Prewashing blocks

Okay.....I've seen the possible error of my ways and think I should
rectify the situation.

As a longtime member of the impulsive Sew It Right Now!!! club I've
never gotten into the habit of prewashing fabric. I like the stiffness
and smell of new fabric, and have happily sewn lots of clothes and made
many many quilt wall-hangings without worry. I have always been a
little confused when I get precut tiny pieces of fabric from Shop Hops,
etc.....or using scraps in my scrapbox for blocks. I think that if I
was to wash some pieces and not others, I would have a mess.....right??
So I just never.....

So, I've gotten 20 appliqued blocks of VWs for my daughter's quilt all
finished (thanks for the circle tips....went much much faster!!!) and
found some deep green/black print for the sashing and another deep
green backing fabric. I suddenly thought it would be prudent to prewash
all that deep green fabric so I tossed it into the washing machine. I'm
holding my breath to see what happens when it comes out. It's chugging
away as I type.

Do I need to somehow prewash all the blocks first also?? And how should
I best do this?? And in the future, should I sort out colors and dump
all my stash (big and little pieces) in the washing machine??? Is it
okay to dry this in the dryer, or do I need to hang things all about?
Have I headed (hurled) myself down a road from whence there is no
return?????? (I've never been a starcher person either, so that's
probably a whole 'nother line of questioning.)

You gals (maybe some guys?) are great to listen to my lunkhead
questions, but golly....I'm learning more from just reading these posts
than in any class or book!!!

Thanks,
Annie

I would throw all the little pieces into a zippered pillowcase then into the
washer. I've dried small items just by leaving them in the zippered
pillowcase too.

The key word here is "zippered." I had kind of a fuzzy mess one day when I
forgot to close the zipper. All my little pieces pretty much landed in the
lint filter!
--
Kay Ahr in Reno, Nevada
To reply directly to me, remove "WESTHI" in the email address.

--

"marbles_2" wrote in message
oups.com...
And in the future, should I sort out colors and dump
all my stash (big and little pieces) in the washing machine??? Is it
okay to dry this in the dryer, or do I need to hang things all about?

I can't bear to have new fabric against my skin, so I pre-wash
everything fabric. That includes new clothes, linens and all quilting
fabric. (One exception- lame', velvet, tulle/netting, and other
fragile fabrics are allowed to remain pristine- washing would mess them
up..... unless that's the look I'm going for!) There's less chance of
the fabric dyes running in my finished quilt and I won't get little red
bumps from handing new fabric with the chemical stuff on it.

My practice is to wash everything as soon as it comes thru the door.
That way I never have to wonder what's washed and what's not. I don't
have a pillowcase with a zipper, but I find folding the top into a
point, folding it over and pinning shut with a large safety pin works
well. I have started using a Color Catcher sheet with each load of new
fabric as well. They can be re-used until they're pretty dark from
absorbing lots of excess dye.

HTH

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

I have never taken a quilting class, so
I am no authority. But I do have two
cents to add.

The owner of my LQS does not recommend
prewashing. I don't prewash quilting
fabric UNLESS I think there is a chance
of the color running as may be the case
with some reds and other dark colors
particularly those that are yarn dyed.
If the fabric is prewashed, as required
in some swaps, I may iron it with sizing
to restore the firmness. I don't worry
about shrinkage as a quilt is washed in
cool water.

When I make clothes, I give the fabric
to my DH and telling him to abuse it.
Hot water and hot dryer unless otherwise
specified. Give the fabric the worst
treatment before cutting. I have a
piece of silk noile that was washed and
dried at a cool temperature and came out
beautifly.

These are my methods, and I'm sticking
to them.

Susan

Hi Annie

Some say do, some say don't. Everyone has their own reasons, and some get
quite passionate about it

Whichever you do, try to stay consistent! That's the ticket. Good luck!

--
kitty in phx

http://community.webshots.com/user/kittykatchee


"marbles_2" wrote in message
oups.com...
Okay.....I've seen the possible error of my ways and think I should
rectify the situation.

As a longtime member of the impulsive Sew It Right Now!!! club I've
never gotten into the habit of prewashing fabric. I like the stiffness
and smell of new fabric, and have happily sewn lots of clothes and made
many many quilt wall-hangings without worry. I have always been a
little confused when I get precut tiny pieces of fabric from Shop Hops,
etc.....or using scraps in my scrapbox for blocks. I think that if I
was to wash some pieces and not others, I would have a mess.....right??
So I just never.....

snip

Let me add on to that:

Is that precut fabric for blocks? the measurements might change if you
prewash, assuming they don't turn into lint. Scraps are okay if you think
it's worth the effort, otherwise just phase the prewashed fabric in. As for
prewashing fabric in general, it's a matter of preference, whatever you want
to do is fine

--
kitty in phx

http://community.webshots.com/user/kittykatchee


"KittyG" wrote in message
news:TuWFe.26991$bp.24932@fed1read03...
Hi Annie

Some say do, some say don't. Everyone has their own reasons, and some get
quite passionate about it

Whichever you do, try to stay consistent! That's the ticket. Good luck!

