Fabric Preparation
Fabric Preparation is an important part of the sewing and quilting process. Prewashing to check for color bleeding and pressing with starch or sizing are the basics. Some fabrics such as hand dyed fabric or batiks may continue to discharge dye, washing, and using Retayne/ Sythropol can eliminate or at a minimum reduce that. Fabric should also be ironed to ensure it will be flat and can be easily folded for cutting. Additional preparation is required for painting, dying or inking your fabric.
Benefits of Fabric Preparation
Proper Fabric Preparation for your intended project can mean the difference between success with cutting and future washing or failure with cut components being too big or later shrinking in the wash and colors bleeding.
Tools and Supplies for Fabric Preparation
You may need some or all of these supplies for Fabric Preparation:
- Synthropol or Retayne
- Spray Starch or Fabric Sizing
- Iron
What I Wish I Knew When I Started Fabric Preparation
The art of preparing your fabrics for your quilt, otherwise known as FABRIC PREPARATION, can be as involved or not as you like. Such as the argument to "pre-wash or not"? There is a time factor with prewashing all your fabric, drying, ironing, and then folding...I never knew it would to so time consuming. Conversely, not prewashing and actually using the unprewashed fabric in a quilt just to have it bleed on the first washing after completion can be equally disturbing. Some people are allergic to the sizing in used in fabric, so prewashing is a requirement. Whichever you choose, it needs to make sense for you personally.
