Please help I forgot to prewash

[wymom]

Well I goofed. I am making a crown royal bag quilt and up until 10 minutes ago I did not even think about washing these bags before using them. Duh right. Well here I am with all my bags cut, squares cut, everything ironed and stacked so nicely.  So, my question for you is what should I do?

A) finish up the project and hope for the best
B) sew up the top and wash before adding the backing
C) throw it all in the washer now and redo all the ironing again
or if you have a better suggestion please please tell.

Thank you.

[anaximander]

Honestly? I never prewash anything. Ever. I've yet to have this bite me in the butt, but I also very rarely use the worst offender in this category (red and/or red batiks).

A. And it's going to turn out *perfectly.* - Seriously, the "worst" that can happen is a bit of dye run (if you're using white sashing, throw a colour catcher in there with it) and that nice soft rumply look that older quilts have.

[wymom]

Thank you.  I will just continue working on this and not worry.

[weluvzombies]

Your not supposed to pre-wash quilting fabrics or at least that's what traditional quilters say. Think of how disastrous that would be especially if your using pre-cuts like jelly rolls or charm packs. I put a little salt and vinegar in the wash with the finished quilt if I'm worried the colors will bleed. Think of it your saving yourself the trouble of washing the fabrics twice because by the time you finish a quilt it's been all over the place. You know laid out on the floor, dragged around if you take it to a friends house to work on it. If you wash now your fabric will fray so don't worry about it.

[Eowynt]

I prewash almost everything, even pre-cuts, which I do by hand.  A lot of fabric bleeds terribly. . .  my Aunt Judy swears by Color Catchers.  I forget who makes it, but it's a sheet you put in the wash, and it is supposed to catch any errant dye.

[Eamea]

I'm a prewasher, too.  I don't want to take the chance with shrinkage or bleeding.  I think the field is pretty well split on this matter, though.  There are plenty of professional quilters who swear by one method or the other.  I'm by no means a pro; I'm just happier to wash in advance.  I don't buy pre-cuts, so that's not an issue for me.

[BlondGirl]

People still prewash?

Take ONE square, and try it out.  If it bleeds or shrinks or freaks out, you have your answer. 

The vinegar trick is a myth, by the way.  It is good for neutralizing some odors, but it doesn't do didley squat for dyes that run.

I haven't experienced any bleeding fabric in the last several years on anything that wasn't clothes made in a foreign country.  All my quilting fabrics have been very colorfast. 

But, if it is your hobby to wash them, then by all means, have yourself a ball!

BTW--Many self-proclaimed "experts" are full of crap.  Example:  That "SCANT" 1/4 inch seam that is so popular to talk about--do you know what that actually means?  I couldn't figure it out.  Most books and folks on TV love to throw that word in there, so that they seem extra expert-ish.  Well, I asked some folks who'd said it and not one knew. I finally found the definition.  Here you go.  See what you think about how realistic it is.  "A scant quarter-inch seam is exactly .25 inch plus one single thread." 
BBbwwwwaaaahhhh ha ha ha ha ha ha.  Like that is possible.  Perhaps if you have a team of slaves doing this from early child hood they can make this happen sometimes, but it is really arrogant to see people advising this.

I recommend that you play and see what happens.  I'll bet that, like me, most of the "expert" advice is baloney.  If you can sew, then you already know how to quilt and what to do.  Don't be scared.  If you make something ugly, change it into a different project--a bag, pillow, doggy shirt, kids doll quilt, whatever.  Heck, if it is really ugly, give it to someone you don't particularly like that expects a gift from you.

My first quilt that I made 8 years ago and have machine washed it maybe 40 times over the years is still going strong.  Nothing was pre-washed. Most of the fabrics came out of the too-ugly-to-sell-at-full-price section.  And I used different blends.  There has been no visible shrinkage.  No running.  No crocking.  No nothing to worry about except the places where I didn't sew with enough of a seam and its come unstitched.  This has been good practice on repairing.  I took a nap with it  yesterday and my cat is snuggled up in it now.  I'm not sewing to sell my "art" to the Smithsonian.  I am making quilts to love and use and cover me and keep me warm.  They do exactly that AND look pretty too!

Happy sewing!

[sloth003]

But, if it is your hobby to wash them, then by all means, have yourself a ball!  this made me lose some beer out of mymouth with laughing.  i used to prewash, sometimes i do sometimes i dont, depnds if a cat has been sleeping or barfing on the new fabric pile   

BTW--Many self-proclaimed "experts" are full of crap.  Example:  That "SCANT" 1/4 inch seam that is so popular to talk about--do you know what that actually means?  I couldn't figure it out.  Most books and folks on TV love to throw that word in there, so that they seem extra expert-ish.  Well, I asked some folks who'd said it and not one knew. I finally found the definition.  Here you go.  See what you think about how realistic it is.  "A scant quarter-inch seam is exactly .25 inch plus one single thread." 
BBbwwwwaaaahhhh ha ha ha ha ha ha.  Like that is possible.  Perhaps if you have a team of slaves doing this from early child hood they can make this happen sometimes, but it is really arrogant to see people advising this.

I recommend that you play and see what happens.  I'll bet that, like me, most of the "expert" advice is baloney.  If you can sew, then you already know how to quilt and what to do.  Don't be scared.  If you make something ugly, change it into a different project--a bag, pillow, doggy shirt, kids doll quilt, whatever.  Heck, if it is really ugly, give it to someone you don't particularly like that expects a gift from you.

