prewashing fabrics
08-09-2011, 01:31 PM
#41
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,116
I'm not keen on ironing. Therefore, I don't wash my fabric and do minimal ironing during the process - usually finger pressing or pressing with rollers or bones. If I do wash, it is when the quilt is completely finished and that way the batting is included at the same time.
08-09-2011, 01:52 PM
#43
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Richmond, NH
Posts: 1,092
I Prewash to get the chemicals out. I don't want whomever I give the quilts to getting sick. I use Color Catchers and it works great to catch the dyes in the wash. You should see how much color runs out of the darker colors. Had problem with a quilt that was washed and the dark colors ran into the lighter ones. That was the last quilt I made with unwashed fabric.
08-09-2011, 02:31 PM
#44
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,667
I prewash. I worry about diff fabrics shrinking at diff sizes. I worry about bleeding. I think it's just easier to wash them in advance.
I put them in a lingerie bag, throw in the washer on delicate/cold cycle. Then put them in the dryer on "warm". I take the time to go untwist them every 10 min or so.
But I am not an experinced quilter, a newbie. I just worry IF the fabric should bleed or fade or ravel, I'd rather be prepared to deal with that. Instead of making a whole quilt and one piece of fabric mess up the whole thing!
I put them in a lingerie bag, throw in the washer on delicate/cold cycle. Then put them in the dryer on "warm". I take the time to go untwist them every 10 min or so.
But I am not an experinced quilter, a newbie. I just worry IF the fabric should bleed or fade or ravel, I'd rather be prepared to deal with that. Instead of making a whole quilt and one piece of fabric mess up the whole thing!
08-09-2011, 06:44 PM
#45
Super Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,474
i always pre wash my fabric and run a stitch of thread down the cut ends to prevent fraying, usually i use thread that i dont have enough of for a project or a color that i dont use often so as not to waste thread
08-10-2011, 03:14 AM
#46
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: El Paso, Texas
Posts: 562
I do.....and I don't!!!!! I pre-wash everything EXCEPT flannel that I'm going to use fot Ragg Quilts. It just doesn't fray as well if it has been fray checked. The second thing I do is treat the cut edges with Dritz Fray Check. I let it dry thoroughly, & then wash in a homemade mixture of Fels Naptha Soap, 2o Mule Team Borax, & Arm & Hammer Washing Soda. This leaves the fabric nice & soft, & free of all sizing & odors..
08-10-2011, 10:21 AM
#47
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: salt lake city, ut
Posts: 164
Since I have had the back of the last quilt bleed to the front, I will always pre wash. I starch and iron when done. I have found that I like the way the fabric cuts and sews much better by doing this. It is a little time consuming, but worth the effort.
08-10-2011, 06:54 PM
#48
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Rochester, Minnesota
Posts: 1,795
When I started quilting and building my stash I decided I would always wash my fabric, and so I did it for years, always knew the fabric was pre shrunk and free of sizing. My newer purchases I have not been doing that for pretty much due to all the different thoughts on it, and figured I wanted to save time and money by not doing it. The only way I can tell which is which in my stash, is when I see the diagonal corner clipped which was suppose to prevent fraying whe washing. Wheather it really reduced fraying, who would know. At least it did have the benefit of being an "identifier" as to what's been prewashed or not!
08-14-2011, 01:42 AM
#49
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Queensland Australia
Posts: 1,388
Originally Posted by NJ Quilter
I think the subject of prewashing fabric is similar to the 'chicken and egg'. I'm a pre-washer. I wash to make sure nothing is going to run; get rid of excessive shrinkage; get rid of chemicals/sizing. I then press and starch. I do not, however, pre-wash my batting. I wash all of my quilts after they are completed and still get the vintage/crinkly look which I like (plus it hides/minimizes my quilting booboos). I typically only do this with yardage. I don't buy FQ's very often. I don't treat edges in any fashion. Sometimes I get lots of tangled threads. Just last week I washed a ton of Hoffman batik fabric and I have to say there was almost no tangled threads. I was quite impressed compared to other LQS quality fabrics I've washed.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
craftybear
Links and Resources
2
10-13-2010 04:35 PM
