it is a rule i always go by because i want to make sure the colors dont run and i want it to shrink before i spend a lot of time working with it with no surprizes later on

I always prewash all my fabric. This removes any excess dyes
as well as any shrinkage.

I feel it is a must if you are combining fabrics that may shrink at a different rate. I always wash flannels, fleece and anything else that has a reputation of shrinking. I don't always wash all cottons.

I pre-wash everything every time in hot water, even if it's only a soak in the sink not only to remove any excess dye that might be present but also to remove the sizing. I only do hand applique and hand quilting and do not like working with stiff fabrics. Then I machine dry on high heat so if it is going to shrink, it will shrink before I cut it. Even tho I try to keep my hands impeccably clean while working on my quilts, they invariably do get dirty by the time I'm done so I have them dry cleaned. I think it sets the colors and helps prevent further shrinkage, so between the washing before and dry cleaning after, I feel pretty confident that the colors won't run and nothing will shrink even if the recipient does machine wash and dry the quilt. (Ask me I've ever had a quilt ruined when colors ran and fabrics shrunk!)

Another thing - if a fabric comes out of the dryer with the color and/or print obviously faded and I don't like it, then I don't use it.

Oops - I mean the QUILTS get dirty and I have them dry cleaned, not my hands!

Any fabric that a child is going to handle gets washed. Chemicals are absorbed into your skin, like the creams on your face and hand lotion. Do you want these harsh chemicals on your children's hands and face. Fabric from other countries are worse as they generally have no laws preventing the use of chemicals for printing and sizing for finishing. A lot of our better cottons are printed here but the material itself is milled abroad.

I wash every piece of fabric before it goes in my closet. My aunt Donna, who taught me to quilt, insisted upon that. Even though she's gone now, I still listen to her advice!

I have never prewash fabric....I do use the color catchers now as I have been given lots of scraps to make scrap quilts with and you never know it fabric was tested or not...I wash all quilts when done as I figure I can see what it looks like when wash before giving as a gift and I can fix whatever needs to be fix at that time.

i used to not wash but now i will. i made a king size quilt that had light pink in it and a green border. took it to quilter and it had a bunch of fuzz on it so i washed it and the green bleed all over the light pink making it look like an animal potty on it.

Did you use a Color Catcher?