Washing fabric

[MargeS]

New Quilter! How important is it to wash fabric before sewing? Are Charm packs washed?

[ozziepuppy]

People have lots of different opinions on this topic. Usually I don't, but for my son's wedding quilt, which will mix batiks and regular quilting cottons, I will be pre washing is Retayne and Synthrapol to set the dyes and prevent bleeding later. Usually, though, I just use the Color Catchers the first time something is washed.

[BobW]

I have never pre-washed. Especially with charms. I think they would come apart. I don't think fabric fades, shrinks and such as much as it used to.

[sewluvit]

I prewash all flannels but would never prewash charm packs or any precuts, I don't prewash my cotton yardage either.

[QuiltingRN]

I wash all of my fabric except precuts and flannel. I like to use flannel for rag quilts and it frays better if not prewashed. I never had any problem with colors bleeding, so far!
You will get lots of opinions but I think we will all agree on not pre washing precuts.

[Sylvia H]

I never prewash the precuts, like charm squares. I rarely prewash at all, but I did prewash the yardage for some children's quilts. In my mind, I wanted to make sure the fabric wouldn't run and that it would hold up to washing, as a child's quilt probably gets washed more frequently. If I have some dark colored fabrics, and I want to make sure they won't bleed, I will snip off a piece, put it in a jar of water with some detergent added. I shake it up and then leave it in the jar for about 30 minutes to see if there is any bleeding. I have never used color catchers, but I will be trying that when I wash my grandson's quilt.

[Iris Girl]

I prewash all fabric except pre cuts.

[sewlucky]

I don't pre wash anything, ever. That said, if I decided to mix an old fabric with a new one then I would wash all just because shrinkage would probably be different.

Terri

[DonnaB]

I never prewash good quilting fabric. i do prewash Joanne or Walmart fabric for curtains or whatever. It is the feel of the material.

[yeeehawterri]

I wash nothing until it is finished. Including flannel. I've only had trouble once with some black off brand fabric and color catchers took care of it.