Wash and dry first
 

Do you have to wash and dry your material first before you start making a quilt?
I would prefer not to but since this is my first quilt, I'd like to get some advice on whether I need to wash and dry my material.

This is personal to the quilter. Many wash and dry every piece of fabric while others don't wash a thing. Personally I never wash anything even the reds. I like the feel of the fabric before washing and I"ve never had any trouble with shrinking. Some people will wash because they have allergies to the dyes and perfumes in the fabric. My suggestion is to try both washing for one quilt and not wash for a different one, and see which method you prefer.

We have lots of threads talking about washing and drying.

It's mostly a personal preference. However, if you're using light fabrics with colors such as red and green which have a tendency to run, you may want to pre-wash so the dark fabrics will run in the prewash rather than in the quilt.

I always prewash, myself. I worry that the smelly dyes aren't nice to breathe in as you're cutting and sewing, so I wash twice to try and get them out. Also, fabric is inherently dusty and linty and a prewash will take some of that out. I also like the smell of fresh-washed anything ;-).

But I know loads of people who don't prewash.

Update: I should point out that sometimes fabrics can be unpredictable. I never thought this one would run red, since it's a mostly blue and green fabric. (It's an RJR fabric, wish I had more of it, but I'd definitely wash it a few times before using!) Three washings with Synthrapol and a Shout color catcher took the run out. But I was heartbroken when it happened.

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I am in the wash and dry before cutting camp.

I have had at least one piece of fabric of every color bleed, and uneven shrinkage of various pieces. I dislike unpleasant surprises. It probably is more effort to wash every single piece of the washable components before cutting them - but trying to fix something because of not washing before cutting is a bigger bother to me.

But there are many that seem to have had no issues with using unwashed fabric.

I sort my fabrics into groups so that if there is bleeding, it won't hurt whatever is in the bucket with them (dark greens with dark greens, etc.)I actually SOAK my fabrics in hot water until the water cools down - or I get around to washing them - on a short, gentle cycle and just dry "until barely done." I fold and put away. I do iron the fabric before cutting it.

I feel that it is the abrasion of machine washing and machine drying that makes new fabric look old.

There is also a lot of discussion about using Retayne, Synthrapol, and Color Catchers.

Manufacturer name is no guarantee of color-fastness, either.

Some people prewash everything, some never prewash, some choose to prewash under certain circumstances ...it's a personal choice and nothing says You Have To-- although, some people will tell you you do-- its up to you.

I am a non washer. Unless I have a piece that looks like it is over saturated with dye. Then I will prewasher that particular piece. You will get a good feel for those pieces after time. You can also test a small piece by putting it in very hot water then lay it on paper towel. If it runs on that you know it is best to wash the whole piece.

Your darker colors can as shown in bearisgray run when washed. You can take a small square of fabric and pretest it. Place it in a small container, add hot water with your detergent and shake it on and off for about 10 minutes. Rinse and put on a white paper towels. I never prewash my fabrics unless I know I have a runner. With color catchers, I just don't worry about it. I live in an apt complex and it just takes too long to press out all the fabric. JMO.

Batiks, as in the pictured quilt, are more likely to bleed than regular printed fabrics because of their dye process. I will sometimes pre wash dark batiks because of that even though I generally don't pre wash.

I wash and dry everything unless I am making a wall hanging. Had a bad experience with fabric bleeding on a quilt.

A lot depends on the contrast of the fabrics you'll be using. If it is a high contrast I tend to prewash everything. That said, I have a red/white/black quilt in my pile that did not get prewashed. I will simply throw 4 color catchers in the wash when I do wash it.

You can do a color test on your fabrics to see if they will bleed. Either snip a piece of fabric off the edge and put it in soapy hot water or take a wet Q-tip and rub it over the fabric to see if color comes off.

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. I'm using lavender colors and a little bit of white. The lavenders don't look like they'd run but I guess you never know unless you try washing them so I think I'll do what was suggested and cut a tiny piece of each fabric to test them out.
I am however ironing everything first no matter what I decide about the pre washing.

I don't prewash unless it's a dark batik (blue, red, green, etc.) I don't use a lot of batiks so this normally is not an issue for me. Also, if you prewash, the washing/drying will shrink the fabric a bit. I like the crinkled look of a washed quilt & figure that if I prewash the fabric I won't get as much of a crinkle look that I like.

i wash all of my yardage. but i've become the scrap queen and i have not washed those

I wash and dry all of my fabric - but that is because of the chemicals on the new fabric destroys my fingernails and finger tips. If I buy precuts I wash them in a salad spinner or in a small lingerie bag.

I am a prewasher. Anything I bring into my home gets prewashed before I use it. I went to a big box store a last summer and after watching a customer come into the store heavily perspiring, she then made a bee line to some fabric in the corner where some very soft cotton was stored. She tried indiscreetly to conceal what she was doing but one of the clerks caught her wiping her brow and face and arm pits. She was ushered out of the store and told to never come back. When that happens the clerks/manager has to take the bolt and cut off at least 2 yards of fabric to make sure it doesn't get purchased because of body fluids being transferred to any one else. That woman was perspiring so heavily you could see the soil on the fabric. They cannot sell this. If it falls on the floor that's one thing but body fluids are another. I personally can only stand the smell of the new fabric until I get it home. I wash everything and especially if anything is purchased at thrift stores or estate sales. I use lingerie bags for smaller pieces than yardage.

I somehow think things in stores that sell "new" things get handled as much - or more - as things in thrift shops or at estate sales.

