When selling a piece do you prewash your fabrics?
 

Hello I am new to quilting and sewing and I want to tell you all how helpful this board has been already! I have always been interested in quilting and when I married my husband I hit the jackpot, his grandmother quilted. She was not able to teach me as much as we would have liked when she lost her battle with cancer, so I am trying to still learn. I have been making baby items for family member's baby showers and have never washed any of my fabrics before sewing. However I have decided to try and make a little extra money for the family and make some baby items and lap quilts to sell at a local gift shop. I have been reading posts and would just hate to make an item and have it a customer get it home and have the fabrics bleed when washed. Although I have never pre washed my fabric, do you just toss it all in the washer with detergent and then the dryer and if needed iron? Thank you in advance for your tips of advice!!!

you should wash fabrics if it is intended for a baby. The sizing can irriatate the tender skin.

I wash the fabric on light load with less detergent than a regular load. Without the soils on worn clothes, the detergent will suds more.

i usually pre wash. wash with a little detergent, throw in dryer and iron.
i do not use any softner on it when i wash or dry

i always wash so i don't get any surprises after the quilt is made.

I never pre-wash fabric.I also do not pre wash items to sell but include washing instructions with the item.you could wash the baby quilts if you want or test a few scraps sewn together in the washer and dryer .I do that if I am worried about colors bleeding.

Customers are used to seeing the sized fabric item that they see in all the stores. (new manufactured items are not prewashed.) Most mothers would wash anything and everything that comes in contact with baby skin. If the colors are all pastels, I would not prewash, but include washing instructions, like stating use cool water, gentle detergents to enjoy a lifetime of use, etc. I prewash darks now, the small pieces (2 yards or less), I wash in the bathroom sink, very warm water and detergent. I swish around, and then let sit a few minutes. If the water is colored, I rinse and repeat. If I still get bleeding, I do a retayne sink wash. Then test again. If it still bleeds, it gets dried and goes into a tub marked bleeders. I then wash them en masse, with color catchers in the washer. It takes care of the fabric bleeding, again IMO.

If you are washing by machine, use color catchers and, a good idea would be to trim on an angle all cut corners. It helps eliminate millions of tready strings. I also use delicate bags to hold some pieces, and use color catchers. I pre-dry until damp in the dryer, and then hang dry. It gives more body (IMO) and makes it easier to iron. By the way, I dislike ironing.

I sell at craft shows. I always prewash any fabric that will be in an item that is for sale. The last thing I need is for a customer to get it home wash it and bleeding ruins that item and potentially the other items in that load of wash. Or one piece of fabric had a rate of shrinkage more than the others that created a distortion of the item. This is particularly true for table runners. If the buyer purchased a flat runner , they want it to stay flat. A dissatisfied customer is bad for business. Repeat customers is the backbone of business.
I do use light starch prior to cutting the get a good crisp final project.

I prewash all fabrics on a gentle cycle in hot water and dry in a hot dryer. I want any and all problems known before I even start sewing.

Baby quilts will generally be washed in hot water by the buyer (even before using if they're smart), but I'd much prefer that I get any surprises first. Besides, commercial fabrics are treated with formaldehyde and other chemicals and that, to me, is reason enough to prewash, especially anything intended for babies.

i you don't want to pre-wash you should launder the finished item. I am a 'sometimes i pre-wash, sometimes i don't ' but i never let a quilt go away regardless of where- it could be a gift, a donation or a sale...it does not matter- as soon as the binding is finished the next step is laundering- i toss them into the washer- cool water, gentle cycle- with detergent then into the dryer- i also ALWAYS add care instructions to the label along with fiber content. doesn't matter if the fabrics are pre-washed or not the finished item is ALWAYS. I want to know everything is ok---colors, seams, embellishments...what ever- i treat it as I believe the new owner will --- especially baby/kid quilts---they need to take alot of laundering & use---they better be able to take it. and i don't want to send anything out the door with chemicals (sizing), oils, grime, markings....

I prewash/machine dry all fabrics....using retayne for bleeders (typically reds or blues)....it eliminates any unwanted chemicals as well as shrinkage...and when the quilted item is complete, I wash again....that gets rid of any dirt/oils from my hands it may have picked up during construction....a cotton batting will shrink enough during that last wash/dry to get that desired crinkly look in the fabrics....that last wash will also bring to light any areas that may need attention.....loose threads, stitching coming undone, etc.....but that is all me and my honest opinion, everyone will have their own set of rules....LOL

I alway prewah also, except precuts. I also starch when pressing fabric does not look prewashed and is easy to cut, piece, and quilt. Hope you do well with your sales!!!!!!

I would let the family wash it, they could have allergies to detergents, and moms will usually wash everything they get from their child. I am almost allergic to all laundry detergents so I have to use a special one and with many kidshaving allergies these days I would let the mom wash it in what she wants

I very rarely pre wash anything but flannel, but always wash the finished quilt before I use it or give it away. I wash it on a regular cycle, cold water, and dry like anything else. I figure the recipient will not want to give it any special treatment, so I do that to see if there are any problems. So far I have been lucky.

Thank you all so much for you tips!!! I might have to start prewashing since I don't want any unhappy customers with surprises!!! I guess since my washer & dryer are in the basement with my sewing area it wont be to hard lol. Joanns here I come on Monday!!!

that said, i would wash the quilt anyway, and it would be up to the receiver to wash again. washing it the first time will show the subtle or not so subtle little puckers that may show that the quilt shrank a little, too. it will also make sure that there were no fabrics that bled. besides prewashing for the chemical aspect, it is best not to have other surprises.

This is my thinking, exactly. I prewash when the fabric comes in the door, and wash again when the quilt is finished.