Have washable fabric (as opposed to dry clean or spot clean only) that you need to pre-wash? Here’s how to do it, in 4 simple steps! By using this method you can get your fabric ready for sewing but preserve every last bit of usable fabric – you won’t lose inches in messy tangles of fraying thread on the cut edges.*
- Fold your cut edges together as neatly as possible.
- Serge or stitch the edges together – you can use a fairly small seam allowance, 3/8″ is great!
- Wash and dry the fabric just like you plan to wash the finished garment.
- Cut away the stitched edge as close to the stitching as you can. You’ve skipped thready messes and kept from losing inches of fabric that would have otherwise frayed in pre-washing!
*Before you pre-wash – a question: Do you need to pre-wash?
If you’re making a garment, pre-washing is probably a good idea. Fabric often shrinks more in length than width or vice-versa. If there’s also a lining fabric it’s even more important to prewash because in all likelihood the fabrics will each shrink differently and can wreck your project. Go ahead and wash the fabric with the same detergent, water temperature and drying cycle that you plan to use on the finished garment. You’ll get any shrinking that’s going to happen out of the way and end up with a garment that fits as well after it’s washed later as it does when you first finish it.
One group that often opts not to pre-wash? QUILTERS. Once a project is quilted some folks like the worn and crinkled sort of effect that appears when shrinkage takes hold. Unless your fabric is vintage or infused with an undesirable scent, you can opt to wait and wash after your project is finished. If you’re making a quilted item to give as a gift, you might also want to let the recipient know that you’ve chosen not to pre-wash and that the crinkly effect is a desirable one!
Omg – sew simple but so useful. I’ve been hand washing to avoid those tangles – no more!
I am a quilter, and yes Iike the bumpy look, but would still prefer to prewash (juse in case.) I skip I sometimes because the prewash suggestions so far still leave a tangle of threads and lots of wrinkles. Your idea is one I will try just to see. Thaks.
Great idea! I work with a lot of really big pieces and this will be a life saver. I always pre-wash even with quilts because of the smelly petro-chemicals used to process the fabric. I can get the wrinkle in my quilt by using cottton batting and washing the finished quilt to shrink it.
That works too!
I do this but I use a long basting stitch and pull out later. If you adjust the tension a bit, so that one of the threads is not pulled into the fabric, it is even faster than cutting.
Great idea!
How about pre-washing for curtains? I have some linen, and need to make four wide, floor to ceiling tabbed panels, preferably lined. I am at a loss as how to pre-wash those very long lengths/wide widths as my own machine is not high capacity, and laundromat machines can be unreliable. Advice from other decor sewers is most appreciated!
I like the idea of using basting sitches and rmoving instead of cutting. Thanks.
I always prewash but have found a few tricks of my own. I use the quick wash setting on my machine. Set it to warm/warm to maximize any potential shrinking (I often make kids clothes) and low spin. Then, instead of using the dryer, I hang the fabric over my shower curtains. I have a clothesline that I love but it distorts the fabric… hanging it in the bathroom seems to work better. And, they still dry in a few hours.
Back when I used the dryer, my fabric would come out super wrinkled, lots of fraying and was just a mess. In my experience, the dryer is where most of the fraying occurs. This way, I have little raveling on the cut edges and no wrinkles.
Gosh that is so clever and so simple! Thanks, will definitely be doing this!
Oh my, you must be a mind reader. I was going to google this today. I hate the frayed ends. This is such a good idea. Sometimes I just wouldn’t pre wash because of this, and was sorry afterwards, Thank you