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I always wonder if we need to wash all the cotton quilting fabric ? What do we do if we are quilting using the pre-cuts like charm packs, layer cakes etc.
I'm totally new to quilting and not sure how to go ahead with it. Any help would be great!
thanks,
Hema
I never prewash any of my fabric and haven't had any problems so far. Have fun learning this wonderful world of quilting!
Mimi-Pat
Thank you, Mimi-Pat! That's helpful!
iT IS HIGHLY SUGGESTED THAT YOU DO NOT WASH PRECUTS. YOU WILL PROBABLY HIGH A NIGHTMARE OF UNRAVELING TO DEAL WITH. WHEN YOU DO WASH THE QUILT AND IT HAS FABRICS IN IT THAT MIGHT RUN - LIKE REDS, BLACKS, PURPLES - THROW IN A COLOR WASH SHEET AND IT WILL TAKE CARE OF THE BLEEDING.
HUGS,
That is a good warning. I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for sharing, quiltingtrish!
A few times I was very afraid of the colors running, so washed the smaller cuts by hand. It was so much more gentle than the washing machine. I didn't know about the color wash sheets, but will try them now! Thank you Trish.
I pre-wash all but the pre-cuts. There have been a few horror stories from gals on here that washed the pre cuts. Tangled nightmares were what they called the resulting mess. I think you might have better luck hand soaking any questionable colors of pre-cuts to see if they did bleed. That would control the agitation and still let you see if they wanted to run before you incorporated them into your quilt.
I'm working with my first pre-cut quilt now, so we'll see if it makes a difference if you mix washed and unwashed fabrics together. I had pre-washed fabrics in my stash that I wanted to use with a honey bun, so I am giving it a try.
I have also heard good things about the color catchers. I use a cup of vinegar in the rinse on fabrics I think might have a problem holding their color. It's supposed to help set the color and work as a fabric softener. The fabric feels fine and does not smell like a pickle when it's finished!
I sew a lot of clothes and did this before I started quilting. As a rule all cotton fabric should be washed to get rid of ev bleeding, shrinking and not least different chemicals from the get go.
As mentioned above wee pre cuts have the ravelling issue, so I wash everything but jelly rolls gently in a wash bag, the prior I steam press to get the shrinking issue etc out of the way.
I then wash the finished quilt before giving it away to check that it holds up AND
is free from chemicals all over.
*Hugs*
I prewash only if I am garment sewing. for quilting I buy only good fabric and steam press before I cut. When the project is finished I wash with a Color Catcher sheet(or5). This worked even on the Dr. Suess quilt with red, yellow and lots of white.
what is a color catcher sheet?
As a general rule of thumb I never wash the pre-cut fabric [strips or squares] because they will unravel but will wash the finished quilt. Washing your yardage removes the sizing, remaining dyes, etc. and it is a matter of preference for each quilter. I use several color catchers when prewashing my yardage. Color catchers are the greatest!
Oops...sorry Pam forgot to answer your question. Color catchers are sheets that go in the wash only and any running color are caught on the sheet instead of travelling to other fabrics. They are found in the laundry detergent isle at most stores.
I have the Dr. Seuss Grinch flannel fabrics and I was just wondering whether to pre-wash. The red is making me nervous! I will have to try the Colour Catcher sheets.
I am a pre washer generally, however I recently bought some Pink Batik fabric at my local quilt shop and didn't prewash it. I was very disappointed to learn the color ran when it got wet! I was shocked since it was good fabric and I paid dearly for it. Didn't have any color catchers around but it literally ran so bad onto my white, I had to throw out the blocks I was doing and start over, so I say, always pre wash as a precautionary. I won't be making that costly mistake again hopefully!
I say all this, and I DON"T prewash precuts. I have not had ANY precuts Bleed, don't know the reasoning behind it, may be just luck on my part! LOL!
SusieQ- Sorry about your quilt. My quilt was all finished when a friend told me to prewash the batiks because they normally run. I threw in about three color catchers into the wash and prayed! When the color catcher came out almost black I feared my quilt was ruined, but it was fine. They are the best ever!
I don't generally pre-wash unless it is a red, dark colored, or batik fabric I'm unsure about. I never pre-wash precuts just because of the raveling.
I use Shout Color Catchers too! You can get a free sample here
If you ARE prewashing you can use Retayne to set the color into the fabric.
New product out - it looks like a dryer sheet but it is supposed to allow you to wash all your colored and white fabrics together in one wash and 'catches' the colors so they do not bleed into the whites in the same wash. Haven't tried it yet just saw it on tv
I'm not a prewash person, definately not on precuts. I believe the makers recommend NOT prewashing. now i've never run into a problem either, with bleeding or shrinkage.
On the color catchers-they do work. A few years ago several of my kids were in food service, wearing white shirts with blacks pants. they would throw all their work clothes together in the wash to save time(they knew better but waited till the last minute to do their work clothes) the color catchers saved their white shirts from turning grey.
Wow, I didn't know that about batiks. I have never ever, not even once, pre-washed any of my fabric for my quilts. I have never ever, not even once had an issue with fabrics running. I buy high quality quilt fabric. I don't use a lot of batiks though, I never have, but I will definitely keep this in mind in case I do decide to use them one of these days.
Heather
Attachment 5699
My local grocery store doesnt carry these, but Walmart does.
I buy only good quality fabric and I give it a good steam press before cutting. The color catcher sheets really work. I use them every time I wash a quilt and so far so good. Color Catcher sheets can be found in the laundry detergent section of your grocery store, They come in a box similar to softener sheets. I would think that washing pre-cuts would most likely be risky due to the raveling factor. Barb
Oh Suzy Que! I'd have kept the blocks and done some tie-dye or something! How sad!
I pretty much prewash because I can't stand the smell of the fabric when it comes home from the store. Some pieces because I want to see if they will change texture or shrink, but mostly for the smell.
Aww, I wish I had searched on this topic earlier. I am starting my first quilt with pre-cuts and pre-washed a jelly roll. It is all one big, tangled, raveled mess I just want to throw it out and forget about it! Now I know better. :-)
I'd never heard of color catchers though, and am glad I found this thread so I can go hunt some down. Thanks for the advice!
Thank you for all the great advice! I am a newbie and was debating on prewashing! I think I will make my first twin quilt without the prewashing and use a colour catcher thingy...:) wish me luck!
cheers
OK here is a question for you. I washed a quilt (wall hanging) after it came down after Christmas. Don't know where my head was but just threw it in even though it had red and white. Well, you guessed it, the red bled onto the white. Anyone have any suggestions for removing the bled over?
Thanks,
Nancy
I have done many, many rag quilts before starting the piece quilting and have never prewashed. I always throw a color catcher sheet into the wash and have had absolutely no problems at all. The sheet comes out a really weird color though. I love the color catchers, keep them on hand all the time for laundry especially if there is a new garment going into the washload.
