Hi - I'm a newbie. This is what I do if I don't prewash fabric.

Hiya, Amy,

I don't know about the others, but I pre-wash my fabrics in order to resolve any possible shrinkage issues. Perhaps the real experts will have other advice, in which case, please forget you saw me here. ;)

I have heard that some quilters (like my buddy Anita) spray their new fabric with a spray bottle of water and then press to dry. Keeps is crisp but shrinks it enough to be valuable.

Me, I like washing and drying and pressing so I usually pre-wash the old fashioned way, but then I'm not a stickler for new fabric crisp.

marcella

Yes, but!!! Apart from shrinkage already mentioned, there is the question of 'things' in the fabric - chemicals and dust (at least!) to be got rid of. Welcome, Amy. . In message , snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net writes

This is exactly why I prewash everything before it goes upstairs to the sewing room. If I don't prewash in my fragrance-free, dye-free laundry detergent, I itch while I sew.

Kim

Patti wrote:

Hi Amy

I too am a newbie. What a fab place eh??? I started out quilting by not prewashing my fabrics but have changed my approach over time. I find that I prefer the feel of laundered fabric over unlaundered. I just wish I had more time to do nothing but quilt!!

snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net wrote:

Real life can be so darn intrusive, eh? I hate when that happens.

I've been using Method dye free scent free for my front loader machine. It is sold at Target and is the one in the pearly bottle. It's a high efficiency detergent so you use only a tiny amount per load. Works well in the front loader.

I'd really like to find a scent free stain remover. Debra in VA See my quilts at

As a cat and dog owner, I'd like to find a scent-free stain. ;)

Bwahahaa! I nearly fell outta my chair! Debra in VA See my quilts at

Welcome Amy! :-)

Hi,

Me too. And I definitely pre-wash, with a Shout Color Catcher. Also, I snip off the corners at 45 degree angle across - which seems to help with the fabric unravelling. Since I have a front loader, there's no big spindle to get stuck around. I do press with sizing, but lightly. Since I do a lot of garment sewing, it's a habit to get all the dirt from the mill, and the excess dye out, even if shrinkage isn't always an issue.

Happy to have found this group!

Ellice