I was asked this week if a quilt could be washed and could tell that the fabrics had not been washed prior to the quilt being made. Knowing that if one washes fabric prior to construction, there should be little shrinkage. But, if one doesn't wash prior to construction, how do you treat the batting, what kind of batting do you use and how is it cleaned? Is using a poly batting not a smart thing to do if using unwashed fabrics? I don't care to hear opinions on whether to wash or not, just how to treat them if you don't wash ahead of making them!

You cross your fingers and pray that nothing bleeds! :lol:

Just wash it and throw in a color catcher. I've made quilts with washed fabrics and cotton batts, washed fabrics and poly batts, unwashed fabrics and cotton batts and unwashed fabrics and poly batts.

The second I put that last stitch in the binding off they go to the washer. I don't even always remember to throw in the color catcher. They all come out fine.

Throw a Color Catcher in the wash with the quilt.
Sometimes I'll use 2 if the quilt has alot of reds or purples.

What she said! Well, except for the washed fabrics part. I don't prewash. Ever.

When I first started quilting I pre-washed all my fabrics. And then a quilt shop owner pointed out to me that shop samples are always made with unwashed fabrics and they never have a problem with them. So I quit pre-washing and haven't had a problem yet. And now there will be a dozen people chime in with various horror stories about colors that ran or fabrics that shrank.

... 2 best friends...2 quilters...2 people who get together and quilt all the time...
one pre-washes everything
one pre-washes nothing...
both make beautiful quilts
both throw those quilts into the wash when they are finished, and into the dryer when they are washed
both have stacks of beautiful quilts!
some have poly batting, some warm & natural, some hobbs heirloom, some dream wool
they are all GREAT!
neither of the 2 has ever pre-washed a batt

and both wash the quilts when finished...just to make sure all (oils from your hands) any chemicals in the fabrics, any thing needs to be removed...and to make sure everything holds together as it should...
neither stresses over the little stuff; there are much bigger worries in the world than to worry over if this piece of fabric may shrink 1/2 an inch more than that piece

I pre-wash my fabric, just because I do, and when the quilt is done, it goes in the washing machine and dryer. I don't do anything with my batting and all is good so far.

Yep, wash it ... but I do use Synthropol and the color catcher. Overkill, maybe, but worth it.

ali

I always wash my quilts after finishing them.
I just quilted a top for a friend. Her great-aunt made it and it looks like 30's fabric. I think the backing she gave me to use is a poly blend. I used warm and white batting that I knew would shrink but she didn't want poly batting. Not knowing if the backing would shrink, I layed it out to dry istead of putting it in the dryer. I forgot to put the Color Catcher in-Yikes! But it all came out great! Phew! No bleeding and it looks so much better. Got rid of some spots on the top and brightened up the white background.

I have never prewashed batting but I know some people do to preshrink it. It shouldn't be necessary with the poly batting though.