Best way to wash FQ
04-08-2010, 12:27 AM
#51
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: New Zealand in the South Pacific
Posts: 1,115
I understand there is no need to wash fabrics used for wall hangings etc but I agree with pre-washing fabrics used for quilting unless you are going for the old fashioned shrunk look.
Two reasons to wash,
1) to test for the dye running
2) is to pre shrink.
All natural fibers shrink eg, cotton wool silk, the rates can vary anywhere from 1% to 5% or more. The reason patterns say to cut on the lengthwise straight of grain is that the lengthwise grain is the stronger and more stable and the widthwise straight of grain is woven with a filler thread which is slightly softer and can stretch a little. To test this just try pulling one way then the other on your fabric and you can soon tell which is the stronger lengthwise straight of grain. This is the main reason I pre- wash as the lenghtwise threads and the widthwise threads shrink at different rates! Hence cutting all your pieces etc the same way. The lengthwise threads shrink a little less and the widthwise threads shrink a little more! The only way to test this is to measure a square of fabric before washing and again after washing, you will see what I mean.
Some fabric manufacturers use hot dying methods which means the fabric is already pre-shrunk when you get it but it will still have the size or dressng in it. When buying you do not always now how the fabric was made, buying in a reputable store with quality fabrics is one way of eliminating this risk but you cannot always be sure. I have worked with fabrics 40 plus years and there is always the odd rogue dye batch, mostly this is to do with red dyes and the blue dyes. Cheaper fabrics made in developing countries cannot always be relied upon to have used Western methods of chemical mordents to set the dyes.
Hope this explanation helps to make things a little clearer.
When working in sales we were advised to recommend pre-washing fabrics to our customers if they were using natural fibers, of course polyester fabrics cannot shrink so this does not apply to those.
Gal
PS In my experience beware of black fabrics, especially solid blacks. more than likely the black has been some other colour before hand, perhaps a bad dye batch or a colour the manufacturers could not shift, in which case it has been over dyed. The colour can run anything from red to green yellow or blue even though your fabrics looks black to the eye.
Two reasons to wash,
1) to test for the dye running
2) is to pre shrink.
All natural fibers shrink eg, cotton wool silk, the rates can vary anywhere from 1% to 5% or more. The reason patterns say to cut on the lengthwise straight of grain is that the lengthwise grain is the stronger and more stable and the widthwise straight of grain is woven with a filler thread which is slightly softer and can stretch a little. To test this just try pulling one way then the other on your fabric and you can soon tell which is the stronger lengthwise straight of grain. This is the main reason I pre- wash as the lenghtwise threads and the widthwise threads shrink at different rates! Hence cutting all your pieces etc the same way. The lengthwise threads shrink a little less and the widthwise threads shrink a little more! The only way to test this is to measure a square of fabric before washing and again after washing, you will see what I mean.
Some fabric manufacturers use hot dying methods which means the fabric is already pre-shrunk when you get it but it will still have the size or dressng in it. When buying you do not always now how the fabric was made, buying in a reputable store with quality fabrics is one way of eliminating this risk but you cannot always be sure. I have worked with fabrics 40 plus years and there is always the odd rogue dye batch, mostly this is to do with red dyes and the blue dyes. Cheaper fabrics made in developing countries cannot always be relied upon to have used Western methods of chemical mordents to set the dyes.
Hope this explanation helps to make things a little clearer.
When working in sales we were advised to recommend pre-washing fabrics to our customers if they were using natural fibers, of course polyester fabrics cannot shrink so this does not apply to those.
Gal
PS In my experience beware of black fabrics, especially solid blacks. more than likely the black has been some other colour before hand, perhaps a bad dye batch or a colour the manufacturers could not shift, in which case it has been over dyed. The colour can run anything from red to green yellow or blue even though your fabrics looks black to the eye.
04-08-2010, 07:41 AM
#53
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Jackson, Michigan
Posts: 808
Originally Posted by gramquilter2
I just had a class where they told us to cut across the 4 corners and your fabric will not fray, haven't tried it though.
When they are small pieces, I wash them in the sink and use my salad spinner to get most of the water out of them, and then I hang the pieces on hangers and they are dry in no time.
But honestly I don't wash my fabrics unless I am taking a class and the instructor writes it in the class prep instructions. Then being a good sport, I wash it.
04-08-2010, 09:38 AM
#54
Super Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 7,741
Gal... Thank you so much for your informative explanation of why we should prewash our fabrics.
I haver always prewashed my fabrics since my children were little. I tried not wsahing fabrics when I began quilting but the chemicals on fabric straight from the store greatly bothers my finger tips. Prewashing eliminates this tingling feeling.
"Cheaper fabrics made in developing countries cannot always be relied upon to have used Western methods of chemical mordents to set the dyes." It seems to me that most fabric lines, even the high quality ones, have shipped their processing to developing countries.
Again, thank you. Linda
I haver always prewashed my fabrics since my children were little. I tried not wsahing fabrics when I began quilting but the chemicals on fabric straight from the store greatly bothers my finger tips. Prewashing eliminates this tingling feeling.
"Cheaper fabrics made in developing countries cannot always be relied upon to have used Western methods of chemical mordents to set the dyes." It seems to me that most fabric lines, even the high quality ones, have shipped their processing to developing countries.
Again, thank you. Linda
04-08-2010, 06:31 PM
#56
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Sacramento, Ca. USA
Posts: 311
Someone asked what a color catcher was:
It is a product from Shout called Color Catcher. You put this sheet (about the size of a dryer sheet) in the wash to hopefully catch any dye that bleeds before it ruins your clothes.
It is a product from Shout called Color Catcher. You put this sheet (about the size of a dryer sheet) in the wash to hopefully catch any dye that bleeds before it ruins your clothes.
04-09-2010, 05:37 AM
#57
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Somewhere North
Posts: 6,180
I do not wash my fabric either most classes I have taken we have been told it is not necessary to wash the fabrics before we start. I have never had a problem with darker fabrics running when the project has been finally washed.
When I wash my fabrics, this is how I do it. This method works on most fabrics. I don't have all of that thread wrapping around everything and leaving me with a tangled mess.
When they are small pieces, I wash them in the sink and use my salad spinner to get most of the water out of them, and then I hang the pieces on hangers and they are dry in no time.
But honestly I don't wash my fabrics unless I am taking a class and the instructor writes it in the class prep instructions. Then being a good sport, I wash it.
Originally Posted by laparshall
Originally Posted by gramquilter2
I just had a class where they told us to cut across the 4 corners and your fabric will not fray, haven't tried it though.
When they are small pieces, I wash them in the sink and use my salad spinner to get most of the water out of them, and then I hang the pieces on hangers and they are dry in no time.
But honestly I don't wash my fabrics unless I am taking a class and the instructor writes it in the class prep instructions. Then being a good sport, I wash it.
04-13-2010, 12:21 PM
#59
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: North Fort Worth TX
Posts: 107
I check mine in a sink of hot water. Rinse them thoroughly, then put them in a salad spinner to get most of the water out. Spray them with starch and iron - they are perfect without a lot of work.
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