Ask the Experts:
Sharyn Craig & Harriet Hargrave
Question: Should I wash fabrics before using them in
quilts? Here's what the experts say:
Sharyn Craig
Do you remember when you were a new quilter? Or perhaps you
are a beginner now. Buying books and fabrics, taking classes and learning how to make
quilts is an exciting adventure. You're like a sponge, trying to soak up as much knowledge
as you can. However, regardless of your skill level, sometimes you get conflicting advice
from experts on a variety of subjects. Probably no topic is more controversial than
whether or not to wash fabrics before using them in a quilt (often called pre-washing by
quilters). If you were to poll quilters about the advisability of pre-washing fabrics, the
results would likely be half in favor and half against.
So, whom do you believe? What should you do? My advice is
to listen to all opinions, paying particular attention to the reasons supporting each one.
Then determine for yourself whether or not washing fabric makes sense for your quilts. I
even recommend that beginners make two quilts, one using washed fabrics and one using
fabrics straight from the bolt. Doing so demonstrates the differences in cutting, piecing,
quilting and the final look of each quilt.
One thing about which experts do agree is the use of both
washed and unwashed fabric in the same quilt. It's generally not advised. This is
especially important when making a quilt you plan to wash when it is done. Washed and
unwashed fabric made into a quilt that you'll launder can shrink differently, negatively
affecting the appearance of the quilt. I also recommend washing fabrics or blocks to avoid
the problem of mixing washed and unwashed fabrics. However, if you are making a quilt to
display on a wall and you don't anticipate the need to wash it, then mixing the fabrics
won't present a problem.
Personally, I always pre-wash fabrics. In fact, my fabric
never even gets to the sewing room until it has been laundered. After hearing
Harriet Hargrave speak about soap products, I've switched from using laundry detergent to
using special, mild soaps such as Orvus Paste® or Easywash®. These products do not
accelerate color or loss in fabrics.
I prefer to wash fabrics for several reasons. First, I
don't care for the feel or smell of unwashed fabrics. I also find that washed fabric has
more "cling," which I like. While designing quilts on a flannel design wall,
I've noticed that pieces and blocks cut or pieced from washed fabric cling to the flannel
wall better than those from unwashed fabric. Because unwashed fabrics contain sizing to
keep them wrinkle free and pristine while on the bolt, they also have a tendency to
"repel" the flannel. I might have quilt blocks and pieces on a flannel wall for
weeks while I work on a project. Therefore, it is important to me that they cling. It's
frustrating to constantly pick up blocks from the floor and replace them in the design.
I find this "clingy" property helpful while
piecing as well. When I position two pieces cut from unwashed fabrics together for sewing,
they are somewhat slippery and have a tendency to shift. Conversely, pieces cut from
washed fabrics cling to each other, making piecing easier and more accurate. I don't have
to hold onto the pieces constantly while sewing them.
Pre-washing fabric can prevent shrinkage once the quilt is
completed. When making a bed covering (or any time you need an exact-size quilt),
shrinkage is an important consideration. Otherwise, you must figure extra inches in the
quilt size to allow for shrinkage that may occur once the quilt is completed and washed.
Some fabrics have colors that bleed (leech into the fibers
of other fabrics) or run (discharge, spreading color on other fabrics when washed). Dark
colors with heavy saturation of dye are often the biggest culprits. Washing will help
identify this problem and allow you to remedy it. If you decide not to pre-wash your
fabric, it's a good idea to test for colorfastness, especially in the dye-saturated dark
colors.
While Harriet suggest storing your fabrics unwashed and
deciding whether to wash them as they are used, I find this does not fit my work style.
When working with fabrics to design my quilts, I say, "Now - I want it now."
Because I often make scrap quilts, I might need only a 6" square of fabric, but I
might want 100 different 6" squares. The thought of cutting one hundred squares from
all those different fabrics and then washing them before proceeding is enough to keep me
from ever making a quilt!
But, regardless of what I do about washing my fabrics, you
need to weigh the pros and cons of washed versus unwashed fabrics and decide on your own
preferences. Unless you are exchanging blocks or fabrics for a quilt or working on a group
project, the decision should be one that best suits you.
