I never prewash my fabrics. I like them to shrink up a bit, as it makes the quilting a bit puffier.

If you're afraid the quilt will shrink too much, i.e., it won't cover the bed, then add a border to the finished blocks. Washing the top before it is quilted is a recipe for disaster - all those tiny seam allowances will ravel.

If you are machine sewing the squares, make sure you are using a small enough stitch. On my machine the standard stitch length is 2.5. I set it at 2.0 or 1.5.

What quilt pattern are you using? Are you planning to tie again, or machine or hand quilt? We like pictures!

Wow! What devotion--from both of you! I don't think you need worry about not having washed the fabric. Some of us here don't do it, either. I usually do, but there are times when I don't.

If you are using a steam iron while putting the quilt together, that may cause a bit of shrinkage before it ever reaches the washing-machine, anyway. I always iron things really hard, using steam and sometimes even spraying starch on them, which can make it easier to get good matches with corners and the like.

I would say to put the layers together and finish the whole quilt before washing. Once you wash, whether there is shrinkage or not, there is going to be a certain amount of puckering due to the quilting stitches. Some people like that effect so much that they wash quilts before giving them away. Others--myself included--don't care one way or the other, so we let the recipient be the first to wash it.

However, I think you would be smart to avoid inviting extra shrinkage by always washing the quilt in luke-warm or cold water, never hot, and if you have any colors in the fabrics that you think could bleed into places where they don't belong (especially red or black next to a light fabric), put a Shout "Color-catcher" sheet in when doing the laundry. It will soak up any dye that gets into the wash water. (I had a hard time finding the Color-catchers, but finally located them in the laundry section of the local K-Mart. They are great.)

Be sure to show us pictures. We love them, and I'm sure everyone who reads this would like to see, not only the new quilt, but also that well-loved old one!

I forgot to say, "Welcome to the forum!"

Welcome to the forum. Don't worry about pre-washing. I do, but most do not. Be sure to use a color catcher the first time you wash it, especially if there are dark or red fabrics.

beverly

Welcome!

I agree that you don't need to worry about this. I used to prewash all fabrics but have mostly stopped doing it, expect with reds and a few other deeply colored fabrics. The color catcher is a good idea for the first wash. Often I don't even use that though and haven't had a problem with anything running or shrinking.

Kate

I seldom pre-wash but do if I am concerned about bleeding colors or the one receiving it is paticular about it. I have had no problems, but then I don't keep most of my work.
Enjoy the process and don't fret too much. Besure to share when it is done. Jayne

Well, I'll need to disagree pls. I prewash everything (force of habit & how I was taught, as originally I also sewed).

Rather than the washing where shrinkage can be kept to a minimum by avoiding hot water, it's the hot dryer where the most shrinkage occurs.

I've also recently washed a couple of my quilts as I'm now making baby quilts & needed to see that my machine sewing would withstand machine washing. I put the quilts in the dryer for a few minutes just to start them drying & fluffing. But when I prewash my fabrics, I DRY them as hot as I can set the dryer to. It's sort of like trying to force the shrinkage to happen all at once. I can't swear that this works, it's just my instinct & guts telling me this.

To conclude for Green Panther, I'd guess unless she's going to put the quilt in the dryer, I think it'll be OK.

(I DID put one of my quilts into the dryer deliberately to make it pouffier. Is there a quilter's term for 'pouffier'? I feel so silly saying it like that?)

I vote for putting it all together and washing it when it's done. I don't think you have anything to worry about, provided you use the color catchers the first few washings and don't let the quilt sit around wet after. Dry it right away. Woolite makes a green bottled liquid that has color catchers in it already. I prewash for bleeding colors, not shrinkage. Then once I've prewashed reds, browns, and greens I feel like I have to wash everything.

If you're using all cotton, it will all shrink about the same. I'm one that loves the texture of old puckered quilts. That's the charm, to me!

Thanks for all the responses!!

I am following a pattern for Sunshine-in-the-window Log Cabin pattern by Marsha McCloskey.

Here is a pic of some of my blocks already pieced. The stripped fabric in the back is where I got my color scheme.

Here is a pic of hubby's beloved raggedy quilt from when we had to do the long distance thing in college.

I love sun and shade patterned log cabins, but the old quilt looks as if it is not ready to be thrown out yet, either. Perhaps it can be retired to a less stressful position, like being displayed on the back of a chair or something. It's pretty, and I can see why your husband loves it, apart from its sentimental associations. The infrequent strips with comic characters on them are humorous and intriguing, too.

The old quilt is cute--the new quilt will be pretty! (But not too pretty for a husband to like).
On pre-washing. I used to be a pre-washer, but I teach at JoAnn and sometimes the students don't have that option, since we pick fabric and start cutting the same day. So I figure if they have to do it that way--I can too. So far so good. I always recommend color catchers to my students.
HOWEVER, if you're working with batiques. (I think I spelled that wrong) that's a different story. I tell students to steer clear from batiques unless it's a class that allows us to pre-wash, because I've had a lot of those run on me.

I seldom wash fabric before using it. Thankfully I have had few problems with that decision.

I have found that between the quilting process and washing the quilt afterwards, I lose roughly 5% of the size the top was before sandwiching and quilting. If making a quilt for a bed, I adjust the size of the top upward 5% if I'm making it for a particular bed. This takes care of the shrinkage problem.

I also use the color catchers when washing the quilt for the first time. There is usually some dyes in the dye catcher, but not necessarily enough to have damaged the quilts. I'd rather be safe than sorry when washing a quilt.

It also depends on the quality of your fabric.
When I started quilting in the 80's I always prewashed.
Now most of the celeb quilters advise they do not prewash either.
If in doubt, just cut off a small square, measure it, wash it, dry it, and measure it to see if the size is the same.
And I always use the color catchers, they are not that expensive to use and work great.
Rosa