As soon as I bring it home, it goes into the washer then dryer, folded and place according to color and type into my stash. I have an order coming in this week and cannot wait to see it and place it in its pile, I hated having to wait for it to wash when I decided to use it,
hugs
Michelle

If the finished item is to be laundered, then yes, I prewash all of the fabrics. And dry them was I will after it's finished.

I wash mine before is it goes to the sewing room. EXCEPT for quilting, and I've been told by many quilters not to wash before use. What do I know??? Hahaha! Judy

Sorry meant to 'say sew a project' I wish I had leant to type at school. But i always seemed to have a problem with my little fingers. lol Shirley

Unwashed fabric definitively sews better with all the starches and finishes that the manufactures put in and some of this can flake off in your machine. I buy bargain fabrics and serge the ends and use hot water toss in the dryer and if needed iron. If needed firmer I use starch. How disappointing to spend an hour or so on embroidering something and the first time washed it shrinks and puckers. Sometimes I prewash towels but not always. It depends on who I'm making the towel for and how expensive the towel was. These are all variables so just use common sense as to how the items is going to be used.

I always wash, dry, starch and iron the fabric after I bring it home. I think pre-washing is a personal choice. If you ask 20 quilters if they pre-wash, half will be yes and other half no.I like my fabric to be ready when I want to start a new project. I usually iron while something is embroidering. Hugs..Carol

I wait until I have some idea of what I want to make. I have a walk-in closet full of material & very little of it is washed. Charla

One thing I always wash is towels. I wash them when I buy them, that way when I get the urge to embroider a towel, it's ready.

I pre wash & then dry in the dryer. Don't really know why, I've just always done it that way. Touch wood I've never had anyhting shrink. xx

I was told that if you buy nice fabrics you don't need to prewash. I never do and so far have never had a problem. Now if you're going to sell soemthing if it's washed it looks used, sooooooo. Also when making quilts don't prewash then make your quilt then wash and the tiny amount of shrinkage adds to the 'quit' look.

Most of my denim material that I used for wuilts an so on I prewash it about four to five times. Hugs Marie

I dont prewasy my fabric. So far it has been OK as I always try to buy good quality fabrics. Hugs Joyce

I prewash towels and shirts. I prewash fabric I will use in an applique (if that item will be washed in the future). Otherwise I don't pre-wash. I try to do the towels and shirts when I buy them so they are ready to go when I am able to do the embroidery.

I do a lot of dressmaking and I always wash my material as soon as I buy, then put it away. I once made a beautiful shirt with fabric I had not washed. It shrunk so much I had to give it away. When I embroider on t shirts or towels I do not wash as I like them to look as new as possible, especially if they are gifts. Sarah.

Wash it as soon as possible so its ready to use when I need it,just my luck for it to be raining when I want to use it.Years ago I bought some embroidered cheese cloth that had a mark on it,so I washed it,it went from 45" wide to 36" wide.Now everything gets washed first except nylon lycra

I'm another pre-washer simply because of the fabrics I tend to use (flannel, denim, baby knits, t-shirt knits, etc) and because a few years ago I had a fabric continue to bleed colour no matter how many times I washed it (giraffe print flannel .. that experience really sucked). I've just gotten into the habit of walking in the back door and dumping new fabric into the washer so it's washed & ready to go when I want to use it (which is as soon as I've brought it home lol). :) xXx

I do wash and put them in the drye I always wait till I am ready to do a project

nope! only flannel as it shrinks differently then cotton

Many thanks for all the answers to my question. They are rather a mixed bunch, but very interesting. Flowers to all. Shirley

Yes I do. As soon as get home I put the fabric by the washing machine - that way I don't put it aside and forget to wash it. I treat the fabric the way I'm going to treat it when used in a project. Also I heard some years ago that warehouses are often inhabited by rodents, and whether they are or not that's put me off using or storing unwashed fabric ever since.
I've never bought a jelly roll but that would be the one time that I didn't wash the fabric first.
AlmaG.

I usually wash all my fabrics before I put them away or use them. I even tell my 4-Hers to prewash their project fabrics because of the sizing and shrinkage issues. By the way, sizing can cause a machine to skip stitches while sewing. Some fabrics are very heavy with the stuff! That's my take on it.

Wow , lots of responses! When I used to sew a lot before embroidery, I always washed the fabric before I ever cut anything out. If it did not wash well , I didn't bother to make any thing out of it.

I was taught to wash it as soon as I got it home - now with all the news about bugs - I would just go bugging without washing it before I put it away. I don't have much fabric - as some of the others have.

I did do it for a bit years ago. I don't anymore. I don't seem to have a problem with anything I've made. I live in an apartment now so that is also costly and can't always get the machine when you want it.