I see this question asked a lot…should I pre wash my fabric before I make something from it? And I’m talking most fabrics, here.

My answer to this question is usually yes. But it really depends on what you’re making. Fabric comes with sizing on it, that can be either plant based or plastic based, and it’s there to help that fabric go on the bolt nice and neatly. You know, you go to the quilt shop, get your yardage, and it’s so nice and crisp and perfect. And cutting out pattern pieces is a dream, because the fabric lies so nicely. And that’s perfect for quilting, because that helps you make sure that your cuts are concise and fit together perfect. Then after the quilt is finished, and quilted and washed, you get that wrinkled up vintage look. But what if you don’t want that wrinkled up look? Then you get to wash your yardage before you cut it. That’s a whole different ballgame, there….let’s talk about that.

So what kind of yardage did you purchase for your quilt, or whatever you want to make? You have bigger pieces? Excellent, you won’t have too much trouble. Oh, you bought…jelly rolls? Nope. Fat quarters? Better not. You got a tub of scraps on a sale page on Facebook? Good luck with that. You see, once you throw those small pieces in the washer, then the dryer, what will come out is a mass of fabric and thread that you will spend hours trimming to get apart, then more hours ironing the pieces flat so you can work with it all. With these cuts, your best bet is to simply spray them with a water bottle, and iron them. Wash it after you’re done…it’s so much easier.

When I make say, a fabric bag, that has a lot of pattern pieces, I may take that fabric from a bigger bolt. I’m certainly not going to pre wash the whole bolt. I usually lay out a section, and spray it with water, iron it, and I can usually see it shrink before my eyes as I spray water on it. There’s a whole science about shrinkage, that I won’t get into here, so let’s just leave it at ‘it shrinks’. Now, when I cut out my pattern pieces, and press with Best Press as I go…I don’t have to worry about any pieces shrinking a little smaller than they should be. Because that leads to imperfect seams, and things not lining up…and I can’t have that. If it’s perfect to begin with, it will be perfect when you are done. At least that’s what I say.

Of course, if you don’t use steam when you press, or any moisturizing pressing aids, you may not have this issue. BUT…what about when you wash your item? It looked so crisp and perfect when you were finished with it, and it was a work of art to look at…and you just took it out of the dryer, and it’s now a mess, with no hope of ever looking quite as nice, even if you iron it, because the fabric shrank everywhere. Especially if you embroidered on it…that will never look the same, ever.

It’s up to you, really, and what you are making. But think about the end result, who will receive it, and what they will do with it.  You put so much time and effort into your creations, and you want it to look like you did. 🙂

Melanie