Prewashing Fabrics -Why Shouldn't I use my Tide Pods?
#21
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Corpus Christi, Tx.
Posts: 16,105
I prewash all my fabric including the precuts. Some of the fabric like batiks especially bleed only in certain areas. I throw them in the laundry just like my other laundry. I use hot water and a hot dryer. This allows for all shrinkage to be taken care of. my colors still look good. I used to use a basting stitch along the edges of the pre-cuts so they wouldn't fray so much but I got tired of buying pre-cuts and the sizes all inconsistent. Some were correct size but more were shorter and more narrow. Cheaper to purchase yardage and cut my own. I also prewash because of the odor on some of the fabric from the factory.
#22
Me too. I don't see any reason to use something other than the recipient will use. I never wash pre-cuts for the shrinkage and fraying mentioned earlier.
#23
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: here
Posts: 722
Its COTTON FABRIC, for petes sake! Why would you not wash it with whatever soap you want? The only difference in the cotton in your clothing and the cotton for quilting is the price. Tack "quilting" in front of cotton and raise the price $2 a yard. That said, other than batiks and hand dyed fabrics, a quality modern fabric shouldn't need prewashed. I haven't done so since 1972.
#24
Super Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ballwin, MO
Posts: 4,271
The Orvis would be for washing the finished quilt; I use Orvis for my finished quilts, but regular detergent can also be used.
There would be no need to use special soap for pre-washing the fabric. I'm not sure what detergent pods are, but you wouldn't need the same amount of detergent you use for a load of dirty laundry. I just use a very small amount of Woolite liquid when pre-washing my fabric.
There would be no need to use special soap for pre-washing the fabric. I'm not sure what detergent pods are, but you wouldn't need the same amount of detergent you use for a load of dirty laundry. I just use a very small amount of Woolite liquid when pre-washing my fabric.
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 9,782
I did prewash some fat quarters I bought. But I did it by soaking in the sink with hot water and then drying on the drying rack in my dryer. Seemed to work well.
#26
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: western arkansas
Posts: 2,077
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Live Oak, Texas
Posts: 6,133
I wash all my fabrics first and always use my Tide pods and have never had a problem. When washing precuts I always put them in a mesh bag or old stocking and tie the top to keep them in. I have never heard not to use the pods before so I use them on everything.
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: NW Kansas
Posts: 601
It's what I do. I've had enough bleeders and serious shrinkers to make it worth my effort.
There are many who think the whole washing thing is totally unnecessary.
So - it does come down to individual choice.
I have measured before and after hundreds of pieces of fabrics to see if it was actuallyu worth the effort. For me, it is. I have also had at least one bleeder from every color family.
Once the item has been assembled, I want it to be as care-free as possible.
I still do fear bleach, burns, and tears.
There are many who think the whole washing thing is totally unnecessary.
So - it does come down to individual choice.
I have measured before and after hundreds of pieces of fabrics to see if it was actuallyu worth the effort. For me, it is. I have also had at least one bleeder from every color family.
Once the item has been assembled, I want it to be as care-free as possible.
I still do fear bleach, burns, and tears.
I agree. I prewash all panels I use. It only takes one time to ruin four to five hundred dollars of fabric.
#29
Some people pre-wash some don't. I never pre-wash my fabrics. I just throw in a couple of color catchers the first time I wash the quilt if I think the colors will run. If it has a lot of light and dark fabrics I add an extra color catcher and use them for the first couple of washes. I have never had any problems doing this.
#30
Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 96
I began quilting rag quilts and was taught to not prewash the flannel fabric; I've made several, and they turn out wonderfully. I then "graduated" to "real" quilting, so to speak (no insult to rag quilting........I think I should prewash the fabric. The backing -that also serves as the sashing and the binding- is Kona Cotton (steel gray); there are four different star war pieces of fabric to be put together as a panel of four, each separated by sashing per this technique There are some bright colors and some subdued colors in these fabrics; none of it was cheap, so I don't want to ruin it, potentially, through bleeding, or what ever. Okay, enough of this! I guess I scared to make this quilt. It would be easier to not prewash the fabric, but I just think I really should. SO, NO PROBLEM! Then I read that I should not use my regular fabric (Tide Pods). WHY NOT? I'm supposed to buy something like Orvas Quilt Soap. Huh?
So, since I really need to get started on this quilt, could anyone out there advise me about (1) prewashing/non-prewashing and (2) can I just use my average laundry detergent or do I have to buy something special like "Quilt Soap."
Thanks for helping a slowly maturing quilting novice!
So, since I really need to get started on this quilt, could anyone out there advise me about (1) prewashing/non-prewashing and (2) can I just use my average laundry detergent or do I have to buy something special like "Quilt Soap."
Thanks for helping a slowly maturing quilting novice!
As for the choice of cleaning agents, I lean to the more proven sort of things like the laundry aids listed above. I (or rather my parents) used Tide many years ago for reasons I never could figure out. At first even I used it. Now I prefer a more gentle, yet as thoroughly cleaning, Arm & Hammer Skin Sensitive detergent for all my washable laundry needs. It is found in most stores, reasonable cost, and I personally don't see any difference with some commercially touted quilt soaps or whatever. If it's that delicate, I turned to hand washing with Woolite or Ivory.
I do encourage you to try all suggested methods before you settle on one or a few.
Last edited by Iona D.; 04-23-2017 at 10:23 AM.
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