| To tell you the truth, I had not really thought much | | | | others. |
| about the question prior to last week. Long ago, I took | | | | 3) The color bleeds out of some fabric; and may |
| a quilting class, and the teacher told us to arrive at | | | | deposit itself into other fabric. Reds, blues, yellows and |
| class with our fabric already washed and ready to cut. | | | | purples are famous for sharing their beauty with |
| When we arrived for the class, she explained that | | | | whites, muslins, and tans. Translation - the beautiful, |
| quilters always pre-wash their fabric - for many | | | | bright white in your quilt may end up with a pink, blue, |
| reasons: | | | | yellow or lavender haze, if the excess color is not |
| 1) To remove all of the sizing (chemicals) the | | | | removed from the colored fabric. |
| manufacturers add to the fabric to make look more | | | | I wasn't surprised when the beginning quilter asked the |
| attractive, prevent wrinkles, and make it come off the | | | | question in an on-line quilt discussion group about |
| bolt easier in the store. Although it makes the fabric | | | | whether to pre-wash the fabric, and I wasn't surprised |
| easier for them to handle, sizing makes the fabric a | | | | to see that several quilters answered with all of the |
| little stiffer and more difficult for quilters to handle; plus it | | | | above reasons. I was surprised, however, at the quilter |
| may leave a residue on your needles and thread as | | | | who responded that she never pre-washed her |
| you are sewing. | | | | fabrics because she liked the puckered look. |
| 2) Fabric with a high cotton content will shrink - even if | | | | I understand completely liking the puckered look; I love |
| it says it is pre-shrunk. (We all know about the | | | | it! It makes a quilt look well-loved and handmade. And I |
| pre-shrunk jeans that don't fit any more after one | | | | am always happy when my quilts develop that look, |
| washing! Eeek!) Since not all cottons are born 'equal,' | | | | whether it is the first time they are washed or after |
| they don't shrink 'equal' either. That means that some | | | | several years. I would do almost anything to make |
| cotton fabric will shrink 1%, other cotton fabric will | | | | sure that my quilts (although maybe not my |
| shrink 3% or possibly more. The result is that once | | | | wallhangings) could have that look of love. I just wish I |
| your quilt is washed, the fabrics will exert their own | | | | could figure out a way to get the sizing and excess |
| shrinking personality, and you will have a quilt that has | | | | color out of the fabric without washing it before I sew. |
| puckers - and some patches will pucker more than | | | | |
