Does anybody know if it is a good idea to wash fabric before it is used in a sewing project?

Answer 1

For home projects, mostly yes. And you want to press it, also.

Certain fabrics, like most linens and some rayons and cottons like denim or flannel are better off going through a couple of wash and dry cycles before you cut to get all the shrinkage out.

There are exceptions: dry clean only fabrics like woolens can be "london shrunk" or sent to the dry cleaners for pressing, unless they're labeled "needle ready", in which case you can just cut and sew. Some rayons, especially bembergs, will do better dry cleaned than washed. Some silks, even though they're labeled "dry clean" can be washed gently (and some even not so gently), but expect changes in luster and hand and even color.
I've never had a 100% polyester fabric shrink, but I suppose there's always the first time .

Oh, and you might as well drop zippers and trims in the wash, too, if the project is going to be washed when you're done. Zipper tapes rarely shrink (I've seen some cotton tapes shrink), but trims can be kinda iffy. Put them in a mesh laundry bag so they don't get too friendly with the yardage in the washing machine.

Now, with all that said, I buy my staple fabrics like cotton twills 25-100 yards at a time (I sew a lot!). I'll cut off a yard and carefully measure both length and width and then wash and dry it several times and remeasure. Most of the fabrics that I buy don't shrink much (<0.5%), but occasionally there's one that shrinks much more than that (cotton knits are good examples of shrinkage-prone fabrics). I can either wash the entire roll that decided to shrink, or I can adjust my pattern to account for the expected shrinkage. Because it's easier to sew fabric that has the sizing still in it, I usually opt for not prewashing if at all possible.

But if you're just buying a few yards for a project,
you might as well wash it and find out what it's going to look like after it's been washed. Some fabrics change hand and drape quite dramatically when washed, particularly some of the cheaper cotton or cotton-poly blends, and you can often spot a knit that's going to pill badly after the first wash. In those cases, you can return the inferior fabric to the store, or use it for something that it doesn't really matter much for, and save yourself the time you would have spent on making something nice out of fabric that you didn't realize was kinda crummy.

Answer 2

We've been making quilts for some time now, probably into fifty or more and, my wife is a tailor, has done sewing for most of her life.

We have never washed any fabric: some state to wash first, read the labels on the material or if questioned, ask the dealer but, don't wash without asking first, you could remove some of the properties.

Answer 3

Okay... the right answer is yes... because Flannel does shrink. However... if you are in a pinch... and don't have time to wash... as long as you are using all the same kind of fabric (all flannel... not mixed with cotton or something) you should be OK. I made a baby quilt with flannel without washing it first and it came out fine.

Answer 4

YES. Better to shrink it before hand rather than after you make something. I always come home from buying material and immediately throw it in the wash machine, that way when I am in the mood to sew, it is ready to go.

Answer 5

I never do, and I never have a problem with the clothing shrinking. But then again that could be because I always wash the clothes I make in the delicate cycle in the washing machine and then hang them to dry.

Answer 6

I was taught to always wash the fabric first, less chance of it shrinking the finished garment that was,,,you'll get a truer fit to anything you make, They used to put a" sizing" in the fabric that always washed out in the first wash, not sure if they still do that but, why chance it?

Answer 7

My wife made clothing for the children for a lot of years and never did. None of the patterns or fabric shops ever recommended it. Check with the fabric shop but I don't think you have to.

Answer 8

if you wash it before sewing it will remove the sizeing , and allow the needel to go thru the fabric easly,
yes,

Answer 9

seriously, I always do.
you just never know.....