Pre Washing Fat Quarters

[Sandy B.]

I like to prewash my fabric before using but don't know how to handle washing the fat quarters and other small pieces I might obtain. Then, I get confused about what was washed and what was not. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Margo C.]

I wash fat quarters in a mesh lingerie bag after I've snipped a little triangle off each corner. The snipped corner helps prevent so much raveling threads and if I see that the corners have been snipped, I know it's already been washed.

For my smaller pieces, your guess is as good as mine whether or not they've been washed! :roll:

If in doubt, I'll throw them in the mesh bag and run them through again.

[Bonnie J.]

I keep my newly purchased fabric separate from my prewashed fabric, so that it doesn't get mixed up. It has started getting complicated, but I also snip the corners before I wash the fabric, so I use that as a marker also.

[Kathryn S.]

I keep new fabric off the shelf until it's washed. If it's on the floor and I just used it in a quilt, then I know it has to be shelved. Otherwise it needs to be washed.

I must be the only person who washes fabric by hand in a plastic basin, several pieces at a time. Then I hang it up with skirt hangers over the bathtub if it's not hot outside. This is for fat quarters up to really big pieces. Then I just fold them, only ironing when I need the fabric. They don't get all gnarly from the dryer this way.

Anyway, my best advice is to keep them separate from your washed stash until they are ready to go there.

Kathy

[Kathryn S.]

I also wash small pieces in the sink or in plastic containers. I 'try' to wash all my fabrics before I take them to the sewing room, but if that doesn't happen I put them on a shelf under my ironing board and I know that all of those need to be washed.
Cindy

[Kathryn S.]

Those mesh lingerie bags are the best way to go. I have several in different sizes that I use. Often I will press dry right out of the washer.

[Kathryn S.]

I do the snipped corner trick, also. This does help with the fraying and also helps me know which I've washed and which I have not washed. Also, I use pinking shears to clip with. I'm not sure if this helps more than using regular scissors....but, maybe!!! Enjoy!!

[Kathryn S.]

I have a rotary cutter with a scalloped blade. I trim a tinge from each raw edge of the fabric regardless of the size of the piece and then wash. It hardly frays at all since the edge is scalloped. Then I hang the fabric on a wooden drying rack in my sewing room or on the clothes line outside (I don't have a dryer, my effort to be environmentally responsible and save energy.) then I fold and put it away. I know it's been washed if the edges are scalloped and it's fairly flat because it dried flat. I iron before i use it.

[Becky K.]

I, also, wash mine in a mesh bag. It's surprising how much fabric you can get in one bag. You can buy them in many sizes so a very small might work for small pieces of fabric, but I'd opt for washing those in the sink.

[Becky K.]

Great tip about clipping the corners! I would have never thought of that. I also turn the washer on the "delicate" cycle and just for a few minutes no matter how much fabric is in the washer. It doesn't really need to be agitated - just basically soaked and swished a little I feel.

Kathy