Harriet Hargrave
I've always advocated leaving my options open. For several
years I have been lecturing about the care of fabrics we use in quiltmaking. I believe
that it is less a question of whether to pre-wash fabrics of not, but more about first
knowing the characteristics of the fabrics and their dye properties. If fabrics are
pre-washed before knowing what you will create with them, you'll have limited your
choices. Instead, I suggest setting the new fabric aside until you have determined how it
will be used. Then the decision about washing can be made.
I do not care to pre-wash fabrics. Unlike Sharyn, I find
the sizing and finish on unwashed fabric makes it easier to work with. I notice that it
"crawls" less when I cut it and tracks through the sewing machine more
accurately. When pressed, it stays where I want it to. As a machine quilter, I need
accurate, very flat seams. I find that the softer the fabric, the more it shifts under the
needle of the sewing machine. Because I quilt so heavily, I must avoid my stretching or
shifting of fabric. Leaving fabrics "new" really accommodates my needs nicely.
In fact, I often use spray starch to add even more stiffness to unwashed fabrics. I do
this not only when piecing, but also for the completed quilt top and backing before
layering them with batting.
There are some considerations about pre-washing that go
beyond "I always do" or "I never do." One is the look of the finished
quilt. I am involved in reproducing antique quilts and find that shrinkage is desirable to
achieve an authentic look. This causes me to examine how I handle fabric as well as the
kind of batting I choose. For example, if your goal is a 1930s look for your quilt, you
won't get it by using pre-washed fabrics and a batting that has little or no shrinkage.
Because I am more concerned about the look of the finished quilt, I believe that the
decision about pre-washing should be made quilt-by-quilt. Therefore, I leave all my fabric
in its "new" state and pre-wash at my discretion, according to desired
appearance for the quilt I'm using it in.
In my book From Fiber to Fabric (C&T
Publishing, 1997) I walk readers through testing fabrics for colorfastness. This is
critical because often a problem such as bleeding is caused by factors other than the
fabric. For example, are you aware of the following facts about washing fabrics?
- Cotton quiltmaking fabrics should never be washed in water temperatures
above 85°F.
- Chlorine in tap water can cause a stable dye to be released, making you think the fabric
is causing the problem rather than the wash water.
- Detergents can cause dyes to be released from fabrics. Orvus Paste® and Ivory®
dishwashing liquid are the safest soap products for cotton fabrics.
- Tumbling fabrics in the dryer can cause color in a wet fabric to crock (rub off) along
the folds, causing streaks of color loss.
- Although many dyes allow color to be released into water, the color is not picked up on
other fabrics. Rather than washing the fabric repeatedly until the water remains clear,
try a simple test with other fabrics to see if the color loss is really a problem.
- Shrinkage in a finished quilt is due to shrinkage of batting rather than fabric.
I agree with Sharyn that it doesn't matter whether we pre-wash or not, as long as you
know what the result will be based on your decision. The choice is purely one of personal
preference. I attribute our differences to her focus on the process of making the quilt
top and mine on the finished look of the quilt. However, I believe that beginning quilters
have done an injustice over the years regarding this topic. It has often been stated in
books and classes that fabric must be pre-washed. Quiltmakers have not been given accurate
information on how to wash fabrics safely, nor have they been given the option to not wash
them at all.
My advice is to develop a thorough understanding of what happens to fabrics when they
are washed. This will help you make a decision based on all of the factors that contribute
to optimum satisfaction with your finished quilt. There are a number of experiments
outlined in From Fiber to Fabric that can guide you.
About the experts:
Sharyn Craig is a nationally known teacher and contributing author of the popular
"What If...Design Challenge" feature in Traditional
Quiltworks. Sharyn has also had many books all published by Chitra Publications.
To obtain copies, visit
Sharyn's
books on quiltmaking in our on-line Quilt Shop, call toll-free (800)628-8244 or
write to Chitra Publications, 2 Public Ave., Montrose, PA 18801-1221. Contact Sharyn about
classes by writing her at 2530 Indigo Drive, El Cajon, CA 92019.
Harriet Hargrave is an authority on machine quilting, fabrics and batting. She is
the author of Heirloom Machine Quilting (C&T Publishing, 1995). For an
autographed copy of From Fiber to Fabric (C&T Publishing, 1997) send $29.95
plus $3.75 s/h to: Harriet's Treadle Arts, 6390 West 44th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.
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