An old quilting question.

[lendube]

I'm making two lap quilts for a lady for her kids (6 y/o and college student) for St. Patrick's Day. Wash fabric first? Yes or No? I thought a while back it was decided that if it's a gift or being made for someone else that we should just let it be. What do you ladies do?

[momquilts]

I always wash now since I had a beautiful wall hanging with red in it that ran. If you are mixing dark and light colors in the quilt I would suggest pre-washing.

[Magot]

They always recommend pre washing here, but I just give it a good old steam!!

[pinecone]

I think it is a personal preferance but I always wash first. Who knows where the fabric has travelled before entering your home and who touched it? It also gets out the extra dye. I know it looses the "new" look but that is my opinion. Have fun.

piney

[Bama]

I always prewash. I put new fabric in the laundry room as soon as it comes in the house.

[Mom of Six]

I prewash because I have work in fabric stores & see what happens to it. I also have had the colors run or one piece shrink more than another.

[bridesmom]

I'm on the other side, I don't prewash until the project is done, then I wash it to give it the antiquey crinkled look. I starch and adhesive spray most all of my fabric, so it really needs it by the time it's done. I wash with Synthropol which is a specialized cleaning soap that takes out the extra dye, and throw in a 'color catcher' to pick up the extra color. Red fabric I am very careful with, as it is the one that will bleed, but I have had 2 quilts that bled and even after 3 years of just staying ugly and stained, I washed it in Synthropol and it's perfect now, and it was dried in the dryer the first time too. I love Synthropol. I find the sizing that is in the fabric helps with the fabric not stretching out when sewing or pressing. Now if it is a garment I always wash the fabric first for the shrinkage.

[lendube]

I don't think the colors will run. It's four different fabrics, two light and two medium. I was asking more from a shrinkage point of view when assembling squares. I'd prefer to keep the fabric crisp and new. So since Laura doesn't have a problem with wonky shaped pieced squares, and we all know HOW MANY quilts she puts together(!) I think it'll be safe to just leave it as is. Thanks for the input.

[vickki]

I don't prewash either.....

[HeyJudee]

Just for my two cents...I always wash cause I want to get rid of the extra dye and I want it to shrink cause I like my quilts to look new. I don't like the antique look. JMHO