Why? Yours was the first suggestion that I did! I posted earlier that it worked! So Thanks! You did good! Keep the advice coming

Same thing happened to me recently. I didn't really want to wash my fabric either, as they were all scraps. My dear neighbor, a retired chemist, explained that after cigarette smoke falls once it has risen in the air - when it comes into contact with fibers it becomes a goo like substance that is difficult to remove. An acid based product like lemon or white vinegar can be added to the laundry soap. Unfortunately, washing in the washing machine is best.

I put all my scraps into two different pillowcases, and once the washer was full of water and laundry soap, I added 1 cup of white vinegar and one cup of baking soda. The soda is not necessary, but is a neutralizer and does not hurt. I don't have a gentle cycle, so used Perm Press. Still, at the end, I had SUCH a huge wad of knotted up fabric, that it took me FIVE hours to detangle, cut threads and iron these scraps.

The person posting these scraps for sale did not mention any smokers, and in my excitement of finding something I wanted, I forgot to ask. :cry: Well, I've since learned my lesson, too. The good news is all the smell DID come out and my scraps now seem to be fine. Best of luck to you.

If u have a candle that is scented put fabric in zip lock bag with candle seal and let set 3-4 days that should help.

I had a really dear friend who was very prolific in making quilt tops. Then she would send them to her 100 yr old mother to quilt them. (that info. is really beside the point, but) When my friend passed, her DIL took a lot of her quilt tops and finished squares to her home. She called me one day and asked if I would be interested in buying some of the blocks. I went to her home and it absolutely reeked!! I did buy a whole quilt worth of Sunbonnet Sue and a Whole double wedding ring. They too reeked. I took them home and put several fabric softener sheets in with them and left them for a while. I would check them every so often and the smell finally left them. I also bought a pair of cowboy boots off e-bay and they reeked of smoke. I put fabric softner sheets inside the boots and finally the smell dissapated. I can now wear the boots with smelling the smoke.

Ugh. Febreeze and sun.

Try spraying them with some frebreeze until you get them sewn into a project and can wash them. That should help the way they smell.

At my little quilt group we had a birthday swap, and when I got my little bag I was so excited !!
Well, when I got home and went to open my gifts, oh my goodness what a smell - it was awful, even my DH said "where have you been tonight" LOL
Well, one of my gifts was a homemade tapestry pin cushion- which was sweet - but that was the culprit. In turn that had made everything else smell. The fat quater was washed and I undid or used other items and left them with an oust room spray, sprayed on them a couple of times. That worked - but the pin cushion sadly hit it's demise in the dustbin - just couldn't save it.
Hope the freezer worked and thanks fot the tips !!
I love it here !!

I quess some peolpe don't realize how much the smell gets into things....my friend smokes and when I ride in her car with her...I get out and even my hair smells....let alone my clothes. I can't stand it! I have to take a shower immediately when I get home. I take my own car now and meet her whereever we are going. I hear that Febreeze is wonderful....I shuld buy my friend some! Good luck with your quilt!

Perfume is just as bad, if not worse, that smoke. I have bought stuff on ebay and it reeked when I got it. I was never able to get the smell out of two blouses I just loved. People who wear perfume or smoke often don't realize how the odor affects others.

It is because they don't realize it smells. I don't smoke but was around it all my life until my late husband had to give it up. After not being around it I could tell if someone came near me had smoked. Back when you could smoke in the office one of my co-works smoked & I could not answer her phone without gagging.