Prewashing

[mrsjennifer]

Do you prewash ALL fabrics, or just cotton ones?  I used to never prewash anything, then I got less lazy and started washing it all, but if I don't have to wash it, I don't want to!  I'm making a skirt, and I am wondering if I need to wash the lining material that will be on the inside?  I know it's poly something.

[pythoness]

If you plan on washing the thing at some point after you make it, then you need to pre-wash it before you make it!  Otherwise, it might shrink in strange ways and you'll end up with puckered seams, etc.  So, yes, pre-wash it if it's ever going to be washed afterwards.  (If it's a dry clean only fabric and you don't want to dry clean it first, then I've read that you can steam it instead.  I would just dry clean it.  Again, whatever you are going to do after it is constructed, in terms of washing and drying, should be done on the fabric before you construct it.)

[tigergirl]

Absolutely - even synthetics! You'd think that synthetics wouldn't shrink but past experience tells me otherwise - they can shrink, warp, fade in patches, you name it.

[kjlutz]

I prewash everything, and put it in the dryer if I ever plan on putting it in the dryer later.  You need to pre-wash and dry the way you plan on laundering the garment. 

That said you don't need to prewash if you plan on drycleaning what you make.