deedum

I don't prewash. I will wash when I am done with my project and I throw a color catcher in. They work great!

ckcowl

if you like the feel of new fabrics-over pre-washed fabrics it is easy enough to take the fabrics out of the dryer and spritz with either sizing or starch---for that crisp feeling again.

galvestonangel

I prewash because of the chemicals in the fabrics. I don't need more chemicals in my body. When I am ready to use the fabric, I starch it, makes it easier to handle.

Pieceful Quilter

I'm a pre-washer for the reasons others have mentioned. I react to the chemicals in fabric, I want to catch bleeders before I put them with light colors, I want to know how the fabric holds up BEFORE I spend my time making something with it, I want to pre-shrink it.

Flannel will shrink a LOT - up to 7%, I have been told! Try measuring it before and after washing and you will be amazed. I wash it and dry it twice in very warm water and dryer.

All that being said, if you choose not to pre-wash, no-one will arrest you. It is your fabric, your quilt, so you get to decide the rules of the game!

Iamquilter

I always prewash my yardage as soon as I get it home. I take it to the serger and serge the cut ends to prevent raveling and then in the machine it goes so when I am ready to use it I know it is ready to go.

Shrink42020

I have found the hard way that unwashed solid red fabric may "bleed" on the adjacent fabric - I now wash all reds with Retayne before I even think about using it!!

mhansen6

If I want to make sure it won't shrink I wash it before hand. Right now I am working on a UFO that is out of 30's fabrics. I did not wash it because when I am finished I am going to wash the quilt and hopefully the fabric will shrink a little so I can get that old crinkled look. I want the quilt to look old fashioned.

ywoodruff5

It depends on how it is going to be quilted and the look you want. I personally like close intricate quilting and like the little bit of puffiness that I get without washing before quilting. But if you are going to tie your quilts or do quilting with large spaces I would wash first. But keep in mind if you wash your fabric - particularly backing fabric - you may experience considerable shrinkage (like 6")......ask me how I know this.....lol. Bought 3 yards of 108" wide backing fabric that shrunk so much it wouldn't fit my 103" wide quilt....lol. Thank God for Charisma who came to the rescue and added some fabric to make it work!

My time

I wash because some of the red fabrics can be terrible bleeders. I don't want to have my quilt I give away to someone ruined by a bleeding fabric.

EagarBeez

I had never pre washed, however I don't have a machine capable of washing a king sized quilt, and I don't trust laundromats. After reading about the chances of bleeding, I started to wash fabric. Right now I am using both red, and black. I stitch the ends to minimize threads/fraying and wash in a laundry bag with color catcher. Press the fabric while using spray starch that I mixed