Do You Pre-Wash?

Do you pre-wash your fabrics? Chloe from Blisstree.com gives some good arguments in favor of sudsing up your freshly-purchased fabrics. I also do pre-wash everything. I completely agree with Chloe's reasons why she does and here are a few additional reasons I do:

To lock in the colors. Especially if I'm using very bold fabrics with very light or neutral fabrics, I like to be sure they're all done bleeding out the spare dye before I put them all together.

To make them softer. For 100% cotton fabrics, I find they are softer and easier to work with if they've been washed and dried. They are all stiff and lovely when I bring them home, but when they feel soft on my hands, it encourages me to think of the recipient snuggling up to the cozy finished product, not some stiff, sandpapery sheet of fabric.

To get the fabric "used to" being washed. When I gift a quilt, I encourage the recipients to use it and wear it out - that's what I made it for. That includes washing it as they would any other bedding. I don't want them to feel like they have this nasty old quilt they're afraid to use or wash - it should be a valued and used addition to their home. So, let's get things started right and wash it before assembling and before presenting the final product to the recipient (after quilting). Right?

What are your thoughts on pre-washing fabrics?

Comments

[Patti]

I prewash most of the time. The only exception is if I've bought fabric for an art quilt.... especially one on which I'm doing raw-edge applique. I find the fabric's sizing helps prevent raveling on these sorts of quilts.

[carolyn]

I never prewash fabric, I'm lazy and don't want to iron it all. I like cutting with the sizing. I figure I'm going to wash the quilt after it's made to get it all crinkly....100+ quilts made in the past 2-3 years and no problems.