UNwashed fabrics
 

I've noticed lately that one technique being used now is to NOT was your new quilting fabrics and then wash the quilt when it's all put together so it created a nifty crinkly shrinky effect. I'm thinking about trying this on a baby quilt (small size).

My question is: do I need to have a cotton batting for the 'shrinkage' to work? I've been using a good quality polyester primarily because I like a lighter weight quilt when I'm finished. I could, though, consider using a cotton for a small project. What do you think? Would a polyester batting work?

Yes, polyester batting works too. Do remember polyester might fluff the uneven spots a bit but it is just as snugly. I have also gone back at times to using some polyester batting because of the weight and feel of it.

You may not get as much of a crinkly look with a polyester batting. You can wash your fabric or not and when you use a cotton batt it will crinkle.

No, you don't need the cotton batting for the fabrics to shrink, but it would depend on how "crinkly" you want the top to be, if you want it pretty crinkling, then I would go for the cotton batting, but I've used poly batting and non washed cotton and been happy with the "crinkling".

My reason for prewashing is not only for shrinkage but also for bleeding of fabric. If you think it won't bleed that will be the one that does. All that hard work and having to work even harder for bleeds. Another reason that I believe bears repeating (and I have seen it happen) is health and cleaning issues. I live in a warm area down by the Gulf. So it gets hot and humid and people sweat profusely. One day while shopping for fabric in a big box store a woman came from the outside and was perspiring like it had been raining. She walked up to some fabric, wiped her head and face and the back of her neck. Another woman brought it to a clerks attention. They got a security guard to usher her out. She had no intention of purchasing that fabric. The clerk with instructions from the manager took the bolt of fabric back to the cutting table and cut a good 1 1/2 yds off the bolt. There was dirt on the fabric. Disgusting! That is why (even if you can't see it) I prewash. Ever hear of imbetigo (often called infantigo) easily passed and highly contagious. And other infectious diseases. Call me a fanatic if you want but do you really want to pass it onto the person you're making it for. And yes I wash my hands after sorting laundry and handling soiled laundry.

tessagain - that is awful! but I can see it happening....wash the fabric first!!!

Polyester batting doesn't shrink, whereas cotton batting does. You don't get as much crinkling with polyester batting, but you still get a nice soft-looking result. Definitely try it to see what it looks like.

I remember the very first quilt I made. Pre-washed all the fabric, hand quilted it, and used all-cotton batting. It crinkled so much I took it to a quilt shop to ask if I had done something wrong! Nope. That is the way cotton batting acts.

I wash the fabric before I use it so that I'm confident it won't bleed. I wash the quilt after I finish it so that I'm confident that it won't fall apart after the new owner puts it in her washing machine!

To prevent staining from dye bleeds when I don't prewash fabric, I make sure the first washing of a quilt is done in a washing machine that uses ***lots*** of hot water and wash with Synthrapol. Front-loading domestic washing machines do not use enough water to dilute dye bleeds, so I go to the local laundromat. For a large quilt, I use their largest front-loading washer. Synthrapol helps loose dye particles remain suspended in water so they are rinsed away instead of settling into fabrics where you don't want them.

I prewash everything. Quilters....me included....like to touch the fabric and you never know where their hands have been. My kids call me a germaphob but I sure feel better once new fabric has been washed.