Best way to wash FQ
04-07-2010, 02:56 PM
#41
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 69
I put my fabric in a lingerie bag (the size of the bag varies with the amount of fabric) and put it in the washing machine. When you put it in the dryer pull it out after 10 minutes and press it right away. This is the best method I have found, fraying doesn't get caught in other clothes and wrinkles don't set in.
04-07-2010, 03:58 PM
#42
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North Oxford MA
Posts: 943
i wash absolutely everything in hot water with like colors, towels & sheets usually, then dry on cotton...so any running or shrinking is done before i cut it.
i had a fabric in a finished quilt ( all purchased at the lgs) that ran and shrank crookedly (like it wasn't printed straight) in the quilt...
i never cry, but i sat next to the washer & cried that day....that'll never happen again!
i had a fabric in a finished quilt ( all purchased at the lgs) that ran and shrank crookedly (like it wasn't printed straight) in the quilt...
i never cry, but i sat next to the washer & cried that day....that'll never happen again!
04-07-2010, 03:59 PM
#43
Super Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 7,741
I wash my FQ in my washing machine with small amount of my Arm & Hammers no scent detergent and throw in hot dryer after detangling (if necessary) and always giving it a good snap before putting it in a dryer. I keep a small pair of scissors near the washer for snipping threads.
I had not known that if you snip ever 4-6" along the cut edges that it will keep it from fraying. But, I will certainly be trying that next time. AND, yes, I do reds and very dark fabric separately. I also find that high quality QS fabric frays--just like Joann's fabric. I have tried to figure out the rhyme and reason of what causes fraying but so far no reason. One of those things we just have to deal with, I guess. Happy Quilting!
:roll:
I had not known that if you snip ever 4-6" along the cut edges that it will keep it from fraying. But, I will certainly be trying that next time. AND, yes, I do reds and very dark fabric separately. I also find that high quality QS fabric frays--just like Joann's fabric. I have tried to figure out the rhyme and reason of what causes fraying but so far no reason. One of those things we just have to deal with, I guess. Happy Quilting!
Originally Posted by cpfrog
okay...my 2¢ worth...
If a few small pieces like FQ, I wash my new fabrics with my regular clothes, soap and water, etc. and will use a lingerie bag sometimes. If I have any red FQ, then I wash with other reds or the like (DUH!) If it's a larger piece of fabric (yard or more), I snip the raw edges, a mere 1/8 to 1/4 inch, every 4-8 inches, so that if it was cut unevenly, it wont unravel all over my machine and tie the material into knots. Any excess threads get caught in the dryer filter. I've had the knots happen even with good quilt shop fabric, so it's not just with "cheap material". When ironing I do NOT use starch but use a Fabric Finish so it becomes "firm" again. Have not had any problems or surprises in all my years of quilting, so I guess I'm doing something right.
If you're getting a hole in the fabric, you might have a problem with your washing machine like something under the agitator is catching it??? or it's just cheap fabric (most of Joann's is from China now!!!!). It is 100% cotton, right? I've had holes develop in rayon and rayon-blends.
Good luck.
If a few small pieces like FQ, I wash my new fabrics with my regular clothes, soap and water, etc. and will use a lingerie bag sometimes. If I have any red FQ, then I wash with other reds or the like (DUH!) If it's a larger piece of fabric (yard or more), I snip the raw edges, a mere 1/8 to 1/4 inch, every 4-8 inches, so that if it was cut unevenly, it wont unravel all over my machine and tie the material into knots. Any excess threads get caught in the dryer filter. I've had the knots happen even with good quilt shop fabric, so it's not just with "cheap material". When ironing I do NOT use starch but use a Fabric Finish so it becomes "firm" again. Have not had any problems or surprises in all my years of quilting, so I guess I'm doing something right.
If you're getting a hole in the fabric, you might have a problem with your washing machine like something under the agitator is catching it??? or it's just cheap fabric (most of Joann's is from China now!!!!). It is 100% cotton, right? I've had holes develop in rayon and rayon-blends.
Good luck.
04-07-2010, 05:39 PM
#46
Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 48
I pre-wash all my fabrics in the washer machine before they get put away to use in a project. I use warm water and a color catcher so any that bleed do not ruin the rest. Then the heat from the iron or dryer finishes the pre-shrinking job. If you cut the selvedge corners before you wash, you will have less fraying and tangling of the frayed threads.
Cathy vj in MA
Cathy vj in MA
04-07-2010, 09:50 PM
#47
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Muscatine, Iowa by way of West Virginia, Washington State, and Montana
Posts: 1,130
Originally Posted by I come to the sea to breathe
Glad to see these posts. I had put mine in the washer and dryer and they were so limp and not real pretty even after I ironed them. Now I will just rinse them and hang up tp dry and press. I feel better now...HA HA, sometimes it takes me a little bit longer to get things thru my head....
04-07-2010, 10:06 PM
#48
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Forest Grove,OR
Posts: 6,400
I washed a piece of red fabric that was given to me, it was so nice and bright, but when I pulled it out of the dryer it was dull, and this was a good quality fabric, why would that happen? and I will quilt with what ever I have. and that is what some wonderful generous ladies have sent, so I guess I will never be a snob when the generosity of some is why I am able to quilt. Penny
04-07-2010, 11:49 PM
#50
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Victoria, Australia
Posts: 3,724
I usually only purchase FQs and prefer to work with the sizing still in them EXCEPT for swaps on the Board that require pre-washing and then I wash the FQs by hand - hot water with soap, rinse, hang to drip almost dry and press. Have not had any problems with freying, shrinking or colour runs.
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