Thursday 31 March 2011

Pre washing Fabric


Wouldn't you love a laundry room like this?
Does anyone else find pre washing scary? I have just put two jerseys, two cotton poplins and a quilting cotton in my washing machine and I am scared to death that something will run.
I NEVER used to pre wash things but I have had some garments go to baby clothes and Its such a waste of time and effort! I always have the dilemma of... "Do I wash it on a 30? or a 40?" "Most of my clothes are washed on a 40 so they should go on 40." "What if they run and ruin the rest?"
Urgh I should be over it by now. I don't tend to buy fabrics that are awkward to wash but its still a scary prospect. Especially before you have even made the garment!
Then my pet hate of Ironing has to come in! All I want is something like this AD
How do you do your pre- washing if at all? This Eddie Izzard sketch is always in my head WHENEVER I do any kind of washing... Its hilarious!

Again Don't forget the Giveaway!!!!

6 comments:

  1. I usually throw it in with some well washed towels and 3 or 4 Colour Catchers. These babies are worth every penny. You're only meant to use one colour catcher per wash, but for pre washing I use more. As for the towels, I figure if the fabric runs more than the colour catchers can handle (unlikely!) then the towels will absorb the rest. Whether this is actually how it goes, I don't know, but I've never had a run :) Oh and I always wash at 40.
    Ashley x
    ps. I LOVE Eddie Izzard!:D

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  2. I always prewash because I don't appreciate my new garments shrinking after i've made them. The only thing I have ever really had a problem with running wise was red stuff and dark denim. Those items will get washed by themselves and go through more than one cycle. Also, denim and flannel shrink more than other fabrics, so they get a 3 cycle prewash for those reasons.

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  3. I prewash on the delicate cycle on warm wash & cold rinse. I also use Ivory Snow laundry soap. I have never had a problem with cotton, just denim runs & needs at least 2 washes.

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  4. I prewash in 2 steps. Step 1... I cut a 4" square, and throw that in with a load that I would be washing the finished garment with. If I plan to use the dryer, then I dry my square too. Then I check for any shrinkage. Step 2... I wash the yardage in the cycle that I would wash the finished garment. If I suspect it will run, then I would wash it alone, of course.

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  5. this has been a dilema, up untill now I haven't been pre washing but my fear of my nice clothes that I have made are going to shrink is VERY scary. Pre washing for me in the futre, I will be 40s girl.

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  6. It is certainly a stressful moment! The only time I've had a problem is with JoAnn's "homespun" fabrics...I made a brick-red plaid dress with cream piping and even though I had pre-washed, it bled all over the piping. Right ugly. So I used a bleach-pen to fix it, but the darn dress bleeds every time I wash it!
    I loved the Eddie Izzard clip, he's brilliant.

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