wash or not? before cutting quilt pieces
#12
I guess it really depends on how much you like to iron. I know that when I don't wash, I have to do a light press, but when I wash, I have to iron. And I hate to iron.
If the fabrics are flannels or batiks, washing is a must. Flannels because of shrinkage, and batiks because there may be left over dyes from the batiking process. Rule of thumb used to be that reds / purples had to be washed because of bleeding, but that isn't always the case. You can do a test piece, but I've also been told horror stories about a fabrics bleeding in a quilt even after the fabric was pre-washed.
Also, if you are doing a swap of some type, check and make sure whether fabrics are supposed to be washed or not so everyone's fabrics are the same.
If the fabrics are flannels or batiks, washing is a must. Flannels because of shrinkage, and batiks because there may be left over dyes from the batiking process. Rule of thumb used to be that reds / purples had to be washed because of bleeding, but that isn't always the case. You can do a test piece, but I've also been told horror stories about a fabrics bleeding in a quilt even after the fabric was pre-washed.
Also, if you are doing a swap of some type, check and make sure whether fabrics are supposed to be washed or not so everyone's fabrics are the same.
#17
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I am a firm believer in pre-washing. I have had some very expensive LQS fabric shrink more than 1/8 inch after washing. I prefer to control the outcome of my quilt project as much as possible. So I pre-wash for: color bleed, fabric shrinkage, etc. I also second the opinion about warehouses and most storerooms. Have you ever been in one? They are nasty.
#19
I'm rather new to quilting. The first 2 I made I did not prewash the fabric. I really like the crispness of the fabric while I'm working with it. BUT, then this bedbug thing started and the quilt I'm working on now I order the fabric online from Hancock Fabric so I did prewash. It shrunk more than I though it would. I still had enough fabric but I wasn't expecting as much shrinkage. It was rather inexpensive fabric, not sure if this was a factor or not.
#20
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Originally Posted by quiltnmom
I'm rather new to quilting. The first 2 I made I did not prewash the fabric. I really like the crispness of the fabric while I'm working with it. BUT, then this bedbug thing started and the quilt I'm working on now I order the fabric online from Hancock Fabric so I did prewash. It shrunk more than I though it would. I still had enough fabric but I wasn't expecting as much shrinkage. It was rather inexpensive fabric, not sure if this was a factor or not.
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