Too pre-wash or not
12-03-2009, 09:42 AM
#21
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: East Oklahoma - pining for Massachusetts
Posts: 10,477
Originally Posted by bearisgray
Originally Posted by Boston1954
I got a GREAT tip at a quilt show last year. One Tablespoon of vinegar and one cup of water in a spray bottle. Gets out the TOUGHEST wrinkles.
:P
12-03-2009, 10:44 AM
#22
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: The beautiful Willamette Valley in Oregon
Posts: 62
Thanks to everyone who has given me suggestions. I'll have to get a special rotary cutter just for the pinking blade: I didn't know there was one out there. And since I goofed & washed all the material for my gift projects, I'll try the sprinkle & freeze process to see how it works. And BellaBoo, if I cut even the smallest piece to check for colorfastness, that would be right where I needed precise cuts for the pattern piece (Murphey's Law runs deep in our family) :
12-03-2009, 11:05 AM
#23
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: currently central new jersey
Posts: 8,623
Originally Posted by bearisgray
I overcast the raw edges before washing.
I use either a long narrow zig-zag stitch or a narrow overcasting with the serger. My serger is my first choice, but if I have black on it and the fabrics are light colored, I go with the sewing machine. It's easier to change the thread colors on.
Takes a bit longer, but then the most fabric I ever lose is the width of the stitching - and no loose threads to fight with.
I find that many fabrics shrink some and I prefer a flat quilt.
You will notice that there seems to be no definitive "right" answer to this question.
I use either a long narrow zig-zag stitch or a narrow overcasting with the serger. My serger is my first choice, but if I have black on it and the fabrics are light colored, I go with the sewing machine. It's easier to change the thread colors on.
Takes a bit longer, but then the most fabric I ever lose is the width of the stitching - and no loose threads to fight with.
I find that many fabrics shrink some and I prefer a flat quilt.
You will notice that there seems to be no definitive "right" answer to this question.
12-03-2009, 04:20 PM
#26
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 113
This doesn't have anything to do with pre-washing fabric or not.....but I use distilled water with white vinegar in it for my Rowenta steam iron......it really zaps the wrinkles, and sets the seams great! The smell of vinegar is a clean smell and does not stay in the fabrics.
12-04-2009, 06:48 AM
#27
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Manhattan, Kansas
Posts: 2,160
You might want to try this method--it cuts down tremendously on the wrinkles and the ravels. I read about it in a quilting magazine years ago and have used the method every since.
First thing cut a small triangle off each corner of the fabric piece at the end of the selvages. This keeps the raveling to a minimum. Then working with the fabric folded lengthwise, accordion fold your fabric piece (working with selvage edge) --make your folds 6-18 inches wide, depending on the length of the fabric. When I am doing 2-3 yard pieces, I use the wider fold. Now safety pin the selvage edges together every 3-4 inches. (On smaller pieces, put pins closer together). You should have a very neat package to put in the washer. When it comes out of the washer, give it a good shake, holding onto the pinned edge, then put in dryer. I dry on med heat and use the extra care button (gives longer cool down). Give the fabric a shake when it comes out of the dryer. Unpin and press. Often it only needs a swipe with the iron.
First thing cut a small triangle off each corner of the fabric piece at the end of the selvages. This keeps the raveling to a minimum. Then working with the fabric folded lengthwise, accordion fold your fabric piece (working with selvage edge) --make your folds 6-18 inches wide, depending on the length of the fabric. When I am doing 2-3 yard pieces, I use the wider fold. Now safety pin the selvage edges together every 3-4 inches. (On smaller pieces, put pins closer together). You should have a very neat package to put in the washer. When it comes out of the washer, give it a good shake, holding onto the pinned edge, then put in dryer. I dry on med heat and use the extra care button (gives longer cool down). Give the fabric a shake when it comes out of the dryer. Unpin and press. Often it only needs a swipe with the iron.
12-04-2009, 08:27 AM
#28
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,097
Originally Posted by Karenn
I just pre-washed all my beautiful fabric today in a gentle wash & then put it all in the dryer on gentle and medium heat. It came out with all the loose threads that have tried to 'mate' with other pieces of material making it hard to get them apart without first cutting the threads. Some pieces are terribly wrinkled and when I've ironed them with my good steam iron, the wrinkles did not come out completely. The materials that seemed to have the most loose threads (I bet I lost a little over 1/4th inch of good material from some pieces). The material that seemed to unravel the most is Henry Glass & the Marcus Christmas fabric.
How do you keep from having this problem, short of not pre-washing and drying? And how about the wrinkles, I even pulled the material out of the dryer the instant it shut off, how do you get rid of them completely? Thanks for any suggestions you can give me.
Karenn
How do you keep from having this problem, short of not pre-washing and drying? And how about the wrinkles, I even pulled the material out of the dryer the instant it shut off, how do you get rid of them completely? Thanks for any suggestions you can give me.
Karenn
12-04-2009, 09:14 AM
#29
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: The beautiful Willamette Valley in Oregon
Posts: 62
To all of you have replied with wonderful suggestions, I thank you very much. To SoFunQuilts, you must have a newer Rowenta because my instruction book for my oldie-goldie says that I'm not to use distilled water in it. And to Karla, I have a front-loader washer so I couldn't do the agitate by hand process. I'm printing out all your replies in case I have a senior moment and forget what I'm supposed to do. Thanks again for all the helpful hints.
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