If I didn't trust them in a lingerie bag in the washer, i'd at least scald them in the sink. . I hate shrinking, and I hate dye running more.

A question for those who don't - do you wash your tops and backs once they are assembled?

i only wash darks because of the bleeding but other than that i do not wash . there are not as much chemical in the fabrics as their use to be

I always soak fabric in cool water first-I am always careful with pinked fabric because of the fraying. Just keep soaking until there is no more color washing out, and dry between two towels (sometimes if I am too impatient to use the fabric, I'll use a dry iron to speed the process.) I wish fabric companies wouldn't pink the edges, that seems to make it worse.

I don't prewash either, unless it is flannel, that is a whole different story. I try to check deep reds to see if they run. I wash all my quilts that are going out as gifts before they leave my hands. The only things I have not washed are a wall hanging or two. Anything that may potentially be washed by the new owners or me gets washed after it is finished and the label is on it. I love the look of how is shrinks up a little.

It helps that I have one of those large front-loading washers and can fit even queen size quilts in there with no problem.

I don't prewash and have washed my quilts later...not right after. Mine are fine. I really like the older looking quilts so this works:0). I don't worry about the chemicals in the fabric either. Maybe I should but, I figure between my carpets, furniture, cleaning supplies and what he leaves in the garage and what is inside my car...a quilt won't matter:))LOL
Just recently I used some Rit dye to tone down a panel and rinsed good, and dried..then I had to fight w/my iron and talk to the panel to get it in a square again....so, for me, never again!:))Skeat

I'm a prewasher :roll: and have purchased charm packs before and been very disappointed in the results. I would consider purchasing again if they were larger than the size I required but am afraid that due to shrinkage I could not get them ready to go into a project unless it was from the charm swap (they are pre-shrunk before cutting).

Like other members, I imagine your sister would have a huge tangled mess to deal with in addition to the loss. She should be able to get about a 2 inch noodle from each if they were 2.5 inches to begin with, but might not if the fabric is off. Kyiav has a noodle swap every so often, maybe your sis could find more there to coordinate with her project (she's got a schedule for '09 posted, too). Best wishes & Happy Sewing!!

I have made a few things with jelly rolls and I don't wash them, have not had a problem with washing after the project was done. :)

I purchased a Jelly Roll that was dark red, brown, teal and cream. I was raised pre washing for shrinkage, and with the dark colors afraid of the bleeding. I washed them in net bags on gentle and dried. I had, wait I still have a disaster on my hands. NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY JELLY ROLLS

My nice precut strips now measure 2 1/4 and I cut my background fabric strips after I washed it at the correct 2 1/2. I am now sewing the two together, then trimming both to 2 1/4 due to the frayed Jelly Rolls. If I didn't have over $100 invested in background fabric, and backing I would have tossed the whole project.

I'm a prewasher if it is possible to take care of the shrinkage. Remember, if you don't prewash to use those fantastic "Color Catchers" made by Shout...They are fantastic!!!!! I love them. Even though I prewash (when possible), if I make a gift of a quilt...I include color catchers with it...just to make sure when they wash the quilt that there are no "mishaps" sometimes..all the dye might not come out in the first or even second wash.

The washing debate is never settled.

Reds are not the only fabrics that might spill color.

I won't buy jelly rolls because or precut little pieces because:

1) I hate the pinked edges
2) I like to prewash
3) Sometimes fabric gets pulled off grain in the processing and then the strips are off grain.
4) Sometimes fabrics (even the "good" ones) shrink and I prefer the flat look in my finished quilts.

One can soak the strips in a basin and then just lay them out on a towel. Kind of a bother, but if one is the obsessive/compulsive type, it works. Minimizes tangling and fraying.