I'm starting a poll....do you wash all material or not. I love the feel of unwashed material. When I make a quilt I rinse it in synthopol and a dye sheet. Don't use any soap at all....what do you do?

Most material I don't wash, its easier to work with for me. Blks, reds and anything that might bleed is washed on a quick wash w/small amount of soap.

I do not prewash ! I love to live on the edge, feel the crispness, hug the chemicals and whatever else bad there is to not prewashing:)LOL I love the homespun old look...and have not been sad by any later washed quilts! Skeat

I prewash the fabric with soap. I have not prewashed the batting.
I have not enough.
Finishing up on quilt #3 and fabric for quilt 3 is about to go in the wash.

Maybe I will hold of all of the colors are similar so no need to worry about bleeding. They are from the same manufacture and I love the old quilt look so shrinkage is not a concern. I might just wait until some others have posted. before I start that load.

G

I use to prewash everything, but have cut back on that after reading here that it wasn't required . I do plan to continue to pre wash the reds or bright colors that might run, but otherwise I think I will live on the wild side and see what happens.. :wink:
Sharon

always prewash,fabrics shrink at different percentages when washed as does the batting,although I haven't washed the batting,but I always prewash fabric

Looks like I'm in the minority, but I always prewash. I don't want any surprises like colors that bleed or cottons that shrink a lot. Also, sometimes there's an odor from whatever sizing the manufacturer uses and I don't like that.

I usually do not prewash. I like the wrinkly look of the quilt after I wash it. Seems to age the quilt (just like me). I do wash if it is for and exchange so it will be consistent with everyone elses.

I used to prewash everything, now I don't. I prefer unwashed, but I think it's a personal thing and what kind of look you're going for.

I don't prewash, love the crispness of the new fabric, never had any problems.

If it is a baby quilt I prewash to soften, otherwise I don't.

No washing here:) I too love the feel of unwashed fabric. It just isn't the same after washing.

Lynette

I don't pre-wash, I find it so much easier to work with unwashed fabric.

a fun question...i really do both...but i do not use hot water and detergent.
The next ques is where do you buy your fabric and why....just joking that starts a lot of arguing......

If you store a lot of fabric in a closed room it does smell of chemicals....but the bugs won't eat it as it is treated.... I do wash brights just before i use them.....treat your fabric like your best clothes
:D

I prewash fabrics that can be prewashed. But, when I buy pre-cut noodles or squares, they can't be prewashed. Most of my quilts go to Project Linus. And :oops: I smoke. So before I send any quilt to PL, I wash it twice--regardless of whether it was prewashed. I wash it once in regular detergent in a regular wash cycle since I figure that's the way it will be treated once it has been received by a child. I put Downy in the rinse cycle to make it soft. Then I wash it one more time using only baking soda in the wash cycle and plain water in the rinse cyce to get rid of the smell of the fabric softener and any remaining smoke smells. As soon as it comes out of the dryer, I put it in a sealable plastic baggie. I work with a lady who has the nose of a hound-dog and when she can't smell any residuals on the quilts, I send it to PL.

I know my "closed in cabinet" has a weird odor if it hasn't been opened for awhile....probably the sizing. I really think "good" quiltshop fabric doesn't have a lot of sizing in it.

i agree. i do too then i starch to return the crispness for cutting.
i use hottest water and then the dryer. if it bleeds, i wash 2x in hot water.
i have never tried a color catcher. what is that?

they are called "dye catchers" and are found in the dryer sheet section

Actually, it probably has a lot more. The VIP/Cranston fabrics are made in the US, so they don't get treated with pesticides. LQS fabrics are virtually all imported. That heavy, silky drape to quilt store fabrics is due to chemicals just as the stiffness in other fabrics is!

I prewash for chemicals and shrinkage. Moda, especially, shrinks a LOT.