brushandthimble

I like your idea, may have to copy :)

maryb119

I wash everything before i use it in a quilt. If it is going to shrink or the color run, I want that to happen before I put it in a quilt. Some batiks need to be treated with Synthropal. It hellps to set the dye so it doesn't run anymore. I find that dark colors like purple or navy tend to run and some reds do too. I was always told the rule is wash all or none of your fabrics in a quilt.

MollieSue

I always wash the quilts before I give them away. I think it makes them all clean,soft & snuggly, and removes any yucky finish stuff as I don't pre-wash my material.
I toss a color catcher in, if I think the colors might bleed.
:)

littlehud

I always wash mine when done. Even if it's just for me. I just like the way they look.

bj

I don't prewash my fabrics, unless I'm afraid it isn't colorfast. So I do wash my quilts. I make a lot of baby quilts and I don't want to send any chemicals their way.

Deecee

I don't wash finished quilts - but I don't use starch, glue or basting spray and I am very particular about keeping them clean while working on them.

Pam in WV

If you have used any spray starch, sizing, marking tools, or have not pre-washed your fabric, it might be a good idea to wash. Using cool water and very little, if any, soap, will assure that the colors are fast, and any chemicals are washed out of the fabrics. Sometimes it even gives the quilt a new look then before washing.

wilhelmina

After the quilt is done, I wash on the delicate cycle with warm water, very small amount of soap, with an extra rinse, and tumble dry low heat. I do not wash wall hangings. There is generally a small amount of shrinkage, maybe 2-3%, just enough to give that wrinkly comfortable soft puff and it seems to "set" the thread and fabric together. I prefer working with new fabric, I like the smell and feel of it! When it is washed first, it has to be ironed and the fuzzies need to be trimmed away, extra work! But if you swap blocks, they want it prewashed. However, if I were going to work with bold colors that were going to be next to a bright white, I would consider a prewash. I admit some people are concerned about fadding, but I have never had a problem with my fabrics, except when I have been working with old (50+ years old) fabric.

pamsmpk

I NEVER pre-wash my fabrics because I am too lazy to iron all those yards of fabric to get them ready to cut. I ALWAYS wash my completed quilt with a color catcher because I love the way it puckers up a little and looks.:-)

Lisa773

I always pre-wash my fabrics before cutting and always wash after the quilt is finished. The quilting takes on an entirely new look after it has been washed. I love the way it feels after this final washing. It's much softer looking, feeling, etc. But I can see both sides of the debate. I don't think there is really any wrong way, just personal preference. Just watch out for fabrics bleeding into each other. ;)