To starch or not to starch?
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: The Finger Lakes of upstate NY
Posts: 3,572
I've never prewashed a thing, except when required for a swap.
Just finished Bonnie Hunter's Talkin' Turkey (red and neutral quilt). When the time comes for it to be washed, I might throw some color catchers in with it, just in case.
Starching (or Best Press) helps when I am doing small blocks - 365 blocks or anything 6" or less with lots of pieces (Farm Girl Vintage, for example). I find it helps with accuracy tiny pieces.
After the amount of loose thread trimming I did on Talkin' Turkey to get it ready to hand off to the LA, I'm thinking I might start starching everything as I use it.
Just finished Bonnie Hunter's Talkin' Turkey (red and neutral quilt). When the time comes for it to be washed, I might throw some color catchers in with it, just in case.
Starching (or Best Press) helps when I am doing small blocks - 365 blocks or anything 6" or less with lots of pieces (Farm Girl Vintage, for example). I find it helps with accuracy tiny pieces.
After the amount of loose thread trimming I did on Talkin' Turkey to get it ready to hand off to the LA, I'm thinking I might start starching everything as I use it.
#33
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Thornton, Colorado
Posts: 1,023
if you use a color catcher sheet in the wash, it will catch dyes floating in the water. Then you can determine if the fabric is a bleeder.
#34
Rarely prewash............only dark yardage. I starch all fabric except precuts prior to cutting and never use steam once the pieces have been cut.
Because I spray baste, I wash all my quilts in Sythrapol and use Color Catchers and so far have never had a bleeder on the quilt..........fingers crossed.
Because I spray baste, I wash all my quilts in Sythrapol and use Color Catchers and so far have never had a bleeder on the quilt..........fingers crossed.
#35
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: West Texas
Posts: 2,073
I pre-wash everything, one yard or less in the sink, soaking in Dawn if necessary. If necessary, I use Retayne to set the dye, which happens quite often. One the rare occasion that Retayne doesn't work, the fabric is discarded.
My experience in Project Linus: A lady made a beautiful quilt top of bright colors, which she handed off to another blanketeer for quilting. After quilting and binding, the quilter washed the quilt. The bright colors bled onto the light colors. Both people felt awful. And the quilt looked terrible.
My experience in Project Linus: A lady made a beautiful quilt top of bright colors, which she handed off to another blanketeer for quilting. After quilting and binding, the quilter washed the quilt. The bright colors bled onto the light colors. Both people felt awful. And the quilt looked terrible.
#36
Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 39
I never prewash. Sometimes I use best press. I love to starch my binding.
I always wash my quilts when I'm finished. Even when gifting. I love to see it pucker when washed and dried. I always use a color catcher in my wash with my quilts. Never had a problem.
I always wash my quilts when I'm finished. Even when gifting. I love to see it pucker when washed and dried. I always use a color catcher in my wash with my quilts. Never had a problem.
#37
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 9,299
Starch? Yes. I love, love, love the crispness and scent of starched fabric. I just iron and say "aaaah, niiiiice!" Okay, am I weird?
#38
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: California
Posts: 177
I always prewash. I also spray with best press when ironing my prewashed fabric. I don't know that I have the starching thing down yet. Maybe I don't use enough, but I am not willing to soak fabric in a bucket of starch.
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woohoowendy
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04-02-2011 02:02 AM