PaperPrincess

Did you use steam??? I'm wondering if it was the steam rather than the starch, but if you ironed damp from starch, it would create steam. The 3 Inch strips probably shrunk a tiny bit. It would be proportional. The larger strip would show a larger shrinkage amount.

Prism99

I don't pre-wash, but I always starch and iron my yardage ***before*** cutting. Prevents this problem.

Krystyna

Live and learn, is all I can say.
Back to cutting out 196,000 pieces.
The math is a little complicated to follow but here goes
468 actual pieces
Plus Stressful Shrinkage Factor
Times emotional turmoil
Equals 196,000

bearisgray

That math works for me!

I didn't know one was supposed to let starch/sizing dry before pressing it - so I soaked the pieces, and ironed/pressed away.

My pieces grew.

barri1

Calm down.. Take a deep breath..
You learned a hard lesson, but try to get over it, and go on..
I might be in for that lesson, and don't know what I'm going to do.. I started making scrap squares, and didn't realize that some of the fabric wasn't washed.. When I ironed it before I cut the 6.5 square it bled on the towel on the ironing board.. That is a problem, but my first quilt I made 20 years ago was made with some of those materials, and was never washed.. I'm in a panic just thinking about it..
Barri

Prism99

You may want to run a "search" on Synthrapol here, and also Google it. Used with lots of water in a first wash, Synthrapol can help suspend bleeds in the water so dye doesn't settle into other fabric.

M.I.Late

Again another vote for pre-washing... (just sayin)

RST

What kind of fabrics was it? I've had that happen with solid cottons -- I think they were quilter's candy-- from Connecting Threads. It's ok fabric for the price, but you really don't want to go pressing with steam until it's been quilted, or significant shrinkage occurs. I was lucky that I had my shrinking moments before I cut, but it was still alarming to actually see the fabric drawing up smaller.

Cutting that many pieces makes me wonder (just a wonder, not a criticism) why the class is not making this an opportunity to learn about strip piecing as a means of avoiding having to cut so many small individual pieces?

RST

RST

Krystyna

There's more cutting at the class!!! New York Beauty Block.
:shock:

Vat

Always, always starch before cutting anything, pre-washed or not. Sorry you had a problem hope you have enough fabric to fix it.