I am new to sewing and will be working on a project soon. I purchased 2 yards of 100% cotton from a fabric store. (i forgot to ask this question and now do not have their number..) Should I pre-wash the fabric or not?
2007-07-11 10:40:03 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Games & Recreation ➔ Hobbies & Crafts
Well, I'm going to be the odd man out and say you don't have to wash your fabric. In the past, dyes were not always colorfast and tended to run. But with the new dyes today, that isn't always the case. Test a small piece to see if the fabric color will bleed. If it doesn't, you don't have to wash it. I would recommend always washing red and purple fabric, because they are tricky. And if you wash one fabric, you have to wash all the fabric going into that quilt, because you want the shrinkage to be the same throughout. Washing the fabric also takes the sizing out of it, so if you like the crisper feel when you are sewing, use a 50% water and liquid starch mixture in a spray bottle while you are pressing your material. And I've never washed a piece of fabric that I didn't have to iron it, so expect to spend some time at the ironing board. I also cut my fabric into manageable pieces (1/2 to 1 yard) before I wash them so that they are easier to iron. The shrinkage is manageable, but this will give your quilt a different texture. Some like it and some don't.
2007-07-12 18:10:22 · answer #1 · answered by bluphrog 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cotton definitely shrinks. Not really from washing it on a hot cycle as much as drying it on anything other than air or low heat. Most people recommend washing the fabric prior to sewing so than an anomalies with the fabric come out and don't affect the way your fabric lays due to the stitching.You should be able to machine wash your skirt after completion. Hand washing and air drying will definitely reduce the wear and tear on the skirt from cleaning but, cotton fabric can certainly withstand a wash and dry cycle.
2016-04-01 09:46:09 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm glad you asked first. If the fabric is washable, you should always wash it first. Some fabrics have a finish on them that must be removed first. You also don't know how long it has been in the store.
2007-07-11 14:50:19 · answer #3 · answered by Pat C 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes I would definitely wash it first. The fabric will shrink a bit. And it would be sad to have a finished project that shrank the first time you washed it and ruin it. So to avoid disappointment definitely wash the fabric first.
2007-07-11 10:49:16 · answer #4 · answered by sisinlovewithyou 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes
100% cotton is famous for its shrinkage, and you need to pre-wash it so that all the shrinkage happens before you sew it. That way, it will stay the right size when you wash it after it is sewn.
2007-07-11 10:49:11 · answer #5 · answered by twizz 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say yes (for clothing) unless you are making a quilt in which case, most people want the puckered softness that results from washing after the item is sewn.
2007-07-11 17:33:08 · answer #6 · answered by mandi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would. You don't want it to shrink after all that hard work!
2007-07-11 10:46:33 · answer #7 · answered by jdzoschke2@sbcglobal.net 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. I would also dry it and iron it flat.
2007-07-11 13:14:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