Sometimes "class" has little to do with a person's economic status.

You don't have to cut and wash them to learn if they bleed. In fact, I think it's harder to tell by washing than by doing a simple bleed test.

Take a white cotton kitchen towel, moisten a corner, and dab or rub on the fabric for a minute or so. If the towel turns color, you have a bleeder. If it doesn't, you're fine.

As others have stated, pre-washing is a very personal choice. There are many good arguments on both sides of the issue. Study everyone's reasons and choose based on what's best for you.

* I personally don't prewash unless my color test shows a bleeder. (And even then, I don't "wash" the fabric, I treat it the same way most fabric dyers treat their hand-dyed fabrics. I think multiple washings is a huge waste of time and water, and most modern washing machines don't use enough water in the first place.)

* I like the crinkly look in my quilts, so I prefer they shrink after completion.

* I don't have issues with chemical sensitivities.

I appreciate everyone's opinion on this. I ended up doing a test to see if my material would bleed and it didn't so I've gone ahead and started cutting everything out without washing the fabric first.

The problem isn't always bleeding when there's color transfer. It can also be crocking. Crocking is more likely to occur when you have a larger load (e.g., a full sized bed quilt) than just a piece or two of fabric, but rubbing with a white piece of fabric/cloth while it's both dry & wet will usually give you a decent idea. Hand dyed & batik fabrics are more likely both to bleed & to crock, so it is a good idea to pre-wash your fabrics if you will be working with either of those.

The other thing to consider is if you are using different types of fabrics together, they might shrink at different rates & it can be helpful, therefore, to pre-wash everything to reduce how much each fabric will shrink once the quilt is complete. However, most modern-day commercial quilting cottons are made & dyed/printed in such a way that they shrink very, very little & are unlikely to bleed or crock when washed properly (cold water, slow speed with dye-free detergent in top-loading washer; tumble dried on low heat). It is, of course, the absolute safest option to pre-wash, but I put it in the same category as giving your purse a good disinfecting inside & out every evening. Sure, there's a good argument to do so, but who has the time?!!

There are different groups of quilters. Some just use fabric straight away just iron if necessary. Group 2 don't wash but spray starch while ironing. Group 3 wash and dry and iron. Group 4 wash dry and starch before ironing.
i think these are the different groups, the starching depends some light spray while others make the fabric paper stiff. It is up to you which you prefer or have time for.

I don't prewash... ever. If I had to prewash, I'd never quilt. I hate pressing all that fabric. If there's a questionable fabric, I do a test with a small piece in some warm water and soap. If it bleeds, I get rid of it.

When I started quilting about 10 years ago, I was taught to wash and iron all my fabric. Then one day I picked up a pack of my fat quarters I had ironed and had to iron them again as the folds were so tight. That was the last time I ever washed all my fabric. If I think a fabric might bleed, I cut off a snip and water it down and put it between a white paper towel to see if it will bleed. I also use a color catcher when I wash quilts.

This is one of those questions that will be with us forever. Some of us prefer to work with the fabric with is 'stiffness' while others are aghast at the idea of not prewashing the fabric. I think it stems the fact that fabric used to shrink so much (but we also use to wash everything in very hot water) and from bleeding from the reds and indigos. If your top shrinks a bit, it just creates the slight pucker look that I like with a quilt. The bleeding you can usually resolve by washing the finished quilt with color catchers. The only time I would prewash is it I am mixing cotton with a blend. Then I don't worry about one area puckering and another not.Bottom line is do what you are most comfortable with. Over time you will develop your style. The most important thing is that you have fun and not make it seem like a chore or like work!

I wash everything. I want to get rid of chemicals, make sure the fabrics don't bleed, and to help with shrinkage.
To wash-or not- is your personal decision. :)

pre washing does not guarantee the fabric wont run....it will just run less.

I always wash with a color catcher. One of my first quilting and sewing mistakes came early when I was first starting to quilt with heavy bleeding and a dress I made that shrank so bad it was thrown away. All the chemicals they put in fabric bothers me making my hands itch and my eyes water so I have to wash first to be able to work with the fabric.

When I was just beginning to quilt I would automatically put all of my new fabric into the laundry basket. I would wash the fabric as I intended to wash the quilt with warm water and detergent and then I would machine dry on low. It seemed to take me forever to starch and iron the fabric before I could cut it. Now I don't wash the light colors but I still wash the medium to darker colors and I use color catchers now. If your fabric should bleed don't machine dry it. Put it into the washing machine with a box of baking soda and warm water. Agitate for a few minutes and then let it soak overnight. Run the washing machine through its regular cycle in the morning and your fabric should look like new. I have used this method for almost 30 years and it works every time.

I always prewash unless its a wallhanging, also!

I have not ever prewashed but having just attended a lecture with Pam Buda of Heartspun Quilts http://heartspunquilts.blogspot.com/...h-that-is.html
I just starched all of the fabric for my next project to see if it makes a huge difference.

I am a prewasher. I don't want to smell the dye, chemicals or anything else they put in the fabric. I want my fabric to be clean and smell good.

It's your choice. I always pre-wash and then throw it in the dryer. I have allergies so I don't want to deal with all the chemicals on fabric. Also, I want to know if a fabric is going to bleed,BEFORE I go to all work of making a quilt. It takes a lot of work to make a quilt and I would hate to have fabrics bleed and have to throw the quilt away.

I've started on my quilt and decided not to prewash the fabric. I did iron it all though and re ironing as I work with the cut pieces.