I gaze at it, think of all the amazing things I'd make with it, run my hand over it lovingly, then sigh and put the bolt back on the shelf ;) my stash is too big and I'm trying to convert to a project-based fabric buying system but it's so tough...

I do the same. Never knew who handled it before you and how they handled it.

I put it on the shelf until I decide what to do with it. Some of my lovely new fabric is years old. LOL

I am one of those who wash every piece of fabric before it goes in the stash so I never have to worry about dyes bleeding or shrinkage. I can just pull from my stash and never, never, never have to worry about the fabric. Bad fabric is eliminated before it makes its way into the stash.

1. I use pinking shears to trim the cut ends. This prevents fraying when washed.
2. Wash, no fabric softner and dry in dryer or outside.
3. Fold and put in stash until ready to use.
4. When ready to use cut the amount I want off the yardage. Starch the back side of fabric, let it soak in a few minutes and press that piece. The rest goes back in the stash.
5. Cut the parts I need from the piece I starched

There are so many ways people handle fabric. With all the info out there, you will find what works for you and different projects can handle different treatment. I do make it as simple as I can for myself, make everything ready to use without questions.

peace

This is what I do as well. In washing I add vinegar to colored fabric - no softener.

I fold it and put it in my stash. Sometimes I immediately find a use for it. I never cut off the selvedge until ready to use, it's helpful to have the information in case I need to purchase more. Often the only place it can be found is the internet and it's easier to do a search if I have all that info.

It goes in my stash or I play with it if I have a pattern in mind. Sometimes, I pull fabric from my stash to see what I have that will go with it and make a complete mess of my sewing room, but it's fun. I don't prewash until I am ready to use it and then I wash all the fabrics selected for that project at the same time. Sometimes as I'm ironing my selections, I will change a fabric out.

I put new fabric in like color groups and zig zag the edges to prevent fraying. I do one piece at the beginning of each sewing day, and when I have enough for a load, I wash, dry, hand press, fold and put on the shelf. If I've bought a bunch of fabric for immediate use, I'll just do it all right away. Nothing goes on my stash shelves until it is washed.

I don't have much of a stash as I like to use precuts so I don't have to try to figure out what fabrics go together. I never prewash either. I just fold and put in my stash til I use it. To me, there's no sense in pressing before stashing as it will need pressin again when I get it out to use.

I wash, rinse with vinegar and toss in the dryer. No dryer sheets. I then clip the strings, iron, and starch. I roll on my small cardboard bolts and store, ready for use.

I do this for everything except pre-cuts. When I pull a piece of yardage out, I know that it's preshrunk and ready to go.