Quiltingboard Forums

Quiltingboard Forums (https://www.quiltingboard.com/)
-   Main (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/)
-   -   Question for those of you who prewash fabric (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/question-those-you-who-prewash-fabric-t282877.html)

Innov8R 10-11-2016 07:22 AM

I wash all new fabrics by soaking them in hot water in the sink and hanging them to dry. I do it this way because I hate strings. I do a lot of recycling and those get washed in the washing machine before I cut them into fabric lengths. Everything 1/2 yard or less gets ironed and folded on a 5X5 cardboard. Larger sizes go on a 12X12 cardboard. Really big stuff is folded normally.

Jingle 10-11-2016 12:35 PM

I prewash all my fabrics as I bring them home. I always wash in machine and dry it. Before I start cutting I want to make sure it will be okay. I only buy fabrics that feel good and have not bought any inferior fabrics yet.

Stitchnripper 10-11-2016 12:38 PM


Originally Posted by RosaSharon (Post 7673725)
I use the hand-wash cycle without detergent. If you don't use detergent you can just put the fabric through the rinse cycle. I make little cuts along the narrow strip and it works wonders for eliminating the shredding. I do all of this mainly for shrinkage -- I have written this many times here, so ladies bear with me once again -- the shrinkage occurs because of the pounding in a hot dryer. Not in the temperature of the water in the washer. I consider shrinkage a real enemy of a quilt. It pulls agains the threads and wears much faster. Of course for you ladies who make those beautiful quilts that will never be laundered, no need to pre-wash. Mine are used hard!

What about air dry for dryers that have this feature? do you think that would contribute to shrinkage?

bearisgray 10-11-2016 01:19 PM


Originally Posted by Jcarpentier (Post 7672377)
Hello. Is there a way to prewash fabric by hand or is it better by machine? Just curious. Thanks!

I think it is important to minimize agitation when washing fabric - because that is what makes it look used/worn.

I usually soak my (like colored) fabrics in hot water in a bucket or a sink or a pan - before giving them a short, gentle wash by machine with very little detergent. They get rinsed in cold water and dried.

I can fake/set my old (er) washing machinei into just soaking, rinsing, or spinning.

quilter2090 10-12-2016 07:03 PM

I just throw the fabric in the washer and then throw it in the dryer. As one other person wrote,she doesn't baby it. Thats the same thing I do. Quilts are items that need washing,better to find out if the fabric doesn't wash well before using it.

joyce888 10-13-2016 12:29 PM

I use a plastic dish pan sitting in the kitchen sink. I have a HE washer and don't trust that there would be enough water in the tub to wash the fabric evenly. The plastic tub method also allows me to rinse as many times as needed.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 07:26 AM.