Okay, I had tennis practice and came home feeling it. So, I didn't want to cut into my new, wonderful-to-feel fabric for my new grandson's quilt. So, I had a mini-nap and was faced with the same old hard question...pre-wash or not???
So, there's some red and some white-ish fabric in it so I decided to pre-wash...I absolutely hate working with washed fabric, but I didn't want it to bleed and ruin all my hard work. Back in Maryland, again supporting my LQS, I bought some Best Press to try, hope I can tolerate this limp stuff and the spray will bring some of the stiffness back.
I don't pre-wash anything, however, all of the stash I'd bought that one day had been washed, so I feel good about using for quilts for me.
I'm going out tonight to get that Shout color retainer or whatever it's called so I have that to help with the red. I'm just taking my Take 5 and work on the binding while I chat with some very nice ladies that invited me to join them way back in the fall.
So, I think I'll do some more cutting...
Gloria
So, there's some red and some white-ish fabric in it so I decided to pre-wash...I absolutely hate working with washed fabric, but I didn't want it to bleed and ruin all my hard work. Back in Maryland, again supporting my LQS, I bought some Best Press to try, hope I can tolerate this limp stuff and the spray will bring some of the stiffness back.
I don't pre-wash anything, however, all of the stash I'd bought that one day had been washed, so I feel good about using for quilts for me.
I'm going out tonight to get that Shout color retainer or whatever it's called so I have that to help with the red. I'm just taking my Take 5 and work on the binding while I chat with some very nice ladies that invited me to join them way back in the fall.
So, I think I'll do some more cutting...
Gloria
I was going to suggest a spray starch to add stiffness, but I am curious about the Best product. Let us know how it works. I've heard others say they love it. Have you ever tried Retayne? I bought some to use on my batiks to set the color and prevent bleed-over. I haven't tried it yet (still collecting batiks), and am curious as to which works better: Shout or Retayne.
ReplyDeleteNanabarb,
ReplyDeleteI must share that I love, love, love Best Press. It is not as stiff as starch, but I think it's great for cutting. I tried starch this time last year and it left little white thingies all over the place and was a bit too stiff for my liking. I won't know the long-term effects of using Best Press (bugs and such), but it got out the wrinkles so easily, however, if you iron a wrinkle in the fabric, it's in there. :)
Now, about the Shout color grabber, it seems to have worked; it was very, very red when it came out. The fabric is a bit duller, but I think that would have happened just in the washing stage. I only have a few batiks so I haven't tried Retayne. I guess I'll find out about the Shout when I wash the finished quilt (I do have high hopes of a finish soon, but no guarantees.)