Should fabric be washed before beginning quilt project?

Question

I'm about to begin my first quilting project. It is a baby quilt for my nephew. Should I wash the fabric before I begin?

Answer 1

Wash the fabric in the way that the finished quilt will be washed. That way it will not misbehave and twist in funny directions the first time you wash the finished product. But don't bother with fabric softener. It's easier to sew if it's a little bit stiff.

If you will be using a washing machine, clip the corner of the yardage before your wash it, to cut down on fraying. Just take off an inch or so of the point at each corner. It will still fray some.
.

Answer 2

Hehehe, looks like you've already had a lot of great answers. I think it's always beneficial to ask around, and get the opinions of many different quilters. After all, quilting is one of those artforms, where there are very few hard and fast rules.

You can use any fabric you like to quilt, but most highly recommended these days is 100% cotton. I would definitely use cotton for a childs blanket, for a few reasons. One is that cotton breathes a bit more than a poly/cotton blend, and the same goes for the batting - cotton batting will breath much better than a poly or cotton/poly blend batting. Another reason I would avoid polyester for a childs quilt, is, while cotton is definitely not fire retardent, it IS less likely to melt the way polyester does. God forbid, if ever there were a fire, at least you would know that the heat from any nearby flames or heat source will not melt the blanket and burn the child before help would come.

Now quilters vary on their opinions when it comes to pre-washing, but the general rule of thumb is to wash your fabric before sewing with it. If you are hand quilting, pre-washing will be a necessity, because fabric from the bolt has a chemical sizing in it, and you'll have a very difficult time getting your needle to quilt smoothly through it. I know this from experience! Lol* If you are using very bold colors I would pre-wash to eliminate excess dye, although, nowadays, if you are using good fabric (meaning from a quilt shop rather than Wal-Mart or JoAnn Fabrics), your chances are less likely that your dyes will run or fade much.

I think for a baby, it is a nice gesture to wash your fabric in Dreft, even if it makes little difference in your fabric itself. I would appreciate it if I were the mother who is recieving the blanket for my child.

One more thing - there is also a group of quilters out there who don't like to pre-wash, because they like to finish their quilt and THEN wash it! Lol* Cotton fabric WILL shrink a bit, but it can give your quilt a very nice aged antique look.

Good luck! :)

Answer 3

Always wash fabric to be used for an infant, either before or after the quilting, preferably with something like Ivory. The sizing and finish treatments on fabrics can irritate a baby's skin or cause an allergic reaction. (Formaldehyde is a common chemical used in fabric finishes.) When making regular bed quilts the choice to pre-wash or not is personal preference.

Answer 4

I always buy fabric and bring it home and take it to the laundry room for washing. I wash, sometimes i dry outside, sometimes i dry inside, then i press it. I have been trying to quilt for 8 yrs. (i don't think i am past the beginners yet, however, been told i am past that). There is alot of free patterns out there, quiltercashe is a great site for patterns, if you look at all the pages it shows how to do the block to what it will look like when your done. They are under the drop box in a section called blocks galore. Rule of thumb, is measure 3 times, then cut. There is alot of quilt groups out there, that you can join in yahoo, and they have alot of great people that will be happy to answer any question you have as you start this process. Quilting is fun, and relaxing, but when you first start out it can be overpowering.
Good luck to you

Answer 5

Depends. Stiffer unwashed fabric doesn't fray as much and can be easier to handle if you applique, if that's a consideration. But washed fabric enables you to find out if any of your fabrics bleed (what a way to spoil a quilt!). Unwashed fabric will pucker up more when washed, giving you a nice vintage look. Washed will shrink a little, too. Most important to remember: If you prewash, prewash every fabric, including backing, so it shrinks evenly. Any good quilting book (or internet site) will give you more than you need to know on the subject. I almost always preshrink. I do it by putting the fabric in a laundry bag, or pillowcase so it doesn't fray too much, sudz it by hand, rinse it gently and then dry in the dryer. I keep smaller pieces like fat quarters in the bag, but bigger ones I "turn loose". Take out while damp, and iron. Good luck on your quilt!

Answer 6

The reasons for prewashing are to remove the finish from the fabric, to shrink cottons and to see if it will bleed!! You do not want any of the colors to bleed (run) after putting your hard work into a baby quilt or any other quilt or project either!

It doesn't matter if it is 100% cotton or is a poly/cotton blend. Some of the dyes used today are not color fast. Even the pastel colors.

Answer 7

not unless you are using a fabric that may shrink when you wash it. cotten makes a good quilting fabric

Answer 8

Yes

Answer 9

Yes - wash it first so that there is no shrinkage later. Have fun with your project.