chickadeee55
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Date: 9/3/12 7:40 AM HI, I have just recently joined your forum and already have a question.
I want to make a baby quilt and I have some wonderful bright kid pattern batiks to use. I need to use a background fabric and my choice is a nice cotton muslin.
Question, I am not a pre washer of fabrics and don't want to be. But in this case should I pre wash the cotton muslin before hand, since I know the batiks will not shrink much?
Thanks Mare ------
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JEF
 
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Date: 9/3/12 7:46 AM I really recommend you pre wash...just in case any dyes want to run. Better now than in your pretty quilt. Also, you know the parents will need to throw the quilt in the wash and will probably sent it from a hot water wah to the dryer. Better shrink it now than have them get uneven/weird shrinkage.
JEF ------
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CathrynR
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Date: 9/3/12 7:56 AM I strongly recommend prewashing, perhaps prewashing the batiks and muslin separately, the batiks in cold/warm and the muslin in warm/hot. As JEF mentioned, the completed quilt will probably have to be washed, in cold if the colors are to be preserved, but it is best to prewash (cottons are usually preshrunk X3 before sewing garments) in the hottest most vigorous method before putting it together, to stave off any unpleasant surprises after. |
chickadeee55
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Date: 9/3/12 7:59 AM Thank you Jef for the reply. ------
Mare |
Sharon1952
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In reply to chickadeee55 <<
Date: 9/3/12 9:46 AM I often mix batiks with other fabrics and have had the dye run before so I too recommend washing them first. The last quilt I made was from a jelly roll of batiks, which means washing could shred them. I wet them and soaked them for a while in hot salted water. I'm hoping they don't run anymore once it is quilted. ------
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In reply to chickadeee55 <<
Date: 9/3/12 1:21 PM Batiks are my fav's and you HAVE to prewash them. The colors will run if you do not. I had no idea of this when I used them last spring. This summer i made a simple belt using batiks and I asked the quilt store if I should wash the fabric. YES. Boy as I glad I did. That purple ran like you would not believe. I washed it 4 times before the water was clear.
I am not as concerned about the cotton as the batiks. Of you wash, you will have to use starch to put back the body so the fabric behaves itself. ------
Quilting is relaxing to me. I love to play with fabrics, patterns and colors.
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chickadeee55
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Date: 9/4/12 7:03 AM As much as I appreciate everyones replies, I think we got alittle off the subject.
I was trying to find out how much shrinkage difference there is between batiks and cotton muslin fabric. So, I would know if I should pre wash the muslin before hand if it will indeed shrink more than the batik fabric.
I know when I use cotton flannel with cotton fabric , I always pre shrink the flannel with at least one washing and that seems to take care of that difference in shrinkage between the two.
Again, thanks to everyone. ------
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Maia B
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Date: 9/4/12 10:38 AM I've been getting away with not prewashing batiks (Hoffman, etc... quilt shop quality) with no bleeding or shrinking so far. I do think muslin might shrink more than batiks, though.
You could always make an easy pieced burp cloth or something with your project fabrics to see how they behave.
I use color catchers and detergent without dye to test if colors run/bleed when I do occasionally prewash or when washing finished pieces. ------
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In reply to chickadeee55 <<
Date: 9/4/12 11:12 AM Cotton will shirnk. Batiks little if any. How much? 2-5%, depending on the quality of the fabrics. Less expensive fabrics are going to shrink and cause more pulling as it is washed. High quality fabrics, like Moda, will shrink very little.
What kind of muslin are you talking about?
If in doubt, wash/dry then wash/dry.
Sorry. We were more concerned about you doing all that work and then the dyes running and ruining your lovely work. ------
Quilting is relaxing to me. I love to play with fabrics, patterns and colors.
Bernina 630 machine only
Pfaff 2036
Babylock Molly
Bernina 1200DA serger
Unique Sewing Cabinet 450L |
Cat n Bull
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In reply to chickadeee55 <<
Date: 9/4/12 2:45 PM Quote: chickadeee55
Question, I am not a pre washer of fabrics and don't want to be. But in this case should I pre wash the cotton muslin before hand, since I know the batiks will not shrink much?
You asked if you should pre-wash because you are using two different fabrics, and most people immediately thought of the color bleeding problem, in addition to the muslin shrinking problem.
Depending on the kind of muslin, it can shrink quite a bit, and it will also pick up the dye that bleeds off of other fabrics quite well. ------
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