I dont wash and dry, iron my fabric before using, I have been told I should...just wondering what the majority here does.

I don't prewash either. If I find a problem, then I will prewash.

use the search feature, there's lots of discussions on this subject

I wash everthing now. I had a beautiful baby quilt ready to go and decided to wash it first...oh my, i'm glad i did The red ran all over and now it's pink in the wrong places. It's still on the shelf! I give it away now so, yes i would wash your fabric

Maybe I should start prewashing. Haven't had a problem yet. But I don't want to ruin a quilt so,,,, advise taken. I will prewash.. I will prewash...I will prewash.

Depends on the project. A wallhanging, no, but a bed quilt I do. Esp. baby quilts.

Usually I prewash! Mostly because of fading, shrinking and sometimes the fabric bothers my allergies if I don't. There is no "right" way. Whatever works for you.

I did and I've stopped. My question is, if you wash the fabric first and then wash the quilt when you're finished, won't the batting shrink and make the blocks, etc. all wrinkly?

Linda Rae

Some people wash the batting as well. I've never had a problem. I never do wash the batting. If it's quilted tight, there shouldn't be a problem.

I don't wash fabric
After finishing quilt I often wash with a color catcher - seems to work fine.
If I'm using pre-wash fabric I don't iron, the ruler or template presses quite well when you're cutting

I just read this on the Quilters World Magazine Facebook page ....Tip: Pre-washing fabrics before piecing a quilt top can make accurate blocks more difficult; unwashed fabric contains stiffeners that make piecing easier. Instead of pre-washing to reduce the chance of dye bleeding, just steam iron the fabrics instead. This will help to set the colors, while leaving the fabric stiffer and easier to work with.

This is 1 magazine I do sub too and enjoy.

I pre-wash and my friend that I quilt with doesn't. If we do something together, and she uses my stuff, then she has to pre-wash. I guess it is all about preference and there is no right or wrong until you get a boo-boo! LOL

I don't pre wash unless it is for a swap. Works for me.

I prewash and then put the sizing back in. I think the pros outweight the cons. My points almost always line up whether I prewash or not. I think it has more to do with accurate measurement and sewing than anything else. I do not like my fabric shrinking unevenly (I measured. Some can and do) or bleeding all over a project I worked so hard on (I prewash everything once and test again).

I pink the edges and wash, dry, and iron before use. I use Magic Sizing if I think I'll need the extra help. Starch is great for bias.

This is me too...
OR if I am using a fabric like a hand dyed or batik. Then I prewash and use Retayne :D:D:D

I don't normally pre-wash, I like the wrinkled look.

I don't prewash.

Thanks, Now i may not prewash!!!

I don't like to pre-wash either.. I like the crisp newness feeling of the fabric when I'm working with it..

I usually always prewash unless its a jelly roll.

No prewashing here...haven't done it for years. Haven't had any problems.

I don't always prewash, but when I don't I wash in cold water and put white vinegar in the water. If I wash again after that in the future, the first next time I put a Shout colorcatcher in just for extra insurance.

My MIL taught me the trick about the vinegar and I never have had a problem.

Kosher Salt also does the trick in terms of setting color. I do alot of tie-dying at a summer camp, and we use this formula in a note sent home to the parents. We tried it on staff shirts first. It works wonders!

I pre wash everything on warm, then dry in the dryer.......I dont do batting though. Really, its just up to you, I think.

I always prewash and press my fabric before using.
I like to remove the excess dye in the fabrics.

It's the sizing. My youngest has allergies to alot of sizings. I never prewash, unless the project is for her, or a bed quilt that's staying here. she can go thru my stash, not a problem, as it's short term. But more than a few min. it's got to get washed. FQ's are done in the sink, yardage in machine. Only damp dry them, press them dry.

I have never pre-washed my fabrics. So far I have not had a problem.

I don't pre-wash anything and never had a problem but I always press all my fabric before use

If you starch after washing you get the same effect as the stiffeners in the unwashed fabric.

I have read many things about this all of which makes me wash all my fabric before I use it.

1. The stiffeners can cause allergy reactions.
2. All fabric is stored in warehouses at some point, sometimes several. I have been in many types of warehouses, the majority use fork lifts, and have diesel truck back up to loading docks which exude exhaust into the warehouse, I am pretty sure that gets in the air along with all the dust being blown around. This then settles on the fabric.
3. Many fabrics come from overseas and they use chemicals, for pesticides, which would never ever be used in the USA, I don't want to breath that in nor be handling any of it.
4. Last but not least, I don't want to go to all the trouble of making a quilt, just to have one fabric shrink more that the other, making my quilt pucker in weird places and look like junk. (which happened to me before I started prewashing everything)

Those seem like very sound reasons to me.

As I was not appointed as Quilt Police, I think you should do what works the best for you to have an enjoyable quilting expierence, because that is what this is all about.

To BMP - this sounds reasonable. I am going to do just this as I start another top for my son. Thanks, would have never thought of steam iroing to set colors...

I think washing fabric before cutting it is in the same category as using seat belts. It makes sense to me to try to avoid potential problems.

(Except there is no formal legislation about washing fabric!)

After all is said - and it has been said often enough on this forum - you will end up doing what you want to do or what makes sense to you.

(Want to do and makes sense to do - are not always the same)

I do not prewash - quilt and bind and then wash with color catcher -have done it for 10 years now and have had no problem ---- I like the old look it gets when it is finished.

New fabrics, I hardly pre-wash because I prefer the stiffness. Unless it's a true solid red color, then it's pre-washed.

I always pre-wash. Then fold & put away. When I want to use it then I starch & iron. Just my preference.