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    Old 08-25-2010, 09:47 PM
      #71  
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    I wash all my fabric before I use it . I use a sheet of color catcher by shot and it does a wonderful job of any fabrics that want to run.
    I know the problem of not knowing which fabrics that you have washed and haven't. So I have gone through all of the bins of fabric and serged the raw edges and then I washed and ironed and folded on plastic fgolding boards.
    Now it is easy for me to sort all the fabric out.
    I have to admit it was a heck alot of work and I ended up with some killer back aches. Also the fabric that I haven't gotten to yet isn't serged yet.
    I have decided none is going into my cabinet until this has been done. And so if I cut some off the end it will not be serged but it will be back in the cabinet.
    Hopefully this will keep me organized.
    kjym Kathy
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    Old 08-25-2010, 10:05 PM
      #72  
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    I wash everything except jelly rolls. My stash is still small.
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    Old 08-25-2010, 10:06 PM
      #73  
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    mine does not go into my sewing room until it is washed
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    Old 08-26-2010, 02:42 AM
      #74  
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    Two solutions for washing fat quarters: 1) put them in a laundry bag - the kind used for washing hosiery, or 2) after washing them, put the fat quarters in your salad spinner, spin it and they are almost dry. Have used both and they work!
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    Old 08-26-2010, 07:17 AM
      #75  
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    Thanks for the tip TX GMimi! Never thought of using my salad spinner.
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    Old 08-26-2010, 07:21 AM
      #76  
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    Originally Posted by TX GMimi
    Two solutions for washing fat quarters: 1) put them in a laundry bag - the kind used for washing hosiery, or 2) after washing them, put the fat quarters in your salad spinner, spin it and they are almost dry. Have used both and they work!
    Wow never thought about using a salad spinner in this manner.
    Boy what we quilters can come up with.
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    Old 08-26-2010, 09:21 AM
      #77  
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    I use Retayne to soak my batiks and colors that I think will run.
    That way I have never had a problem. The directions say to use
    1 tsp per yd of fabric but I only use 1/2 tsp per yd and soak the fabric
    in hot water for 45 mins. I then put it through a cold rinse in my
    washing machine and then dry it. This works really well for me.
    I am a slow quilter and would be devastated if fabrics bled
    after I was done. Also, I give a lot of quilts away and so I want
    to be sure they don't run since I am not the one washing them.
    Judy
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    Old 08-26-2010, 12:19 PM
      #78  
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    Originally Posted by martapr
    Originally Posted by costumegirl
    Many of my friends do not pre-wash and have not had problems but I definitely do pre-wash now all the time. The only time I do not is when using jelly rolls.

    I have had a few problems in the past. One was with uneven shrinkage of fabrics where after washing a finished project, some fabrics did shrink alot while others in the piece were very little or did not - it produced an uneven puckering effect. I have also had fabrics bleed after a project has been completed - what a mess and all that work almost ruined! Thank goodness for color catchers, Retayne and Synthropol!
    Actually, I went out and bought the Shout color catcher because I really need to wash my quilt that has the purplish batik which I'm afraid to wash.
    I use the Shout color catcher on my quilts and I love it. It really works well.
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    Old 08-26-2010, 12:55 PM
      #79  
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    I ALWAYS wash my fabric first! I spent months on a red, white and blue quilt which became a red, PINK and blue quilt after the first washing! That was in 1994. My daughter's dogs slept on it for years!
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    Old 08-26-2010, 03:41 PM
      #80  
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    I wash my fabric and iron it and then mark if with colored safety pins as to how much is there. Green pins are 2 yds red 1 yd etc.

    I do not alway wash my fabric for a quick wall hanging as that will rarely get washed
    SewSewGal is offline  
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