I love the crisp feel of new fabric. If you buy quality fabric & quilt it heavily it all shrinks together at the end. However, if I mix batiks with regular cottons I would pre-wash/pre-shrink the regular cottons. Same with flannel. Ok by itself but will wash if mixing with "flat" cottons

This is exactly what I would have said. So "ditto" for me. (I would have just said "ditto" but I don't think that is a long enough reply for this board/forum.) :)

I only pre-wash for two reasons 1) If I use flannel for my back. It shrinks more than the regular cottons so I will prewash it. 2) If I am making something that will be heavily quilted like a wall hanging. I love the wrinkily look quilts get if they aren't pre-washed, but if you are doing lots of FMQ you don't want that look. Otherwise I never pre-wash, waste of time that I could use on getting the quilt made. And I am too lazy to do boring things. Laundry is boring. P.S. I love color catchers.

Love the answers here. I did start off washing, but just hated it and honestly if there were rules you had to wash first I wouldn't quilt. I love the crinkly look, I don't get runs because I use 4-8 color catchers and use them for the first few washes. And I always wash after I'm finished with it. I want to enjoy my crinkles and it always has a different look after washing.

My main reason is because it seems odd to me to wash out sizing and then put lots of starch on it to piece it! With today's technology, there isn't a lot of shrinking on most cottons & since that's all I use, it's just personal preference. Plus, living in a camper, I have to use a Laundromat and that would get very expensive! I usually wash the quilts before I give them away unless they're in a particular hurry & then I just add Color Catchers in case something runs.

I have heard that they spray fabrics with a bug spray when it is coming into the country. Now do you think we should or should not wash?

Actually I don't know anyone who does that. My first wash would be after it gets dirty, not before I wear it the first time.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by beadywoman http://www.quiltingboard.com/images/...post-right.png
Consider the clothes that we buy at the store. That fabric is not prewashed prior to garment construction. The first thing that we do when we get new clothes home is put them in the wash.


I NEVER wear new clothes without washing them, first. The only exceptions would be shoes and maybe packaged socks. Many years ago, I worked at a department store, which sold clothing. Let's just say that cured me of wanting to wear anything without washing it, first!

especially unpackaged underwear :o