Carol34446

I prewash, have for 50+ years and people say they wash used fabrics, news flash, you do not know where new fabric has been, container ships and oversease factories can be really bad. Also if I wash, I know if it will wrinkle up or ravel really bad, never mind bleed. But to each his own, and I do not starch until ready to use as here in FL bugs can be a problem and starch is like candy to them sometimes.

MargeD

I'm afraid the question of whether to pre-wash or not, is ageless and has no right answer. Personally, I like to prewash my fabric, and if I can grab it before it is totally dry, then I set up the ironing board so I can watch a favorite show or movie and iron while it is still slightly damp. When I do that, the ironing doesn't seem as boring, and before long, everything is ironed, folded and ready to put into plastic totes or it goes right into a quilt.

mojo11

All my fabric gets prewashed before it is used. Being as most comes from foreign countries, I want all their junk out of it. Health hazards? I used some solid white cotton a while back and didn't prewash. I got a horrible headache every time I got near it.

sewplease

This is so totally me, too. :-)

quilterpurpledog

I am probably a bit of a maverick in that I pre-wash some things and not others. Solids most often get pre-washed as do batik pieces if they are in a quilt rather than a wall hanging that will probably never be washed. I have never had a problem with mixing washed and unwashed fabrics. And, after all, most quilts will be washed. I wash mine before I give them away or use them to remove starch, glue or anything else that might be there. I so use color-catchers for all washing processes. I just try to be practical and use my time and energy wisely.

triplerosa

i always prewash, i don't want to be surprised after first washing

mjdarling47

I like to pre-wash. Throw in a couple of Shout Color Catchers--they work wonders. Instead of starch for ironing, I use Mary Ellen's Best Press. Yes, I know it's a bit pricey, but I much prefer it to starch which can sometimes leave residue on fabric. I've been told that Best Press can be diluted (half water and half Best Press) and still does a great job. I haven't tried this, yet. Never mix pre-washed and unwashed fabric when making the quilt top as they will shrink differently when you wash the quilt and can cause puckering or bunching on the quilt. I also use Color Catchers when I wash my quilts--saves a lot of heartache.

Prism99

Actually, mixing pre-washed and unwashed fabric in a quilt is not a problem as long as there is moderate quilting holding the three layers together. Quilting makes the three layers "one", with batting taking over control of shrinkage -- no fabric can shrink more than the batting.

Mixing pre-washed and unwashed fabric can be an issue for tied quilts and for quilts that are minimally quilted (say, in outlines of 12" blocks).

Fabric shrinks differently when washed and dried by itself (unpredictable) and after quilting (predictable based on batting). This is easily tested with flannel fabrics. Measure and cut 2 pieces. Wash one piece and measure it. Layer and quilt the other, then wash and measure. The fabric by itself will shrink more; the fabric in the quilt will not shrink more than the batting shrinks.

oldtisme

I only prewash (with Synthrapol) if its a dark fabric or one than tends to bleed, then wash it a 2nd or 3rd time with color catchers.

carslo

I have pre-washed .05% of the time. Hate to wash, iron etc. So I use Color Catchers when I wash the quilt and call it a day!