--
kitty in phx

http://community.webshots.com/user/kittykatchee


"marbles_2" wrote in message
oups.com...
Okay.....I've seen the possible error of my ways and think I should
rectify the situation.

As a longtime member of the impulsive Sew It Right Now!!! club I've
never gotten into the habit of prewashing fabric. I like the stiffness
and smell of new fabric, and have happily sewn lots of clothes and made
many many quilt wall-hangings without worry. I have always been a
little confused when I get precut tiny pieces of fabric from Shop Hops,
etc.....or using scraps in my scrapbox for blocks. I think that if I
was to wash some pieces and not others, I would have a mess.....right??
So I just never.....

snip

I have never prewashed my fabric and never had bad results. Like you - I
like the smell and the stiffness and the sharp colors. After it's washed
it's dull and limp.

--
http://community.webshots.com/user/snigdibbly
SNIGDIBBLY
~e~
"
/ \
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/snigdibbly.
http://www.ebaystores.com/snigdibbly...ox&refid=store
"marbles_2" wrote in message
oups.com...
Okay.....I've seen the possible error of my ways and think I should
rectify the situation.

As a longtime member of the impulsive Sew It Right Now!!! club I've
never gotten into the habit of prewashing fabric. I like the stiffness
and smell of new fabric, and have happily sewn lots of clothes and made
many many quilt wall-hangings without worry. I have always been a
little confused when I get precut tiny pieces of fabric from Shop Hops,
etc.....or using scraps in my scrapbox for blocks. I think that if I
was to wash some pieces and not others, I would have a mess.....right??
So I just never.....

So, I've gotten 20 appliqued blocks of VWs for my daughter's quilt all
finished (thanks for the circle tips....went much much faster!!!) and
found some deep green/black print for the sashing and another deep
green backing fabric. I suddenly thought it would be prudent to prewash
all that deep green fabric so I tossed it into the washing machine. I'm
holding my breath to see what happens when it comes out. It's chugging
away as I type.

Do I need to somehow prewash all the blocks first also?? And how should
I best do this?? And in the future, should I sort out colors and dump
all my stash (big and little pieces) in the washing machine??? Is it
okay to dry this in the dryer, or do I need to hang things all about?
Have I headed (hurled) myself down a road from whence there is no
return?????? (I've never been a starcher person either, so that's
probably a whole 'nother line of questioning.)

You gals (maybe some guys?) are great to listen to my lunkhead
questions, but golly....I'm learning more from just reading these posts
than in any class or book!!!

Thanks,
Annie

Thanks Snigs! I sew for the experience and pleasure, and if new fabric
makes me the happiest, all the better!! I somehow think if I'm buying
quality fabric from quilt shops instead of junk from a big box store
that it's not going to be shrinking and bleeding so much. I think I'll
stick with my old dive into the project method.

annie

The "big box store" sells fabric made by the same textile company as the
LQS - they just get those big quantity discounts that the LQS can't get
because they don't buy in volumn. My friend who used to own "Makin'
Memories" a quilting store in Lowell, AR used to say if she could buy in
bulk that she could offer the same prices as Wal-mart. She worked as a
buyer for Wal-Mart General Offices during the day and bought fabric to
supply the Super Centers on the west coast. She said that the vendors were
the same ones she used in her home business but because WM bought in huge
lots they received big discounts. Read your selvedge edges and trust your
*hand*.

--
http://community.webshots.com/user/snigdibbly
SNIGDIBBLY
~e~
"
/ \
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/snigdibbly.
http://www.ebaystores.com/snigdibbly...ox&refid=store
"marbles_2" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks Snigs! I sew for the experience and pleasure, and if new fabric
makes me the happiest, all the better!! I somehow think if I'm buying
quality fabric from quilt shops instead of junk from a big box store
that it's not going to be shrinking and bleeding so much. I think I'll
stick with my old dive into the project method.

annie

Buy a coffee pot at Walmart. On the bottom it will say "made for
walmart". Walmart is cheap. They beat down the prices by quanitiy
and also a strong hand from what I read. I think that beating down
also beats down the quality of the parts that go into the stuff supplied
to Walmart. I buy some things at Walmart but don't expect as much
as I would at say Costco or even Target. Some of their fabric is
ok. Most of it is not what you find at quality quilt shops. At least
the shops I am lucky enough to have sort of local. Sometimes the
hand might even be ok but the dyes are not so hot. Fast fading isn't
unusual. Like anywhere else, buyer beware.
Taria

SNIGDIBBLY wrote:
The "big box store" sells fabric made by the same textile company as the
LQS - they just get those big quantity discounts that the LQS can't get
because they don't buy in volumn. My friend who used to own "Makin'
Memories" a quilting store in Lowell, AR used to say if she could buy in
bulk that she could offer the same prices as Wal-mart. She worked as a
buyer for Wal-Mart General Offices during the day and bought fabric to
supply the Super Centers on the west coast. She said that the vendors were
the same ones she used in her home business but because WM bought in huge
lots they received big discounts. Read your selvedge edges and trust your
*hand*.