Washing wide back fabrics
 

I recently purchased a couple of wide back fabrics on sale, so now I need to wash and iron them before use. The thought of man-handling 4 yards of 108" fabric to iron is not something I look forward to. Anyone have a thought on how to handle these beasts? I usually make my quilt backs from regular width fabric, but I like the idea of no seams on the back.

Fill washer with hot water, add soap and toss in the fabric.
Dry with hot temperature.
Press ... easier if you have a large rectangular surface.
A bit of dampness helps, whether damp from the dryer, a spritzer of water ... or some Best Press. I don't use steam, but many do.

I made my ironing board, by mounting a piece of plywood on my old metal ironing board. Permanently screwed on, and what I now use all the time. Mine is about 24"x58", a leftover that I had . Ideally have it atleast 1/2WOF for regular width fabrics by atleast 1/2 WOF of wide back, as it makes it easier for pressing any fabrics you have. FQs and 1/2 metres fit on top nicely when pressing.

Some have theirs mounted on storage cabinets or dressers.

Hope you are enjoying your new (now old?) home and community!!
And that you have your new sewing room, fully equipped and just the way you want it! :)

I have to confess - i buy this by the bolt when i have a 50% coupon at JoAnns - which is usually at least 12 yards....but i don't wash it til i am ready to use it. I cut the needed size...with about 6" extra for shrinkage - and wash and iron only what i need for the quilt.
Perhaps...if you really want to wash it now - You could smooth it well and fold and could save the ironing til you are ready to use it - then have to iron only the portion you have cut off for your project ?

Yes, you can iron these beasts...as QuiltE says, much easier with a big rectangular pressing surface. I have one that folds in the middle, which has been convenient at times I need to remove it.
You can fold the big piece of fabric in half and iron it "double" -- then flip over to do the other side.

Yes it can be done. Reminds me of the olden days when we used to iron sheets (and my dad's underwear!!!).

After regular washing with gentle spin, I find that if I dry the fabric only until it is still damp, I can shake it out, fold carefully matching selvage edges and hang (over a drying rack/shower curtain rod/over the guest bed on top of several towels/even over a clothesline) until dry, there are fewer wrinkles and the mass is MUCH easier to press on my long rectangular pressing board.

Jan in VA

If your 4 yards is for 2 quilts, I go ahead and cut it into the 2 pieces so each piece is more manageable. I just have a regular old ironing board and it takes 15-20 minutes to iron one of those pieces. But not having to sew a center seam in the back is the trade off!!

I agree with "Jan in VA". I wash it, dry it in the dryer on low for 10 minutes and then take it out and fold it and hang it over the clothes line in my basement. I finger press it as I hang it up. I do this with all my fabric and you would be surprised at how much the weight of the fabric almost presses itself. Then I iron it as I need it.

I also fold and pin mine to the size of a large towel before I wash it. After it's washed I unpin it, refold to fit my rod in my empty bedroom closet, turn the fan on and leave it for a day to dry. I have a pad that I put on my kitchen counter that juts out and it's about two and a half feet wide, 5 foot long that I Iron on. Works great for me.

I would keep it in one piece and unwashed until I needed it. Then I would cut what I need, remembering that 5% shrinkage is over 5" on a 108" fabric. And I would definitely dry it in the dryer to shrink it to the max, because I wash and dry all my top fabrics also. Leaving it a little damp really helps in ironing.