Welcome back!
Life’s been a little crazy lately. If you’ve been following our event calendar … and maybe visiting some of the spring quilt shows … you know this year’s season is in full swing!
I love seeing all the beautiful quilts everyone’s been working on over the past winter. Often, I find myself admiring all the thought and time the quilter put into the fabric selection and preparation … those steps that occur even before you start cutting and piecing!
Noone but a quilter probably appreciates … or dreads … those early steps in the quilt process. And there’s definitely mixed feelings regarding which fabric types to use, prewashing your fabric … or not … and whether starching your fabric prior to cutting is the way to go.
So, I thought it might be fun to start dissecting the quilt process over the course of the next few posts. Today my anatomy lesson focuses on quilt top preparation – fabric selection, the prewashing debate and considerations on starching your fabric.
Quilt Top Fabric – So Many Choices!
Quilter’s weight 100% cotton is the standard, go-to fabric for most quilt tops.
It has a plain weave, making it stable, sturdy and easy to handle. Spanning a wide range of colors, it can be found in solids and prints, yardage and pre-cuts, making it exceptionally versatile. And it stands up to regular washing.
Batik fabric is another 100% cotton option. It’s generally more tightly woven than quilting cotton. As a result, it tends to be slightly stiffer and to resist fraying … which is nice for cutting. However, the stiffness softens with use … which is nice for the cuddle factor of finished quilts.
Batik prints are created using a wax-resist dyeing process. The fabric is drawn on with wax, then dipped in dye. This process may be repeated multiple times depending on the intricacy and color range of the design.
Batiks may be less likely to shrink because of the wetting and drying of the dye process.
You can use 100% batik fabrics in your quilt top or pair it with quilter’s cotton.
Flannel is another 100% cotton option. Its thick, lofty weave is known for its warmth and softness. Because of its softness, flannel is often the choice for baby quilts and quilt backs.
Flannel can also shrink considerably.
Woven cotton fabrics can be used to add a little more texture to your quilt tops. Wovens are yarn-dyed rather than printed like quilter’s cotton. It is lighter weight and has a lower thread count, resulting in a looser weave.
Made from the fibers of the flax plant, linen is known for its durability and breathability. It is sometimes combined with cotton when making the fabric. Linen will add texture to your quilt top and can also be combined with cotton cuts. You may want to use a stabilizer with linen.
While cotton, batiks, flannel, wovens and linen are the most common fabrics used in quilt tops, other options are available. You’ve seen quilt tops integrating t-shirts, minky, fleece, muslin and denim. Each has its own characteristics, increasing the variety, challenge and fun of piecing!
Whichever type of fabric you choose for your quilt top, I recommend investing in good quality fabric. It will be easier to work with plus enhance the useability and durability of your quilt.
So, once you have your fabric, your next decision is …
Do You Prewash Your Fabric or Not?
Opinions REALLY vary here, so I’m just going to share thoughts from both sides. In most cases, it comes down to personal preference. And it can also vary from quilt project to quilt project.
Why prewash your fabric
You want to preshrink your fabric.
Fabrics made from natural plant fibers tend to shrink when they are washed and then dried. Since a lot of quilt fabric is 100% cotton, it will shrink, but the amount of shrinkage varies by fabric and manufacturer.
Preshrinking your fabric will help to reduce the ‘crinkle effect' caused by not washing the fabric of your quilt until after it’s been completed.
You want to prevent dyes from bleeding.
The colorfastness of the dyes used in quilting fabric also varies. Some fabrics are more color saturated than others and have a higher risk of bleeding when washed. Prewashing helps you to identify and address any bleeding issues before incorporating the fabric into your quilt top.
Definitely consider using color-catcher sheets when you prewash your fabric!
You want to remove any chemicals added during the manufacturing process.
Fabrics can have a lot of added chemicals on them. In some cases, this includes insecticides and formaldehydes. Prewashing may be especially important for those with sensitive skin.
You want to mix different types of fabrics in your quilt top.
If some of the fabric you’re using in your quilt top will shrink more than others, consider prewashing your fabric. For example, combining the use of cotton and flannel. As flannel shrinks more than standard cotton, this could cause issues in the end.
Tip: If you choose to prewash, prewash all the fabric for your quilt including your backing fabric.
Why NOT to prewash your fabric
Even if you tend to prewash your fabric, there’s one instance where almost everyone agrees you shouldn’t … when you’re using precut fabrics! Because they’ve already been cut, washing them can lead to fraying and distortion. And you might not have enough useable fabric left.
You want crisp, flat fabric for cutting and piecing.
When you prewash your fabric, you remove the fabric’s sizing. The sizing can make it easier for you to more accurately cut and piece your quilt top. Keeping the sizing in your fabric may increase the clean, accurate, and precise look of your finished quilt.
You want the vintage, crinkled look created by not prewashing your fabric.
As noted above, washing the fabric of your quilt for the first time once you’ve completed quilting often results in a softer, more vintage look. This effect usually isn’t as pronounced if your quilt is made of prewashed fabrics.
You want to save time and effort.
Prewashing not only involves the time spent washing and drying the fabric. You’ll probably also have to spend time ironing wrinkles out of the fabric before you can start cutting.
You want to maximize the amount of fabric you have to work with.
Some fabric frays or unravels in the washing and drying process. You may lose fabric along the cut edges, reducing the amount of overall useable fabric.
You want to retain the vibrant color of your fabrics.
