Who says there's no reason to pre-wash?
05-11-2011, 04:06 PM
#31
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 210
I use to never prewash UNTIL a lady gave me a quilt top she has been working on and got tired of. It was a complicated design done in black and white. I finished it and then washed it using one Shout color catcher and cold water. She had told me she had prewashed the black. When I opened the washer, I was shocked. I had a dark grey and light grey quilt and it was not pretty. It was ruined. It looks like it is about l00 years old but in my eyes it is ruined. Now I test all material and then wash it before starting to sew.
05-11-2011, 04:21 PM
#32
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,789
Originally Posted by QuiltE
Originally Posted by Robinlee
ohhhhhhhhh.........as a past 4-Her, being taught to pre-wash fabric before making clothing and whatever else, didn't change for me when I started quilting. Old habits are hard to change. But I also learned something else. I buy most of fabric at quilt shops, so I do buy quality stuff, fat quarters and larger amounts. My third quilt I completed 8 years ago was for my daughter and husband. I prewashed all the fabrics, a navy blue (Nancy Crow), a bright yellow, white fabrics with scrappy blocks (misc scraps from 20 years of sewing and quilting). Used a marking pencil made for quilting to mark personal design long-arm quilting on borders. Once LA quilting was completed, put binding on and did a final washing before it was given to the kids. My mother was just sick, when she pulled it out of the washer.......the blue ran, ran, ran...the yellow ran, ran, ran. And to top it off........the varigated thread (high-end)purchased at a quilt shop also ran for all it was worth too.........My mom felt so bad, because of the work I had put into, and knew that I had washed everything before hand, and also knew that I had hand washed in kitchen sink (HOT water) the "blue" before I put it in the washer for a general wash. As you can tell I was't taking any chances. Well even after that, it still ran.
Yes, we don't like the threads from the fabric after a washing, but my cure for me, is to only "fill" in hot water, run on gentle cycle, and "spin" twice. It cuts down on the threads that we get. As to the fat quarters, and I just also include doing this for the Jelly rolls, I wash in hot water in the kitchen sink or very large bowl. I have found that using my spagette spoon for stirring helps "stir-out" any color that might be left on them. You will be surprised how many times it will take to hand rinse before the water is clear. then I run on the gentle cycle in "spin" mode.
I have use the "color catchers", and believe they work really well. I even include a couple when I've given a quilt to someone with explanation of use. Was told if I had use this for the kids quilt, in the pre-wash stage, may not of had the running of fabrics. Course they had just come-out, so I hadn't heard about them till after this had happened. I now use the "color catchers" when I pre-wash "all" my fabrics whether for quilting or clothes. Then I press them with my iron and starch as I am working on blocks.
Hope I helped someone with my 30+ years of experience with fabrics.
Yes, we don't like the threads from the fabric after a washing, but my cure for me, is to only "fill" in hot water, run on gentle cycle, and "spin" twice. It cuts down on the threads that we get. As to the fat quarters, and I just also include doing this for the Jelly rolls, I wash in hot water in the kitchen sink or very large bowl. I have found that using my spagette spoon for stirring helps "stir-out" any color that might be left on them. You will be surprised how many times it will take to hand rinse before the water is clear. then I run on the gentle cycle in "spin" mode.
I have use the "color catchers", and believe they work really well. I even include a couple when I've given a quilt to someone with explanation of use. Was told if I had use this for the kids quilt, in the pre-wash stage, may not of had the running of fabrics. Course they had just come-out, so I hadn't heard about them till after this had happened. I now use the "color catchers" when I pre-wash "all" my fabrics whether for quilting or clothes. Then I press them with my iron and starch as I am working on blocks.
Hope I helped someone with my 30+ years of experience with fabrics.
Any others here with green blood? :) :
05-11-2011, 05:27 PM
#35
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Outside St. Louis
Posts: 38,188
I always prewash all my fabrics in warm water, dry on regular, no starch, ever. I always use Polyester batting and I wash it as soon as I hand sew the binding to the back, then I use warm water and dry on low.
This works for me.
It is important that everyone do what they like and what works for them. No experts here nor quilting police.
This works for me.
It is important that everyone do what they like and what works for them. No experts here nor quilting police.
05-11-2011, 05:50 PM
#37
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: California
Posts: 14,723
I also am an old 4-Her. It's funny but my husband asked me the other day if I knew what the 4 H's stood for, with out even thinking I was able to tell him. I also prewash. So some things just stay with you no matter how long ago it was learned. I love the fact that we use our old ways and still put the new ways to work. Like alot of people have said, you need to do what works for you. I remember a long time ago after I got married, my mother was over at my apartment. As I was cleaning the sink, she said "That's not the way to do that". All I said was that it may not be the way she did it, but it was the way I did it and the results were what I wanted, A Clean Sink. Brenda
05-11-2011, 06:12 PM
#38
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,705
Originally Posted by BrendaK
I also am an old 4-Her. It's funny but my husband asked me the other day if I knew what the 4 H's stood for, with out even thinking I was able to tell him. I also prewash. So some things just stay with you no matter how long ago it was learned. I love the fact that we use our old ways and still put the new ways to work. Like alot of people have said, you need to do what works for you. I remember a long time ago after I got married, my mother was over at my apartment. As I was cleaning the sink, she said "That's not the way to do that". All I said was that it may not be the way she did it, but it was the way I did it and the results were what I wanted, A Clean Sink. Brenda
05-11-2011, 07:10 PM
#40
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Western MA
Posts: 2,720
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Harriet Hargrave doesn't pre-wash and that's good enough for me. Even if a quilt shrinks some after washing it'll still fit the bed.
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