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IdahoSandy 07-24-2012 06:54 AM

I sew a seam across the cut side of material before washing. This help with the fraying.

newbee3 07-24-2012 06:57 AM

thats one reasson not to wash fabric

Neesie 07-24-2012 07:03 AM

The WORST experience I've had, with a piece of fabric, was with one from a LQS. It was cut from the bolt, straight. However, it was wound onto the bolt, crooked. When I pulled it from the washer, it was still a parallelogram but NO WHERE near a rectangle! Ended up losing about 2" from each end. IF I'd used it in a quilt, without first washing, it'd probably have ruined the entire quilt. :thumbdown:

CoyoteQuilts 07-24-2012 07:06 AM

I started using the gentle or the hand wash cycle. Unless it bleeds you don't need to beat the fabric like you do with your dirty clothes. Have almost eliminated the snarls and less time getting from new to table...

carolynjo 07-24-2012 07:34 AM

I learned to cut the corner (down about 1/2") off each end of the fabric before you wash. I don't have ravelings to speak of; they stop when the thread gets to the end of the first corner. Try that and see if it works for you.

lfstamper 07-24-2012 07:40 AM

I put them in laundry bags for eashing. Especially fat qtrs. No tangles.

Robinlee 07-24-2012 07:48 AM

I've come upon this several times..............I finally figured out, that I wash it to long. In the last year, I discovered if I fill the machine with hot water on regular/permanent cycle (because my gentle cylcle doesn't allow "hot" water), then I change it to the gentle cycle for the washing, I have "LESS" tangle mess, and usually have NO tangled mess. The other thing in this endeavor is that I when I am prewashing Batik's this way, I usually run twice, due to color bleeding.

Last night I pre-washed 5 yds of White diaper flannel that I used for backing fabric also, 90" wide x 5 yds. by doing the above steps, I had NO tangled mess in washer, then I shook out for dryer and no tangled mess there either. So these steps do work.

This was a learning process for me.


Originally Posted by teddysmom (Post 5386645)
I'm a newbie and I learned that all fabric should be washed before cutting and sewing. Did that and my material came out a tangled mess. Had to get scissors and snip out tangles from one material to another. What should I have done? Any suggestions or is this a common problem?


rosiewell 07-24-2012 07:50 AM

I am told that if you snip the corners of each fabric piece it will not tangle, don't know if it works as I always forget to do it!

feffertim 07-24-2012 08:16 AM


Originally Posted by teddysmom (Post 5386656)
On a recent thread, someone suggested using a pinking rotary cutter to stop all the tangling of thread from the other pieces. Anyone tried one?

I always use my rotary pinking cutter. It really does help.

feffertim 07-24-2012 08:19 AM


Originally Posted by teddysmom (Post 5386645)
I'm a newbie and I learned that all fabric should be washed before cutting and sewing. Did that and my material came out a tangled mess. Had to get scissors and snip out tangles from one material to another. What should I have done? Any suggestions or is this a common problem?

I rarely wash my fabric first unless I am concerned about the color bleeding.


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