Today's writing prompt is a bit controversial in the quilt world. Okay, maybe not controversial, but people have strong opinions about their answer. Here's mine...
So I came to quilting via apparel and costume sewing, and typically you want to wash the fabric you use when it's going to be worn. Because no one wants to wash their new favorite skirt or pants only to discover it shrunk. And anyone who has worn a new pair of blue jeans and had blue dyed legs at the end of the day knows that pre-washing your clothing is a good. Prewashing was not only for shrinkage but also color bleed.
Years of prewashing have brainwashed me. Pun intended. But do I always prewash? No. I prewash on a case by case basis. For instance I never wash precuts; it's not feasible. But if I'm doing a blue and white quilt, or a red an white quilt, absolutely, yes I prewash the yardage before I cut and piece. And honestly, color bleed is the biggest reason I prewash. There is still an argument for preventing shrinkage, but cotton nowadays doesn't shrink as much as it used to.
So what do you think? To prewash or not to prewash? Let me know below
But for now, I have things brewing in the quilt lab! Until next time,
Cynthia
The image above was taken by the talented, Antonie Cansino; check him out here: