What is the best way to shrink fabric?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 258
What is the best way to shrink fabric?
I am trying to pre wash and shrink my fabric, its the Legacy studio 100% black cotton from joann fabrics. I realize that it will fade some and shrink some, I wanted to get the most harsh shrink done before I put it on the back of my queen size quilt. Should I wash it and dry on hot? or should I just wash it as instructed on the bolt and dry it on air fluff?
-also when I put it on the back of my quilt, I should do the seams horizontal with a 1/2" seam allowance correct?
Thanks
-also when I put it on the back of my quilt, I should do the seams horizontal with a 1/2" seam allowance correct?
Thanks
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Bosque County, Texas
Posts: 2,709
The hottest water may make the color bleed, but you can test that before washing the whole piece. The hottest temperature on the dryer will shrink the fabric the most and will not fade the fabric but may give you horrible wrinkles. A cool drying temperature will not shrink the fabric at all. I would test the color with boiling water. Then wash accordingly.
I would fold the fabric and pin with safety pins or baste before washing - actually rinsing as it shouldn't need any soap- and dry folded, pinned or basted so that the wrinkles are minimized and pressing is much less.
I would fold the fabric and pin with safety pins or baste before washing - actually rinsing as it shouldn't need any soap- and dry folded, pinned or basted so that the wrinkles are minimized and pressing is much less.
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Mechanicsville, IA
Posts: 1,497
I would suggest adding Retayne to the wash water to set the color and reduce bleeding. Throw 1/2 a cheer color catcher in with the fabric. If it comes out with color wash again with other 1/2 color catcher. Repeat til color catcher comes out nearly white. You will have solved both bleeding and shrinking problem.
#6
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 11,276
If you need a seam the backing, a half inch seam allowance is used and is normally pressed open. As far as horizontal or vertical, most long arm quilters would prefer the seam horizontal, but if you are going to quilt it yourself on a domestic machine or by hand it really doesn't matter which way the seam runs.
#7
i always wash/dry my fabric in the harshest way possible. if i'm giving the quilt away, i have no idea what the recipient will do with it. so i want to be sure that the quilt is ready for the worst possible scenario.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Killeen, Texas
Posts: 329
Yes, cold water wash with Retayne, testing with color catcher. HOT dryer temp. Great tip on folding and pinning/basting before tossing in the dryer! I personally like the look of horizontal seams. They are typically sewn with 1/2" allowance and I always press them open. But as PaperPrincess mentioned, the directions of the backing seams really don't matter if you are quilting it yourself on your sewing machine or by hand.
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