The wash/don't wash question again

Because the quilt I'm starting has so many different fabrics in it I prefer to skip the prewashing process. A couple of the fabrics have been tested for color bleeding and will be treated with Retayne to prevent any more bleeding. My question is does it make any difference if some fabrics in the quilt are prewashed and some are not? TIA

Jan

Reply to
Jan
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If any of them shrink, it will be a problem.

Reply to
Betty in Wi

As long as they are all good-quality LQS cottons for patchwork, it will probably be OK. 70% probablility or so, the odds are in your favor. Roberta in D, a natural optimist, but I wash everything anyway

"Jan" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:MQ2yh.3672$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net...

Reply to
Roberta Zollner

I haven't had a problem with it so far.

Mary

Reply to
Mary in Rock Island IL

Jan, I have used washed and unwashed fabrics in several of my quilts. I didn't have any problems. YMMV

Pati, > Because the quilt I'm starting has so many different fabrics in it I prefer

Reply to
Pati Cook

OK, First, I prewash everything, usually before it gets stored (other than in the bag I brought it home in!).

That said, this is what I think:

If you have two little pieces of fabric stitched together (say the seam is 2" long) and one shrinks 10% and the other does not, the difference in size _after_ the shrinkage will be less than 1/4" (ok, that is a fair bit). I don't know that this would be very visible - and in any case good quality LQS cottons don't seem to shrink 10%??

But: If you are going to have long strips (sashing or borders), I would prewash that fabric if the top is a mixture of washed/non-washed.

I haven't tested the above, so all at your own risk :-)

Hanne in London

Reply to
Hanne Gottliebsen

Reply to
Mary

A collective thank you to all who replied to my original post. I decided to just grit my teeth and start washing and ironing -- probably good insurance against any future disasters. Thanks again!

Reply to
Jan

In my experience, (my sister sends me prewashed fabric) and I do not wash) it has made no difference in the finished quilt. Now mind you others will say they will not shrink or wear at the same pace, but three of the quilts that I kept (gave many scrap quilts away) the three my children used, and are washed weekly are only 6 or 7 years old, no uneven shrinking and no uneven wear. I do quilt well, like

2-3 inches 4 max, not 10 inches apart and use a good cotton or wool batting.

Christina

Reply to
nomorespam

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