why you do not wash fabrics before cutting?
 

Some of the reasons people wash their fabrics before cutting them have been listed many times:cool: in many threads.

For those that do not, what are your reasons for not doing so?

I live in an apt complex and it is $2.25 a load. I don't have time to press the fabric and I prefer to just starch my fabric before I cut it. I do realize that when using steam, the block does shirk a tiny bit but I usually compensate for that problem. I like the feel of new fabric. I don't worry about bleeders because of the invention of color catchers. I do occasionally pretest a small swatch of fabric to discover if it is a bleeder.

Because I'm too lazy to do all the added work and hate laundry. All my quilts are washed when completed always with a color catcher and I have never had a problem with bleeding (i use alot of whites) or shrinking.

Too lazy and hate to iron!!!

another lazy one here - and sometimes I just want to jump right in on a project and dont want to take the time. When I first started quilting I washed it, but after spending time here, realized it was just a personal choice. There are a few colors that I will at least give a good rinse in hot water to see if any color wants to bleed out

I'm not about to pass on to anyone a quilt that may cause an allergic reaction. Especially to babies much less with so many dirty hands having touched the fabric. I get other tasks accomplished while the laundering of the fabric is going on. I would rather wash before hand the yardage before cutting versus a large piece that may bleed or shrink. Everyone has their preference. Was told yesterday, I was a bit of a germaphobe. Oh well. Still going to prewash.

Un-neccessary step in my opinion. I've never had problems with unwashed fabric and usually wash before giving quilt away. I have limited time for my quilting and feel there are better ways to spend my time than prewashing. been quilting nearly 50 yrs, BTW.

I don't pre-wash pre-cuts. I'm too lazy to do the delicate work of trying to wash those babies without them fraying or distorting, so I just use them unwashed and cross my fingers when I toss it into the wash for the first time (with a wad of color catchers). So far I've been lucky, even when using batiks.

I also don't pre-wash things like canvas or random remnants I pick up for making tote bags - I consider those to be "utility" items so I don't really care if things run or shrink a bit as long as I can still drag my groceries around in it. I've also started a denim & fleece scrap quilt and I haven't been pre-washing either the denim or the fleece. It just didn't seem necessary. (Though a lot of the denim is from salvaged jeans, so very well pre-washed in that case, but some of it is new remnants which I have not been washing.)

I don't pre-wash wide backing fabric before stashing, either. I do pre-wash it just before I use it though, and I'm glad I do as I've had some pieces shrink quite a bit. (I wait to wash just before it'll be used so I don't have to FOLD the giant things!)

I wash most everything else, though, despite what a chore it is.

Ironing yards and yards of wrinkled fabric is not my idea of a good time. I prefer to save that energy for pressing seams ;-)

I used to pre-wash my fabrics years ago, but don't anymore. I remember as a child, going into shops that sold fabric with my Mother and my eyes would burn and I hated the smell. It's not like that anymore. I love the feel of fabric right off the bolt, and I never pre- wash. I don't consider myself lazy, it's just one of those things I don't feel is necessary anymore.