2manyhobbies

I always pre-shrink and if I'm making a quilt as a gift, I tell the recipient to wash in cold water and dry on low setting.

ArchaicArcane

Weezy Rider - You bring up a good point. The muslin I bought was never intended (by me) to be washed, or at least not that I would care. I was going to use it to practice then bind it and use it for dog blankets. If it scrunched up on subsequent washings, it really didn't matter. It was certainly not the highest quality muslin to begin with.

Lady Diana - The placemat was muslin, the quilt was a 108" wide backing from a quilt shop, so definitely 2 different backs.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]479728[/ATTACH]

The batting in the placemat might not have been the Arctic Cotton. I don't really know what it was, it was just some left over something or other from a batch of charity quilts or something.

It's possible it was AC, but I suspect it wasn't. I think that's why I assumed that I had done something wrong. If the backing, batting and only some of the top fabrics were in common, and even the quilting was two different styles - I was the main constant in the equation.

I don't know that I have any AC left. I will definitely try what you mentioned if I do, but I don't recall now if it's technically prewashed either. LOL!

MargeD

Your quilt is beautiful and it definitely has your furry friend's approval. I don't think I've ever seen anything shrink so much. I belong to the wash it before you use it school, with few exceptions, but even then I've never seen fabric shrink that much. It's a shame you had such a problem exist especially after all your hard work.

JAK

I have been quilting for about 5 years now and every piece of fabric and/or batt that comes through my door gets washed and dried before cutting. Too much shrinkage and I have found sometimes the batt doesn't shrink at the same rate as the fabric. I know when I finish a quilt it will remain the same size.

quiltstringz

I don't prewash anything and normally use Hobbs 80/20 batting, wash and dry in the dryer and I have never had anything shrink like that.

Bubbie

I have found that BATIKS always shrink. Maybe your cousin likes the look of a quilt with some shrinkage. When using batiks, I would never put them into a quilt without pre washing them first the same goes for the dryer. Quilts and quilters are the same, they are ALL different. So sorry for your problems.

Skratchie

I don't prewash anything and I've never seen that sort of shrinkage. Heck, on average, my shrinkage is less than 3%.

quilter2090

If you have a skin problem, unwashed fabric will cause havoc. Ask me I know! This is why everything that I wear or sew with is washed before I use it. Batiks are infamous for bleeding, which is why people on this board who don't prewash, many will prewash batiks. Why did your cousin insist that you not wash your fabric? If she knows batiks, I am surprised she told you not to prewash. Next time you make a quilt, just throw the fabrics in the washer and dryer. That way you know BEFORE you go to all the time and effort to make a quilt, that the fabrics won't run or do any other nasty problem. But if you do have skin problems like I do, prewashing isn't a choice, it's just something that I have to do to use fabric. It really isn't that big of a deal. When you get the fabric home,take it to the laundry room, and throw it in the washer. It doesn't take more than a few minutes to put it in the washing machine,then put it in the dryer and when you take out the fabric, it's ready to be used.Easy.

ccthomas

Interesting article. I see I need to pay more attention to batting and using muslin.

ArchaicArcane

MargeD - boy, you're not kidding. I have a hard time keping both of the girls off the quilt! I should say at this point, I'm not disappointed with the way the quilt looks as a whole, mostly I'm surprised because I thought I did most of it right to minimize shrinkage. I'm certainly not upset to see the quilt.

Bubbie - batiks shrink for you? Most of the batiks I've seen in my very limited time quilting have all puckered when everything around them shrunk but they didn't. That's really interesting that they shrink for you! It's possible she likes the shrunken look. I supposed I should have asked her why before I followed her recommendation.

Quilter2090 - I think, like you, my new mantra is wash as it enters the house. My cousin, like me, loves batiks, so she's very familiar with they way they behave as a rule. I can only guess at why she didn't want me to wash them first. I will ask her the next time I see her.I have a printout of the fabrics I have, and whether they're washed or not. I think I will try to make sure that all of it is washed in the next week or so- especially that muslin! Luckily I don't have the stash that a lot of people have!