Pre shrinking 100% cotton fabric for quilting
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17797)
United States
December 19, 2011 6:21pm CST
Although I am working with quilts..this is also a concern with other projects.
I have researched and find that the cotton/polyester 50/50 blend of fabric is thin. 100% cotton is thicker, which I assume is why quilters prefer it to the blend. It holds shape better, irons better and is not thin to see the batting through it or have a lumpy background.
So..when I buy fabric of any kind, I always wash it first. NO matter what I am doing and I almost always get the 50/50 blend. But in starting to qulit with small pieces...I think it would assist me in construction (being my first attempt at the small piecing style) if I got the 100% cotton. So I wash it, okay and it always wrinkles so I iron it. But then...and here's my problem... in other 100$ COTTONS I have done...they will continue to shrink just a little bit next time I wash the fabric or project made of that fabric and also the 50/50 doens't hold shape very well.
So...if I get the 100$ cotton, and wash it, and then cut the squares, sew the squares into a quilt..what are the options as to the quilt shrinking once finished? No, not a large quilt shrinking into a baby size blanket (like they show on TV sitcoms!) but shrinking enough to pull the fabric squares oddly enough to make the quilt look weird.
Does anyone have any comments or experience with this? This is a major ordeal for me to even do as I have never done it, so I want to do the "quilters way" first and then I can make my own adjustments to use less expensive fabric or whatever.
1 person likes this
2 responses
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
20 Dec 11
I have so much yet to learn about quilting.
It's sad to say that I've made over 20 quilts in the last 3 years, and not once have I pre-washed material!
I didn't even think about it, in fact, until I checked out and watched a how to quilt video from the library a few weeks ago.
A lot of my material I've bought at yard sales and such. A lot of that in bags and was probably pre-washed. Other of it, though, I've bought with the store tags on it at these sales.
I'm going to read your responses and see what I can learn here....as well as attempt to stop in here more often at mylot for learning.
Marsha
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
20 Dec 11
I have learned so much from friends on MyLot and their experiences. Stick around...you won't be sorry!
But if you bought it a yard sales it was probably already washed, but not washing it from purchasing it at a store....I've used all kinds of fabrics in my 45 years of sewing...and I always pre-washed it for the (then) sole purpose of washing out all the excess dyes in the fabric. If there is dye still on the fabric, it will just rub off onto skin or socks...wherever it touches until it is washed. Also, the dyes can run together once washed and a dark color washed with a light color with tarnish the light color...that is a given in any kind of laundry...ergo why whites are washed seperate from colors. Once I started sewing it was washed not only cause of this, but for the shrinkage....cotton shrinks. Even store bought clothes that are 100% cotton.... at least the first time you wash it, it will shrink to some extent. I have returned many things due to this problem. Now, I never buy 100% cotton clothing! It won't fit after I wash it!
I am just surprised you have never had a problem with it. Just helps me not be completely worried about it. I had the thought to....when cut into such small squares...and sewn together and also quilt stitching...maybe the small size and all that stitching hold it in place so good that it can't shrink even if it wants to! But the colors...I just don't get that one. Dyes are dyes. Dyes run. Oh well...I guess whatever works for you (or me). Interesting the differences we all learn about!
Why don't you tell us some of your experiences and tricks of the trade and things like that...post pics of some of your quilts. 20 in 3 years...that is amazing and I wish I could do the same. What do you do with them? I am currently making a 60x60 t-shirt quilt for my grand daughters (one done, one nearly done) and my daughter said okay because of what it is made up of and the memories, but she said...no more blankets! She just doesn't have room for anymore blankets, quilts whever...no more! So I cna't make for the girls, and I am starting to create one for myself, but honestly... I know where she is coming from... I don't need the quilt. I have plenty! I am making it for use in the family room while watching TV in the winter when it is cold but will be packed away in the summer. SO...what do you do with that many quilts? Would love to hear about your talent! Start some discussions about them all!
@jillhill (37353)
• United States
20 Dec 11
I ususally used 100% cotton and also prewashed it....and I have never had problems with it shrinking....if you wash it in cold water and hang to dry. I have made a ton of quilts....so I think you are good with the cotton and prewashing it..good luck!
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
20 Dec 11
So, wash on cold, line dry. Once the quilt is made...will it always have to be lined dried? If you are quilt savey....what is your prefereed thickness of batting?
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
21 Dec 11
That is kind of my mistake on these T-shirt quilts. I used regular batting...not sure the thickness, but the thinnest of the thicker! There is one thinner and it is almost like a really thick flannel...what I used is more fluffy batting and then with the back fabric being fleece... I think I just made it to thick . I machine stitched all the seams on the front of the quilt and it worked okay, but I think the next one I do I will use that thinner batting and it will look better. These look nice, and they are grear for the little girls that will be using them, but the standard image of a quilt I think requires that thinner batting.
YEARS and years ago when I made one for my son it was He-man and I used an old blanket as batting (couldn't afford to buy batting!) and it worked quite well. It wasn't hard to stitch, again used machine, and it was very warm, but at the same time...didn't have the "movement" a lighter weight batting gives a quilt. We were in west Texas and those nights were so cold...it worked really good tho! And I have always used sheets for the backing, but this time I used the fleece. I wanted to use something with a pattern plus...from my searching...they don't sell flat sheets seperate like they used to. Only in sets!
