Washing fabric before cutting
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 3,111
I don't prewash precuts, but I do wash my yardage before I start on a project. I know people who think I am silly and tell me that if I buy good material there is no need to prewash... but I still prewash yardage.. unless it is going to be used with precuts.
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 5,967
It all depends on if you are a prewasher. I'm not. I like the crispness of the new finish. Then I use Color catchers when I wash the finished quilt. If you are a prewasher, I would be prepared to iron and starch the fabric before I cut it into strips. I think strips are less forgiving of soft fabric that has been washed.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Washington
Posts: 855
I always prewash if I can and thus buy few precuts. I don't like breathing in fabric dust with dye in it, so the more of it I can remove, the better. I wash twice with detergent and then dry. I have a few older fabrics that are outgassing anyway but I think I used to only wash once.!
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,140
I pretty much pre-wash everything due to contact allergy to sizing (my hands swell up) & the smell also will sometimes bother me if I have a bad migraine (the rest of the time, I don't think new fabric has a smell). Everything I buy, other than stamped wholecloth goes in the wash as soon as I get home. I was in cold water, Handwash or Gentle cycle & then will dry most of the way on Low heat & lay out or iron to dry the rest of the way. When I'm ready to use the fabric, I will iron & heavily starch it.
I do this for everything from 2.5" mini charms to 3 yard cuts. With good fabric, I find there is no discernible shrinkage & the only fabrics I worry about bleeding are batiks & non-commercially dyed fabrics. If you don't have allergies & don't anticipate the recipients will "abuse" the finished quilt in the laundry (i.e., wash it in hot water and/or tumble dry on medium or high heat), there really isn't a need to pre-wash LQS fabrics except for some batiks. It's a personal decision & you'll find as many people who do it the one way as the other.
I do this for everything from 2.5" mini charms to 3 yard cuts. With good fabric, I find there is no discernible shrinkage & the only fabrics I worry about bleeding are batiks & non-commercially dyed fabrics. If you don't have allergies & don't anticipate the recipients will "abuse" the finished quilt in the laundry (i.e., wash it in hot water and/or tumble dry on medium or high heat), there really isn't a need to pre-wash LQS fabrics except for some batiks. It's a personal decision & you'll find as many people who do it the one way as the other.
#9
I pre-wash and dry to minimize the shrinkage in the finished project.
If you like that look, don't pre-wash.
I also iron and starch before I cut the pre-washed material.
If I was doing a wall hanging where it would not be washed, I wouldn't pre-wash.
Watson
If you like that look, don't pre-wash.
I also iron and starch before I cut the pre-washed material.
If I was doing a wall hanging where it would not be washed, I wouldn't pre-wash.
Watson
#10
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,571
I wash yardage but not pre-cuts. For that matter, I rarely use pre-cuts. IF I am mixing the two, I do not wash my yardage. I also leave my yardage in the quantity purchased until I am using it for whatever project. I'm just not creative enough to have a heap of x size pieces of fabric and then determine a pattern in which to use them.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
AngelinaMaria
Main
16
09-28-2011 06:01 AM