It is not necessary to "wash" fabric, as in adding detergent or soap. Plain water will dissolve the noxious and potentially dangerous formaldehyde (remember what you learning in Biology 101 when dissecting? It is a preservative with bad possibilites). One should definitely "RINSE" fabrics, when making a quilt for BABY. I've researched and written a lot about this topic of quilt care. Personally, to shrink fabric, I sometimes just spritz it and iron it before using. Seems to work.

I do not prewash anything except batiks (which are hand dyed). I will prewash some reds/blacks. Why prewash and then spend time starching. You just washed the starch out and now you are putting it back. If you are using good quality 100% cotton you should not have any problems.

Are you saying you give babies unwashed quilts?

May I ask, was this quality QS fabric, or did it come from Walmart or Joanne's?

Mary in PA

My messages seem to keep disappearing for some reason. My answer to the question: "Should we give babies unwashed quilts" is "No." Fabrics used in baby quilts should be rinsed in the washing machine in hot water before use. This dissolves any potential formaldehyde that is used as a finishing agent in *some* fabrics by manufacturers. Patricia Lynne Grace Cummings

If you wash the quilt you don't need to pre-wash the fabric.

ditto.

I never prewash fabric for a baby quilt, but I always wash the quilt.

Wash or pre wash it is a personal choice. But what about the pre-cuts they are putting out. If you don't wash the 2 1/2 inch fabrics, do you then not wash the backing? My theory is to steam iron the pre-cuts and do the same for the backs. Then wash the quilt in Synthrapol. It says on the the bottle that it has a unique characteristic of keeping loose dye particles in suspension, thus preventing backstaining. Can buy this at any art store that sells fabric dyes. So I wash all or most of my fabric in hot with the use of this product. And believe me some of the kids quilts I have made have been pretty colorful. Mother's have never complained. I also alway give a bottle of soap for washing quilts as a gift with each one given. Some use it, some use just regular detergent and never had a problem. But all wash in warm water as I have told them to.

I'm not into OBWs so I can't speak to this but I prewash every piece of material I put into my stash. I'd rather be safe than sorry, I mostly worry about bleeding colors rather than shrinking. I'm a little old fashioned and if something isn't broke, I don't fix it. prewashing has always worked for me.

I usually wash my fabrics before cutting. but i use 80/20 batting and it shrinks a tiny bit. that gives me the look i want.