Quiltingboard Forums - Why do some teachers say to NOT wash fabrics before cutting them for a kaleidoscope type quilt?

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Originally Posted by Scissor Queen

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Originally Posted by bearisgray

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scissor Queen

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Originally Posted by bearisgray

I don't know - I did fussy cut my pieces - but I could achieve a perfect line up - so I don't get it.

I did cut my pieces one by one - but it still seems logical to me that if the fabric pattern would "distort" - that it would do it over the whole piece.

Fabric won't get twisted and pulled perfectly evenly over the whole length in the washer.

So how come some fabric is pulled waaaaay off grain when it's still in the store? Hasn't been near a washer or dryer yet as far as I can tell.

Because whoever wound it on the bolt didn't get it started straight. I tried to find a video of how that's done but I couldn't find it. I don't remember where I saw it either.

A person takes the two selvedge edges and hold them together and starts it on a reel and a machine turns the reel however many times the person has set it for for the number of yards they want on the reel.

Would you use that fabric - off the bolt that way - for any kaleidoscope quilt?

my thoughts exactly :thumbup:

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Originally Posted by Scissor Queen

I'll bet they say not to pre-wash the fabric because it makes it nearly impossible to line it up perfectly. The washer will twist the fabric and pull it out of perfect alignment.

True...

Honestly, I don't care if the instructions say not to wash, all my fabric gets washed and dried. Then there are no bleeding or shrinkage surprises down the road. No one has given me a good enough reason or explanation, NOT to wash and dry first.