Mary Beth Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Speaking of critters - have you ever noticed them in batting scraps or old batting. I have heard of this, but wondered if it happens now with all of the process that batting goes through. And....if it does get critters, because I buy mine on a roll and cannot wash it when it is delivered to my home - What keeps the quilt from getting critters down the road? Does washing wash those critters right out of your hair - so to speak?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonmade Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Obviously we won't come to a consensus on this issue! I only pre-wash real suspicious fabrics such as hand-dyes, silks (I use both dupioni and noil in quilts), and fabrics I sell from Guatemalan (thread is dyed then handwoven and it is bleed and shrink possible). I always use Retayne and hot water when pre-washing. That both eliminates extra dye molecules and sets the color. I've had a student have very good results after a "bleed" catastophe using Retayne which both removed the bleed and kept the bleeder fabric from doing so again. Honest, I don't own any stock in Pro-Chemical which makes Retayne (and Synthrapol) but I should. Speaking of silk noil (it is the nubby non-shiny inexpensive silk), it makes wonderful garments. I'm addicted to them. However, I used to dry clean them because they would fade when washed. Now I used the Retayne for a pre-wash and the garment doesn't fade in subsequent washes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bekah Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 wow, you all are a wealth of information. I have always preshrunk everything, comes from being a garment maker for 40+ years I guess. But no one ever told me to starch my fabric:( I feel like I used to in school when I learned something new, really excited:). We are so fortunate to have this forum. It is almost better than a tea party:P Bekah Shepherd's Garden Quilting APQS Millie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Cheryl! You're too funny gal. George Costanza indeed! Sandra - I understand perfectly. I love to take that fabric out of the dryer, give it a nice press, and fold it up. Then it goes in my wire basket stash holder. I hate ironing clothes, but fresh fabric, AHhhhhh - a little slice of heaven. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlittle1 Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 I had to laugh when I saw the comments about enjoying ironing fabric, but hating to iron clothes. I'm the same way, but I also like to iron handkerchiefs and pillow cases. My mom started me out ironing those when I was eight or nine years old. There is such a sensual feel to running your hands over those freshly ironed pillow cases as you are folding them. Same with fabric. I don't do it very often anymore, but once in a while I plop a couple of pillowcases down on my ironing board and iron them for that magical feel! I pre-wash my fabrics; mostly because I was taught to do that when I took a beginning quilting class. And, of course, I get to iron and starch them afterwards. I don't trust pre-washing to stop color transfer. I learned that the hard way. I made a red maternity top when I was pregnant with my first child. I had washed it weekly in warm water for at least three months. I had even washed it with DH's light blue uniform shirts (Coast Guard) a few times without any problem. When I was six months pregnant we moved. We stopped at my parent's house for a few days. I washed a load of clothes that included my red top and DH's uniform shirts. Mom's "warm" water was evidently hotter than my "warm" water. DH's shirts came out a beautiful shade of lavender! Boy was he mad at me! Phyllis Hughes Oklahoma City www.myheartlandquilts.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaSusieQuilts Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Ok..... if some of you wash some fab and not the others...... What about shrinkage pull washed against unwashed? Isnt that sort of like grandmas old rule of never add new fab to an old item, the new will win the stretch and pull war? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Gee are you supposed to use the fabric you buy. I just own it, love it and pet it Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Linda Susie, You're probably right about not mixing washed and unwashed in one quilt. I will either prewash everything or not prewash any of it. The quilt I'm getting ready to start will be made primarily out of fabrics I have dyed. The only commercial fabric in it will be MODA black. I prewashed the black last night. It didn't bleed color at all, and there was hardly any raveling. But, it did shrink and change shape in the dryer. So, if I had used it unwashed, with all of the prewashed ones, I guess my quilt would not have come out of the wash looking very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polly Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Myrna, you're a crack up. I was needing a chuckle today. Polly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OntheLAM Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Originally posted by Myrna Ficken Gee are you supposed to use the fabric you buy. I just own it, love it and pet it Myrna Oh, and, are you actually supposed to use your LAM? I've really got the owning, loving, and petting thing down!! Another prewasher, Caroline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 I'm with Myrna....I didn't know you were to use it....when we moved out here from NV 2/3s of the moving van was fabric and my toys....guess now I need to start to use some of it. Darn....its so pretty, are you sure I need to use it....petting is much more fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grammie Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 I prewash and do not press until I'm ready for it. I can tell if it is washed so I don't worry about mixing. I fudge with lighter colors if I'm in a hurry to GET R DONE but I wash most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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