Quilting fabric… to wash or not to wash?
The Craft Group is starting again soon for a new year of crafting and friendship.
(13th Feb for Enrolment Morning for local ladies).
So everyone is thinking about what projects to finish, continue with, start or share.
Fabric addicts, prepare yourselves.
Do you prewash your quilting fabrics or not?
Years ago it was a definite "Yes, of course!" You don't want your fabric to shrink or the colour to run after your project is finished! But now, with improvements to dyes and the preshrinking of new fabrics, there is a strong argument not to prewash. A small amount of shrinking after a quilt has been made can give it that lovely, slightly puckered vintage look. Also, using the fabric unwashed is a bit easier to cut and sew as it is a little stiffer than after you have washed it.
I found a good explanation of the whole debate HERE on the Craftsy blog. There you can read more points for and against pre-washing and some helpful tips if you are going to wash. There is another blog with a strong case against pre washing but strong advice on dark backing fabrics HERE at Quackadoodle.
I can go either way but what I like doing is washing fabric. I give it a real hard time. In a perfume free washing powder I give it a hot water wash, then dry it on the line for a bit then finish it in a hot dryer and then iron it. I can be so disrespectful towards lovely fabric! But I figure if it behaves after all that handling, then I am not going to be worried about it misbehaving when I wash the finished item.
Here is a lovely blog I found called Lollyquiltz. This is what she says…
So gather your craft supplies and see you soon!
Diana x
(13th Feb for Enrolment Morning for local ladies).
So everyone is thinking about what projects to finish, continue with, start or share.
Fabric addicts, prepare yourselves.
Do you prewash your quilting fabrics or not?
Years ago it was a definite "Yes, of course!" You don't want your fabric to shrink or the colour to run after your project is finished! But now, with improvements to dyes and the preshrinking of new fabrics, there is a strong argument not to prewash. A small amount of shrinking after a quilt has been made can give it that lovely, slightly puckered vintage look. Also, using the fabric unwashed is a bit easier to cut and sew as it is a little stiffer than after you have washed it.
I found a good explanation of the whole debate HERE on the Craftsy blog. There you can read more points for and against pre-washing and some helpful tips if you are going to wash. There is another blog with a strong case against pre washing but strong advice on dark backing fabrics HERE at Quackadoodle.
I can go either way but what I like doing is washing fabric. I give it a real hard time. In a perfume free washing powder I give it a hot water wash, then dry it on the line for a bit then finish it in a hot dryer and then iron it. I can be so disrespectful towards lovely fabric! But I figure if it behaves after all that handling, then I am not going to be worried about it misbehaving when I wash the finished item.
Here is a lovely blog I found called Lollyquiltz. This is what she says…
So gather your craft supplies and see you soon!
Diana x
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