Saturday, July 5, 2014

Washing fabric

I know this has been a big debate on forums, blogs and websites. My choice is that I wash the fabric before I cut it and use it. I have allergies and the dust of being stored at the warehouses and also in stores and the chemicals involved are not something I like to handle. 

Your choice
is your own on this topic. I'm not a preacher here. I do a step that takes little or no time and you can use up odd bobbin colors for this step. I zigzag the edge of the fabric so it doesn't fray. You can see the off white thread at the edge of this piece. I pull them out of the washer and dryer without all the tangled thread. Also this tells me it has been washed with out a question.  
This was all washed and dried in the same load. I use Shout Color Guard sheets to pick up stray dye. Also the edges are string free. I did not trim any threads off of these. Makes for a string free load and ready to be pressed and cut. I have done this for years and had great success with the process. Chris ps. This is just how I do it. If not your thing I understand. No debate on my part.

2 comments:

Amy, a redeemed sheep said...

Looks great! I only prewash batiks, personally.

Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...

I always wash the flannel we use for the preemie outfits and I used to use a zig zag too. Now I use my serger. This way we still have the amount of fabric we started with too. With all of those strings you lose an inch at each end.