The forever shrinking charm....

I know this has gone about a few times, but...here's proof. I pre wash EVERYTHING. Habit from years ago when you HAD to pre wash everything. I know these days, fabrics are a better quality and often don't need pre wash for shrinkage and bleeding issues, but some habits die hard and I pre wash as I dont' want to take the chance of something shrinking or bleeding and ruining something I just spent weeks working on!

Anyway, I bought some charms before I realized I didn't like using them.... some time ago. I was working on making placemats and needed squares, so I took this pack of MODA charms of rustic colors. They were 5" squares. As they hadn't been pre washed.. I placed them into a lingerie bag and pre washed them. 100% cotton shrinks, no matter what anyone thinks!

I take them out, press them and voila! Each charm shrunk about 1/2 inch one way and about 1/4 inch the other way. Here is the picture....the ones on the bottom are charms that have NOT been pre washed...straight out of the package. The solid on top is the pre washed charm.. and as you can see...shrunk.

So... this means....that if you dont' pre wash the charms, once you make your quilt and do a final wash...the quilt is going to shrink 1/2 inch per charm used. If you dont have a concern about the finished size, I guess, no problem. But if you want a specific size....you'd either better pre wash and go from there, or make sure you add at least 2 charms length both ways to accomodate this shrinkage. Plus...now these charms are not 5x5"...they are 4,1/2x4,1/2-ish"...so you now need to use that as you starting cut size if you are using other squares/fabric with the charms. And you would get a great crinkle look ...if that is what you like.

My question tho is this...if I use charms that are NOT pre washed, with charms or yardage the HAS been pre washed...what would the final washed quilt look like? Partly shrunk, partly not? Pre wash flat, not washed crinkled? OR would the crinkle pull the pre wash and make it wonky? What do you think... or know?
Just thought I'd share this.

I see what you're saying and the confusion actually makes sense. I don't think I would combine charms with prewashed yardage bc the difference in shrinkahe might end up in something looking badly distorted. The only way to know for sure is to make a sample combining prewashed and unwashed combinations representative of what you plan to use, measure the before and after washing sizes and see what the shrinkage is.

I am making a charm quilt after xmas with charms I am not prewashing and no prewashed yardage. I would be happy to do before and afyer measurements for you if you are able to wait that long.

I put my charm packs together in the top. Then serge all 4edges and put in a large lingerie bag and wash on gentle.
Then dry on low heat and iron when it is almost dry.
Then I make the sandwich with my batting ( not prewashed) and backing which is pre washed.
Once I'm all done I wash again and haven't had a problem! I use color catchers with each wash too!!

While I'm with you on yardage (I almost always prewash it) I never prewash precuts. And because of that, I make it a rule not to use prewashed yardage in the same quilt as precuts. And since I have a lot of precuts in my quilt room to use, I make it a new rule not to wash yardage until I see what quilt it's going into.

Clear as mud?? :lol:

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Originally Posted by jjkaiser

I see what you're saying and the confusion actually makes sense. I don't think I would combine charms with prewashed yardage bc the difference in shrinkahe might end up in something looking badly distorted. The only way to know for sure is to make a sample combining prewashed and unwashed combinations representative of what you plan to use, measure the before and after washing sizes and see what the shrinkage is.

I am making a charm quilt after xmas with charms I am not prewashing and no prewashed yardage. I would be happy to do before and afyer measurements for you if you are able to wait that long.

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jjkaiser - that would be great...yes I can wait. I was only going to make placmats. I am very interested to know the outcome!

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Originally Posted by irishrn

I put my charm packs together in the top. Then serge all 4edges and put in a large lingerie bag and wash on gentle.
Then dry on low heat and iron when it is almost dry.
Then I make the sandwich with my batting ( not prewashed) and backing which is pre washed.
Once I'm all done I wash again and haven't had a problem! I use color catchers with each wash too!!

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I do the same except I just put them in the lingerie bag.. I don't sew them together. I'll have to look into that again.. I have done that with yardage, but other than causing a mess...it didn't do the fabric any good! Maybe it only works on pre cuts! I don't re wash the batting either...I didn't know you could/should. I just bought some 100% cotton batting and did pre wash that...

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Originally Posted by Suzette

While I'm with you on yardage (I almost always prewash it) I never prewash precuts. And because of that, I make it a rule not to use prewashed yardage in the same quilt as precuts. And since I have a lot of precuts in my quilt room to use, I make it a new rule not to wash yardage until I see what quilt it's going into.

Clear as mud?? :lol:

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SUzette....yes...and the mud out here in California...you might have heard about how slippery it is!!! LOL!!! But I have to say... you are better than me as there is no way I want to keep track of what is pre washed and what isn't! Best I will do...if...and that is a big ifffff.....I ever buy charms again, I will make sure it is for no prewash and use only charms in the quilt. I don't want to deal with the "is it or isn't it?". That'd drive me to drink!

I would not be afraid to combine prewashed with unwashed. It is rare that someone prewashes batting and it does shrink. I have used backings that are unwashed as well as sheets that have been washed multiple times. I think your question is combining washed and unwashed in the top. I've never done this but you could try it on a small scale. Not all charms are 5" square out of the package so you would need to measure before and after to know for sure. Then there's the batting, backing, seams, quilting, all affect the final size of the quilt.

Although I don't pre-wash my pre-cuts, I have had a problem with charm squares shrinking (only in one direction) when I press them using starch and/or steam. My concern at that point was that it was no longer square, and I had to trim every blasted one of them to make my pattern work. These were nice quality Benartex brand charm squares.

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Originally Posted by vchale

I would not be afraid to combine prewashed with unwashed. It is rare that someone prewashes batting and it does shrink. I have used backings that are unwashed as well as sheets that have been washed multiple times. I think your question is combining washed and unwashed in the top. I've never done this but you could try it on a small scale. Not all charms are 5" square out of the package so you would need to measure before and after to know for sure. Then there's the batting, backing, seams, quilting, all affect the final size of the quilt.

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vchale - yes... I am combining on the top. I don't pre wash batting...and the back is always prewashed. I just would rather not have the surprise of things shrinking or bleeding once I finish the quilt! Better safe than sorry. I know many say it hasn't been a problem to them, but for me...since it CAN happen, I'd just rather not take the chance after all that work! Good grief.. you mean even out of the package, a 5" charm is not always 5"? Thanks for mentioning that.. now I am sure I won't be doing much with charms. Just to much work before all the normal work!LOL!

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Originally Posted by Cass

Although I don't pre-wash my pre-cuts, I have had a problem with charm squares shrinking (only in one direction) when I press them using starch and/or steam. My concern at that point was that it was no longer square, and I had to trim every blasted one of them to make my pattern work. These were nice quality Benartex brand charm squares.

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Cass - my point and experience EXACTLY!!! In the picture it shows they shrink at least 1/2 inch one way and up to 1/4 inch the other way. I have to cut these pre cut charms down to be the same size...and at largest they will only be 4,1/2 finished or 4" finished HST which was what I was intending to use them for when I bought them. These are MODA. I also washed matching cake layers..and they shrunk to 9,1/2 and some a little smaller. I was going to use them to cut them into 4, 5x5 squares and make 8 HST's out of them. Can't do that now!

I prefer to pre-wash, the starchy, chemical feel of not washed fabrics irritates my skin to work with it... I always worry when I buy kits and they contain charms that this will happen then I won't have enough fabric to work with.. I think every thing shrinks with washing, I've never had anything end up a funny shape or wonky, but I do not prewash batting and all my quilts get crinkly. That's okay though, I kind of love them that way!

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Originally Posted by RockinLou

I prefer to pre-wash, the starchy, chemical feel of not washed fabrics irritates my skin to work with it... I always worry when I buy kits and they contain charms that this will happen then I won't have enough fabric to work with.. I think every thing shrinks with washing, I've never had anything end up a funny shape or wonky, but I do not prewash batting and all my quilts get crinkly. That's okay though, I kind of love them that way!

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RockinLou... I pre wash everything... and have for the last 50 years I have been sewing! Used to be a necessity as the quality of cottons was not as good back in the day as they are now, but now.. I just do it as I dont' want any "accidents". I don't want to do all that work and pay all that money for supplies, and have colors bleed or any shrinkage and ruin all my work. No surprises for me.. I pre wash! Just look at the shrinkage these would have done to a finished quilt!