Washing fabric

[piecemaker1]

I wash my fabrics. I was taught the same thing 20 years ago when I took a quilting class. I usually clip the corner of the fabric to "remember" that it was washed. I like my quilts to look pressed, not old, so washing them first makes them shrink and I am happy

[cindyg]

I'm with Grammy65 - old habits die hard. I had a completed project ruined because I didn't wash the fabric first - tried to take a short cut. Since then I give all my fabric a vinegar bath to set the color and then wash them with a little bit of detergent then throw them in the dryer. Then I starch and iron them to put the body back in. I use Mary Ellen's Best Press and I love the way my fabrics smell while I'm working on them.

[momof6quilts]

I wash and size them before cutting. I have a good friend that doesn't and we have agreed to disagree on this one!

Vicky

[INKA]

I wash all my fabrics - the shrunk pieces can really "destroy" the looks of your quilt. I am told there is one exception - do NOT prewash your fabrics if you are going to cut kaleidoscopes and want real exact identical pieces ...

[flo]

[flo]

The fabrics are different then they were when I started quilting.)50 years ago), I always washed the fabrics then, but the new favrics are so different thay I only wash certain ones.
I also used to buy cheeper fabric but now I only buy from one shop and the fabrics are so great that I don't wash them. Flo

[grammy65]

No matter which way you go...one thing I found out the hard way was not to use Tide. I always used Tide as my regular detergent, so figured I could wash my fabrics with it. Well, one time I put in some green Moda, and it came out grey. I was told by the lady at the quilt store to never use Tide for that purpose. So now I use Woolite. I also put in those things that catch the color if I'm washing reds or anything that I think may run. I also use Retayne on suspicious fabrics. But you guys are right about the new fabrics...they are much better.

That was a good tip on keleidoscope quilts. I never even thought about it getting out of whack (pardon the pun). But it makes sense.

I love all the good advice and tips we get here.

Diane

[busylady]

I wash my fabrics. It makes me feel better knowing the colors won't fade and shrink. But the main reason is because some of the chemicals on the unwashed materials bother my skin if I spend too much time sewing and quilting. I wash my fabric in a small amount Ivory dish soap liquid then I dry on a rack.

[donnacrazylady]

I always wash first. Fabric goes straight from the bag to the laundry room before making it to my stash. It goes back to Home Ec. in the '70s. And I still worry about reds and blacks and other really deep colors bleeding.

In high school and college I worked in a department store that had a fabric department. Then most of the fabrics were polyester cotton blends, and if you bought cotton it was only 36" wide and wrinkled really badly. Cotton has come a long way, but I still scrunch it in my hand to see how many wrinkles stay after I let go. It seems the wrinkles come out easier if I wash it and take it out of the dryer 'promptly.'