Hello Everyone,
First, my apologies for the poor photo quality, it was a gloomy, rainy day here so the lighting was pretty bad. I digress, I did entitle this post washed and pressed, because that is what my fabric for my next two projects are...
Remember this project that I talked about here...
The fabric is now all washed and pressed. Some of you might ask, why I wash and press my fabrics. That is a great question! There are several reasons why I do, especially when I have the time..
1. The colors that will bleed will do it before they get into the quilt. I throw a Shout Color Catcher (get a free sample here) in the wash with them and they work fabulously to remove any excess dye.
2. To remove any of the sizing that is in the fabrics. This I like to do for a couple of reasons, if it is for a baby quilt or a pillow case especially, I like all the chemicals to be gone. The other reason is that I think that the quilting looks nicer on fabric that has been washed. I am not sure why, maybe the fibers in the fabric are now more fluffy causing the quilt stitches to look nicer... I am not sure, but it sounds good right??
Sometimes, if I am working on a deadline it is just not possible to wash and iron so it has to wait. But my preference is to wash and press.
Do you wash your fabric or not and why??
All pressed on the right, the stack on the left still has to be pressed. And then...
All these batiks that I chose for a second project are in need of a good pressing! Any takers??? LOL!
Until Next Time...
25 comments:
Gorgeous stack. I pre-wash. The fabric feels so nice after washing and it gets out that crease where it's been folded on the bolt. I should buy stock in Shout Color Catchers! I usually press just before using the fabric.
Your fabrics look very yummy!
I, too, wash all my fabrics. You never know if a fabric will bleed out or shrink a bit, and I love the softness of washed fabrics.
You always have such beautiful fabric. I usually wash and press, but really I would love to just start in straight away with the crisp lovely fabric that I bring home. However, being the perfectionist I am and having to do things the "proper" way, I keep washing and ironing just in case.....I don't want any disasters - had one of them once, lol
I always pre-wash and press before the fabric goes in the stash. That way, when inspiration strikes or the need arises, the fabric is ready to use. I actually like the part about pressing the fabric - just one more opportunity to fondle the fabric!
Ship those fabrics down here to South Carolina. Will press for fabric!
I most definitely press the devil out of my fabrics, especially the backs before I start quilting on it.
Oooh, so pretty Jackie! I'm definitely a washer and presser (ok, except I did recently start one where I didn't do that but it's bugging me a. lot.) All that washing and pressing is a lot of work though, no?
I always wash my fabric for all the reasons you mentioned.
Not a prewasher, except for batiks. Those I do prewash.
I see some beautiful Kaffes in there. I never prewash. hmmm... maybe I should.
I always prewash--too many surprises otherwise. Occasionally I also "Retayne" if the Shout Color Catcher catches way too much or my presoak shows that one's a bleeder.
Beautiful materials. I always wash it before sewing material project. If you let the color of the vinegar into the water to be unloaded.
I never wash. I just wash the completed project.
I always prewash. Shrinkage, bleeding and getting rid of the chemicals used in the manufacturing process are my reasons. Fabric is washed as soon as it comes in the house but I don't tend to press it until I'm going to use it.
I'll volunteer to press that stack of fabric for you -- but won't guarantee it would all get back to you! :-)
I always prewash. I don't want the chemicals in the fabric when I am working with it. And it is amazing what does show up in color catchers!
Lovely fabrics in your stacks!
call me weird, I like to press.
I am a non washer when piecing, but I like to soften the fabric if it's applique.
I'm a washer (but typically only dark colours larger than a FQ). If it's red, dark blue or black, I soak with Retayne first. I pull it out of the dryer while damp, and press the creases out.
New fabric at my house goes straight to the laundry room for pre-washing. I tend to buy for and design from stash, so my projects mix different manufacturers whose fabrics can shrink at different rates.
In theory I pull from the dryer slightly damp and press, but in practice I usually mistime it. If it's dry already I just add it to the stash and press when I'm ready to use it.
I always prewash - I don't like the feel or smell of new fabric! I wash it (with a normal load of clothes - kill two birds with one stone and save water and leccy at the same time!) without softener and then starch and iron them! Few fabrics make it into my sewing room unless they've been washed and those that do get a label on them!
I always prewash and iron, then I don't have to worry about shrinkage.
No pre-washing for me.....I like the way "new fabric" cuts and sews.
Never have had a bleeding problem.....knock on wood :0)
Happy Sewing
Always used to prewash and stopped about a year ago. Washing leads to ironing and I'd rather breed leeches than IRON.
This quilt is going to look gorgeous! I never prewash because I like sewing with the sizing in the fabric when it is new. Also I love the "vintage" wrinkles that appear when the finished quilt is laundered...
I also wash and press my fabric before cutting out a project, mainly because scrappy is best in my book so I can have a mix of different weights and manufacturers' fabric in my quilt and I don't want shrinkage surprises, and especially bleeding of red, black, or blue! Your piles look yummy, pressed or not :)
I'm a wash-'n-press fan when making bed or lap quilts. I know lots of folks don't because they like the crisp feel of the fabric. In fact, there are a good many folks who avoid washing a quilt at all.
To me the most important things are to remove the chemicals and to make sure any extra dye is washed out.
A spritz of spray starch stiffens fabric enough to stabilize it when it's being sewn in a difficult technique or will behandled a lot.
While others enjoy the crispness of unwashed fabric in a quilt, I love the washed fabrics' softness when I wrap up in a quilt.
For an art quilt, I won't wash anything that I buy "fresh" for the project. If a fabric comes from my stash for the art quilt project, then it'll already be washed and pressed. Depending on the look of the quilt, I may starch pre-washed fabrics.
I expect that art quilts won't ever be washed, so there's no worry about bleeding.
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