Prewashing may reduce the intensity and vibrancy of some of your fabric’s original colors. If maintaining the highest level of brightness is important to you, skip the prewashing.
How to prewash your fabric
If you DO choose to prewash your fabric, here are a few tips to consider.
- Prewash ALL your fabric for this quilt project. If you can’t prewash some of the fabric for whatever reason, don’t prewash any of it.
- Wash your fabrics in cold water using a mild detergent.
- Add some color catcher sheets!
- Don’t use the soak cycle of your washing machine.
- Dry your fabrics using a low heat setting. Consider removing your fabric when still slightly damp to make pressing out wrinkles even easier.
- Snip a small triangle of fabric off each corner of your fabric before washing. This should help reduce fraying!
Ready to start cutting your quilt top? Here’s one last question to ask yourself …
Do You Starch Your Fabric or Not?
Again, this is a point of debate.
Why starch your fabric
You want crisp, stable fabric for cutting.
Especially if you’ve prewashed your fabric, you may want to use starch to replace the sizing removed by washing.
You want your seams to stay flat.
When you starch, your seams have a better chance of staying flat and staying in the direction you originally pressed them in.
You want to do curved piecing, strip piecing or needle turn applique.
Applying starch can be especially helpful when using the above techniques. Curved piecing cuts across the grain of the fabric. Using starch reduces the chances of fabric distorting or fraying. It also helps with matching raw edges. Plus the fabric is less floppy and easier to turn for applique.
Why NOT to starch your fabric
You want to save time and money.
Starching your fabric adds an extra step when you’re quilting. It also adds the cost of buying the starch.
You want to avoid gunking up your iron and/or needle.
Some starch can create a build up on your iron or your sewing machine needle. It may also leave a flaky residue on your fabric. While this washes out, it can be annoying and can increase the chance of scorching your fabric when ironing.
You want to avoid attracting pests.
Be aware that using starch, especially homemade starch, can attract pests such as silverfish. Therefore, never starch fabric and then store it for extended periods of time.
Tip: If you decide to starch your fabric, use it on all your fabric. Sometimes starched and unstarched fabrics don’t play well together.
How to starch your fabric
Basically, there are two methods of applying starch. You can:
- use a spray bottle to saturate your fabric before ironing, or
- dip your fabric in a starch solution and let it almost dry completely before ironing.
There, now you have your fabric ready to go for cutting and piecing! And that’s where I’ll pick up in my next post … piecing tips and preparing your quilt top for longarm quilting!
Time to wrap up for now. Here’s the latest on our upcoming classes, events and sales!
Upcoming Classes
Hands on Quilted Jacket Class with Sara (Appleton)
Saturday, March 22, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
(Lunch included)
Have you ever wanted a quilted jacket but didn’t know where to start?
Here’s your chance to find out!
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Ruler and Gridwork Class with Wendy Fuller
Ruler and Gridwork Class (Appleton)
Friday, April 11, 2025
SOLD OUT – JOIN THE WAIT LIST
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Lunch provided)
or
Ruler and Gridwork Class (Elkhorn)
Saturday, April 12, 2025
SOLD OUT – JOIN THE WAIT LIST
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Lunch provided)
These are small group, hands-on classes!
There are so many ways to use rulers!! Wendy will help show you tips and tricks for using rulers safely and effectively on your longarm to create straight lines, curves, circles, and arcs/swags.
Gridwork is when you quilt a grid-based design that can use stencils/marking or piecing lines to guide your quilting.
You'll get plenty of time on the longarms and go home with your practice piece!
Click the links above for even more information on these fantastic opportunities!
Upcoming Events
Our spring calendar of quilt shows gives you all sorts of opportunities to get out and see the latest the quilting world has to offer!
Saturday, March 29, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Lourdes Academy
110 N Sawyer Street
Oshkosh, WI 54902
Free admission / Free parking
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Crazy Quilters, Inc.
Saturday, March 29, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday, March 30, 2025
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Parkview Middle School
930 N. Rochester Street
Mukwonago, WI
$8 daily admission
$10 two-day admission
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A Patch of Lakeshore Quilters
Saturday, April 5, 2025
Sunday, April 6, 2025
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Manitowoc Expo Center
4921 Expo Drive
Manitowoc, WI
Admission: Adults $6
Kids 16 and under – Free
Can you make it to a show or two? Please stop by and say hi!
NOTE: Due to staffing these shows and pulling inventory from our shops, the Appleton store will be closed on Friday, March 28th.
Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause!
Sales! Sales! Sales!
Handi Quilter has a new promotion running.
Contact us for more details!
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APQS is also running some specials.
1) FREE Power Fabric Advance and FREE Overhead Lights.
That’s a $3,200 value!
and
2) Quilt Path on sale for $8,500.
That’s a $4,000 savings!
Again, please contact us for more details!
And that’s everything for now!
Please remember, if you ever have ANY questions or want additional information about ANY of the products and services we offer, please call us at (262) 723-6775 or email us at info@QuiltingConnection.com.
You can also visit us online at QuiltingConnection.com or in person at 21 Adams Street in Elkhorn, WI (usually M-F 9-4, please call to confirm we’re open) or 1017 W. Northland in Appleton, WI (W, Th & F 10-4, S 10-3).
Finally, check out our blog at QuiltingConnection.com/blog and our Facebook posts.
And please share your thoughts and questions. I’d love to hear from you!
Angie