.

normally if I am to use pre-cuts, I try to use them with other fabrics that have not been washed. Otherwise, I make sure to quilt the quilt a lot.

Expect some distortion and/or shrinkage.

Soak like colors toogetther.

Washing the little pieces in the sink or a kettle or large bowl works fine. I put the soggy mass in a
Colander to drain annd the air dry on a towel or dring rack.

It is importsn to kerp the agitation to aminimum.

I don't. There is more hassle from prewashing them than leaving them be, ie if you need 5inch pieces and you prewashed and now the are 4.5inches now you can't use them in your pattern. If you are worried about running I would just test a small piece, it is far easier than washing IMHO

I don't pre-wash, but small items could be washed in a bowl, as others have said, then spin out the excess water in a salad spinner. You don't have the agitation that causes the fraying. Good luck

I can understand wanting to wash precuts that will be used for doll clothes.