Why I wash my fabrics before cutting them.
#22
Originally Posted by quilter41
Guess I am the Lone Ranger never wash fabrics. Seems a waster of time and money for me. I have never had much shrinkage and never had bleeding. When I wash my quilts (seldom) I use a Color Catcher. The only bad thing is it prevents me from doing swaps, because most of them want washed fabrics.
#23
Power Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 18,726
I didn't worry too much about washing until I did a swap one time. I had washed a red fabric and thought it was fine. I ironed it and made my blocks. I set them on the ironing board not realizing that there was a damp spot on the ironing board. They sat overnight...the red ran all over the white in the blocks...all 11 Dear Jane 5 1/2" blocks with a cazillion pieces. I tried and tried..couldn't get the stain out...they were pink and red now. Ruined. Never again...I thouroughly wash everything now. My time is worth more than a little time to throw fabric in with the regular laundry.
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: central California
Posts: 636
I have always pre-washed fabric for the above reasons. A couple of days ago, I decided I wanted to take a break from a very complex quilt and do a simple, easy fast project that was waiting in the wings. I needed some solid black, just 1/8 yd, so I found a large piece in my stash and cut some off. I so badly wanted to just start in on it and not prewash, but because it was black I decided to wash for fear of it bleeding. I stuck it in my sink to soak for a few minutes, then went back to rinse it out. It kept bleeding and bleeding, so I kept rinsing, as I squeezed I noticed some pieces of fabric that were loose from the whole piece. When I opened it up, the fabric was riddled with holes and tears, it was disintegrating in my hands! I am so, so glad I didn't get it sewn together and then have that happen! I don't remember anything about where, or when I got that fabric. I only buy good quality fabric and have always, so maybe someone gave it to me. I took the whole large amount and tossed it in the garbage. I doubt if I will ever be able to skip the pre-wash step after this!
#25
Blacks Reds and navys/dark blues get a bubble bath all others Don't worry so much about, unless it has been around for a while. most gets pressed before cut, don't care for the little fold bumps.
But some of the above reason make this rethinkable.
But some of the above reason make this rethinkable.
#26
I swear one time I was reading a blog and she mentioned that she used color catchers with certain loads of laundry. well she for whatever reason had a (unused) baby wipe on the dryer it had dried out and looked JUST like a color catcher. She grabbed it thinking that it WAS a color catcher and it worked just the same. I keep meaning to let a couple baby wipes dry out and throw them in a load of blue jeans but I always forget. Grrrr. and I just washed a new red shirt for the first time too! If this indeed does work it would be SOOOOOOOOOO much cheaper.
#27
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Northwest Georgia
Posts: 3,272
I wash everything, especially reds and batiks. It's a lot of trouble, but I figure it's better to be safe than sorry. :)
I generally don't fool with ironing until I'm ready to use the fabric. I just neatly fold the washed & dried fabric up and put it in my stash cabinets. It gets a little wrinkled from being folded, so it doesn't really make sense for me to iron it twice. :) (And I hate ironing! :lol: )
I generally don't fool with ironing until I'm ready to use the fabric. I just neatly fold the washed & dried fabric up and put it in my stash cabinets. It gets a little wrinkled from being folded, so it doesn't really make sense for me to iron it twice. :) (And I hate ironing! :lol: )
#29
Dear No Longer Alone. I'll admit I usually don't because I'm lazy. I have yet to have a problem. I do teach and do tell my students to prewash their fabric. So what does that make me? A lazy teacher, a do-as-I-say-and-not-as-I-do teacher?? LOL I do use a color catcher when I wash my quilts.
LOL Neither do I.
Reasons I do not prewash fabric....
1. I am lazy.
2. I have to much other laundry to do, fabric would never make it to the wash, leaving me with nothing to sew.
3. I am lazy.
4. I don't care about staph infection.
5. I am lazy.
6. I never remember to take it out of the dryer while damp.
7. I am lazy.
8. I hate ironing out, what seems to be, permament wrinkles due to reason 6.
9. I am lazy.
10. Just because it is worth repeating. I am lazy!
Washed or unwashed I think the bottom line is the fabric will still make a beautiful quilt!
P.S. I did the recent strip swap (first fabric swap) and bought fabric just for it. I washed it and I think it will be the last time I do a fabric swap! I like scrapbook swaps. No washing required. However, I understand why some people need the fabric prewashed.
I didn't want anyone that participated in that swap thinking my fabic was unsanitary!
Originally Posted by justwannaquilt
Originally Posted by quilter41
Guess I am the Lone Ranger never wash fabrics. Seems a waster of time and money for me. I have never had much shrinkage and never had bleeding. When I wash my quilts (seldom) I use a Color Catcher. The only bad thing is it prevents me from doing swaps, because most of them want washed fabrics.
Reasons I do not prewash fabric....
1. I am lazy.
2. I have to much other laundry to do, fabric would never make it to the wash, leaving me with nothing to sew.
3. I am lazy.
4. I don't care about staph infection.
5. I am lazy.
6. I never remember to take it out of the dryer while damp.
7. I am lazy.
8. I hate ironing out, what seems to be, permament wrinkles due to reason 6.
9. I am lazy.
10. Just because it is worth repeating. I am lazy!
Washed or unwashed I think the bottom line is the fabric will still make a beautiful quilt!
P.S. I did the recent strip swap (first fabric swap) and bought fabric just for it. I washed it and I think it will be the last time I do a fabric swap! I like scrapbook swaps. No washing required. However, I understand why some people need the fabric prewashed.
I didn't want anyone that participated in that swap thinking my fabic was unsanitary!
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