Fabric Prewash or Not?
Should I prewash my fabric or not? Nothing can stir up more heated debates with quilters than this subject. Every quilter has an opinion on the subject. And guess what? They are all correct. The truth is there is no right or wrong answer to the question. It is all up to the individual quilter. Each choice comes with some pros and cons that you will have to consider when deciding which you will do.
Those in favor of prewashing their fabric enjoy the idea that this will maintain the fabrics colorfastness. Prewashing also preshrinks the fabric. These have certainly been valid reasons in the past for pre-washing fabrics. The fabric processing and dying procedures have seen many advancements over the past 10-15 years. So these two concerns are somewhat a little less valid. The biggest advantage to prewashing is in the pliability and feel of the fabric. Fabrics with heavy sizing and painted designs are difficult to quilt both by hand and machine. A quick prewash can help eliminate some future problems.
Pre-washing may also help eliminate health issues for those with sensitive skin allergies and respiratory problems. When sourcing fabrics from “scrap fabric trading sites” pre-washing may help eliminate pests that may be invisible guests in your trade.
On the other side of the debate are quilters who prefer not to prewash. They enjoy the crisp feel of the fabric fresh from the store. New fabrics have under gone finishing and processing techniques that give them a very nice feel to the hand. Some in the sewing industry believe that pre-washing distorts the fabric by removing the final press that the fabric got before being placed on the bolt for sale. These quilters believe the fabric is easier to cut and stitch with because the sizing helps the fabric retain its shape. Their decision may also be based on the desire to have an old fashioned look for the quilt when it is completed. When the fabric and batting are not pre-washed before quilting and the finished quilt is washed, they all shrink together giving the quilt that crinkled old fashioned look.
As a machine quilter, I believe in both points of view. I love the look that a quilt gets when nothing has been prewashed until the quilt is finished. The quilt appears to have been around forever and has a soft, soothing feel. But not prewashing fabric can cause lots of tension issues and skipped stitches because of heavy sizing or painted designs on the fabric. When fabric is pre-washed it is much easier to quilt both by hand and machine, giving you a nice tight stitch.
Not matter which option you prefer, I do recommend that you that you stick with one or the other. If you prefer not to wash, then leave everything unwashed. If you prefer to wash, then wash everything before use. I can fore see how mixing the two types of fabrics could cause its own set of problems.
Ultimately the choice is yours. Pick the look you want and get busy quilting. Let me know where you stand in the great pre-wash or not pre-wash debate. Comment below or send me an email.