My first quilt that I made 8 years ago and have machine washed it maybe 40 times over the years is still going strong.  Nothing was pre-washed. Most of the fabrics came out of the too-ugly-to-sell-at-full-price section.  And I used different blends.  There has been no visible shrinkage.  No running.  No crocking.  No nothing to worry about except the places where I didn't sew with enough of a seam and its come unstitched.  This has been good practice on repairing.  I took a nap with it  yesterday and my cat is snuggled up in it now.  I'm not sewing to sell my "art" to the Smithsonian.  I am making quilts to love and use and cover me and keep me warm.  They do exactly that AND look pretty too!

Happy sewing!

ya! thats what i want to say but cant put the words together without sounding like a bitch!!  thank you.   iwas asked to leave a quilting board because i dared question the awfulness of an imperfect corner on a friendship star.  the quilt police were out in full force and that was the day i found here.  its a much saner fit for me 

[weluvzombies]

People still prewash?

Take ONE square, and try it out.  If it bleeds or shrinks or freaks out, you have your answer. 

The vinegar trick is a myth, by the way.  It is good for neutralizing some odors, but it doesn't do didley squat for dyes that run.

I haven't experienced any bleeding fabric in the last several years on anything that wasn't clothes made in a foreign country.  All my quilting fabrics have been very colorfast. 

But, if it is your hobby to wash them, then by all means, have yourself a ball!

BTW--Many self-proclaimed "experts" are full of crap.  Example:  That "SCANT" 1/4 inch seam that is so popular to talk about--do you know what that actually means?  I couldn't figure it out.  Most books and folks on TV love to throw that word in there, so that they seem extra expert-ish.  Well, I asked some folks who'd said it and not one knew. I finally found the definition.  Here you go.  See what you think about how realistic it is.  "A scant quarter-inch seam is exactly .25 inch plus one single thread." 
BBbwwwwaaaahhhh ha ha ha ha ha ha.  Like that is possible.  Perhaps if you have a team of slaves doing this from early child hood they can make this happen sometimes, but it is really arrogant to see people advising this.

I recommend that you play and see what happens.  I'll bet that, like me, most of the "expert" advice is baloney.  If you can sew, then you already know how to quilt and what to do.  Don't be scared.  If you make something ugly, change it into a different project--a bag, pillow, doggy shirt, kids doll quilt, whatever.  Heck, if it is really ugly, give it to someone you don't particularly like that expects a gift from you.

My first quilt that I made 8 years ago and have machine washed it maybe 40 times over the years is still going strong.  Nothing was pre-washed. Most of the fabrics came out of the too-ugly-to-sell-at-full-price section.  And I used different blends.  There has been no visible shrinkage.  No running.  No crocking.  No nothing to worry about except the places where I didn't sew with enough of a seam and its come unstitched.  This has been good practice on repairing.  I took a nap with it  yesterday and my cat is snuggled up in it now.  I'm not sewing to sell my "art" to the Smithsonian.  I am making quilts to love and use and cover me and keep me warm.  They do exactly that AND look pretty too!

Happy sewing!

Um wow! Number one the vinegar works even Heloise says so and Good Housekeeping has high standards. Secondly you need a seam allowance or else your item will fall apart in the wash or fray and fall apart in a short period of time. For the second issue I am providing a link because it sounds like you need to understand the purpose of a seam allowance. Here you go http://www.simplicitynewlook.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=88. Last but not least you should really rethink your approach online, being rude is unnecessary as none of the posters did anything to provoke such rudeness. I suggest you brush up on your netiquette. http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html Some of what you posted was rather condescending and made little sense and there was no need to go into a rant, especially when the OP had made it clear she no longer needed advice.

[MareMare]

Hey ladies, let's keep it civil. Everyone has different methods on pre-washing or not, and it looks like the original poster here figured out how she was going to do her quilt a few months ago.

BTW--Many self-proclaimed "experts" are full of crap.  Example:  That "SCANT" 1/4 inch seam that is so popular to talk about--do you know what that actually means?  I couldn't figure it out.  Most books and folks on TV love to throw that word in there, so that they seem extra expert-ish.  Well, I asked some folks who'd said it and not one knew. I finally found the definition.  Here you go.  See what you think about how realistic it is.  "A scant quarter-inch seam is exactly .25 inch plus one single thread."  
BBbwwwwaaaahhhh ha ha ha ha ha ha.  Like that is possible.  Perhaps if you have a team of slaves doing this from early child hood they can make this happen sometimes, but it is really arrogant to see people advising this.

Actually, a scant quarter inch seam is a tiny smidgen less than a quarter inch, not more. Think about the meaning of the word "scant." It's pretty easy to find this info online. I find I can get this just by using my quarter inch foot but not pushing the fabric too hard up against it, just guiding it along the side gently.

And here's a video on it too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PJI-FkGF6c

And here's a quote from Quiltville:
http://quiltville.com/quarterinch.shtml

The perfect seam allowance is actually a SCANT quarter inch.  This is due mostly to the fold of the cloth over the seam allowances. Thicker piecing thread can give you a thicker "fold over" allowance when pressing. To get the "scant" part, actually sew a couple threads narrower than a true quarter inch if needed.