There has been many subjects on this very thing. I too wash them and iron before I use them, seems to cut down on the dreaded L strip. But I had heard from experts or I thought they were experts, that if you don't wash your fabrics and start a quilt do not mix washed and non washed. Thats all I know. Start with non washed finish with non washed.

Rita

What is a color catcher? I've heard it mentioned before too.

Guess I am the Lone Ranger never wash fabrics. Seems a waster of time and money for me. I have never had much shrinkage and never had bleeding. When I wash my quilts (seldom) I use a Color Catcher. The only bad thing is it prevents me from doing swaps, because most of them want washed fabrics.

LOL Neither do I.
Reasons I do not prewash fabric....
1. I am lazy.
2. I have to much other laundry to do, fabric would never make it to the wash, leaving me with nothing to sew.
3. I am lazy.
4. I don't care about staph infection.
5. I am lazy.
6. I never remember to take it out of the dryer while damp.
7. I am lazy.
8. I hate ironing out, what seems to be, permament wrinkles due to reason 6.
9. I am lazy.
10. Just because it is worth repeating. I am lazy!

Washed or unwashed I think the bottom line is the fabric will still make a beautiful quilt!

P.S. I did the recent strip swap (first fabric swap) and bought fabric just for it. I washed it and I think it will be the last time I do a fabric swap! I like scrapbook swaps. No washing required. However, I understand why some people need the fabric prewashed.
I didn't want anyone that participated in that swap thinking my fabic was unsanitary!

What is a "scrapbook swap"?

Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree about the prewashing.

Sometimes I washed, sometimes not, until recently when I completed a top with gorgeous yellows and blues. A few of the blues bled into the beautiful pale yellow background color. I was crushed. I managed to get the worst of it out, but the background is kinda dingey now. So sad.

Never again will I chance it. It's just not worth it. I'm washing!

Just use color catchers when you wash the quilt. They are in the laundry isle at the grocery store.

I agree with you I dont wash either

it's a piece of non woven fabric that looks like a dryer sheet and it's called Shout Color Catchers made by S. C. Johnson (the Pledge people). you find them near the detergent. you can wash red, white, etc together and they don't fade on each other. i live alone and never have a full load of whites or colors. just wash all together.

you go girl!!! i use the same reasons - just never wrote them down.