For Unca Ray's Barn Red Quilt, I purchased 2 sets of 1/4-yard cuts ("Seeing Red") from Keepsake Quilting. I had a particular quilt pattern in mind and I really appreciate the coordinated fabrics they offer.
In each set, they include a sheet advising buyers to pre-wash their fabrics. I used to do that religiously, but stopped in recent years. In this case, I was thinking that the red might run (though that's silly in this case--it's a dark quilt, so why should it matter?)
Hindsight is 20/20, right? Now that' I have pre-washed these 1/2 yard cuts, I'm having second thoughts. Here's why :
1) These are relatively small cuts. By the time I trim the unravelled bits, the 1/4 yard is essentially 1 inch shorter than when I started.
2) The sizing is now gone, which would have helped generate a crisp clean cut.
3) I'm planning a dark quilt with black batting. Who cares if the reds bleed? It wouldn't matter in this case.
I will recycle the trimmings above in composed fabric. And I could have saved myself some time and effort by not pre-washing these smaller cut fabrics.
Larger pieces, I will continue to pre-wash. But at some point, it just doesn't make sense. Does it? What do you think?
1 comment:
Do you actually pitch them in the washer and run them through a cycle? The 1/4 yard or smaller long thin cuts are the worst to do :) as you learned.
I've been quilting forever and always prewash before the fabric enters the sanctum. But I just run a kitchen sink with straight hot water, plunge and agitate so everything is good a wet, wring and fling in the dryer. It's not so bad, really. Hand press as I fold.
I always starch and press whatever bit of fabric I'm cutting into so the ability to make a clean straight cut that remains is the magic. And no chemicals, just plain old starch.
Our differences are what make us interesting.
Sharyn
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