I always wash!

Count me in :-)

Quilting prevents fabric shrinkage. Unshrunk fabric that is closely quilted will not shrink in the same way that unquilted fabric shrinks in the wash. That is one reason why I don't bother to pre-wash fabric for shrinkage. Plus, I like the old-fashioned look of 100% cotton batting; the fabrics and batting shrink up together about 3% (amount of shrinkage is controlled by the batting, not the fabric -- as long as the quilting is reasonably close together).

I should add that people who like the flatter, more modern look for quilts do probably have to pre-wash fabric and use a primarily poly batting to get that look. It's a look I often prefer for wallhangings.

Sue Sew -

I actually am hard on my quilts when washing, warm water and straight into the dryer. Thus far, most of my quilts are gifted where they won't have the luxury of gentle washing (family members in the marines, airforce and national guard). So while the pre-washing fads material a bit, it is nice to get any uneven shrinking out of the way. I find the poly battings don't result in so much wrinkling if you don't like wrinkles.

Well said and point taken. :lol:

I was always told that if you want the smoother look to your quilts don't pre-shrink -- that way your batting and fabric shrink together and stay flatter. If you prewash your batting shrinks more than your fabric and gives you the puckery look.

I pre-wash because I've had blocks turn out the wrong size after I made them. Makes me not a happy camper when that happened a couple of times especially when one block (9 1/2") with 50 pieces (mostly hst) in it ended up 9".

I don't think that's quite accurate. I use 100% cotton batting and do not prewash fabric, and I still get about 3% shrinkage all over and the crinkled look. This is because the shrinkage of the batting controls the crinkling.

You can get a flat look by prewashing fabric and using a 100% polyester batting. This is because poly batting does not shrink at all, and fabric that has been prewashed shouldn't shrink any more. You could also use a cotton batting provided you are able to prewash and preshrink it. (Some cotton battings cannot be prewashed.)

I prewash all fabrics to remove the odors as well as to take care of the shrinkage. I find that all of the fabrics I purchase from LQS shrink just like those I get at JoAnn.
I measure all fabric upon getting it home and then again after prewashing and drying in the dryer. Shrinkage ranges from one to three inches.
Kono black shrank the least. Robert Koffman and Beneartex shrank the most. Other brands range inbetween. My DH zig zags the edges for me before I wash them and it really cuts down on the tangles.

I always play it safe and wash everything. A finished project can be ruined if it shrinks unevenly, or if the colors run. How many times has a fellow quilter asked for advise on how to remove a stain from a bleeding fabric?