Here is my story. About 50 years ago, I cut, out of yellow cotton corduroy, pieces to make overalls for my 2 years old daughter. The overalls came up and buttoned on the shoulder. Out of a cute brown and white gingham, I made two little chick appliques. I sewed them to the thigh area of one leg and the calf of the other leg. Oh goodness, my little one looked so cute. (I did not take a photo, sad to say). She wore them, I washed them. Can you guess? They shrank so much, she could never wear them again. Ever since that time I have prewashed all washable fabric. Thank you, Evelyn, for this excellent video.
I scored two lovely summer skirt suits that shrank. My sister bought them in the late 1960s and they shrank in the first wash. I was smaller than my sister so I got them. Yay! They were a beautiful cotton lined in muslim. The cotton is as smooth as silk and printed in floral patterns, one pink, one blue. I still have them. The tops are still wearable but I turned the skirt into hot pants.
I used to work in a fabric store for years and all I can say is always pre-wash if the fabric is washable! I used to also think that new fabric from a roll is probably quite clean but thats not always the case. Most fabrics have been in a lot of places before they end up in the store; woven and dyed in India packaged, sent to Europe, printed in England and slapped with a "made in England" text, sent to more warehouses, cut and rolled in to smaller rolls and sold to stores and so on. A lot of hands have touched the fabrics before it ends up on the shelves and most of the time nobody has any idea what kinda chemicals were used in the making or where the fabric or fibre originally came from since only the country where the product was finalised needs to be mentioned in the country of origin. Occasionally dead bugs/dirt/stains could be found rolled up in the fabric. And some customers will let the fabric roll over the floor when they spread it out. A lot of possible things that you don't want to put against your skin. And then there's the whole grain situation and I won't even get to that :D You explained it very well.
Jenna, thank you for that information. Before I sew a project, sometimes I'll just soak it in the sink with a little bit of soap. Then I either hang dry it or put it in the dryer for a short cycle.
This, this , this. I was taught to always wash and iron fabric before doing anything else and NEVER skip this step. If it can't be washed, off to the cleaner it goes.
I used to work in a fabric store too, long time ago, and I had to quit... sad... as when batches of fabrics were coming in from some countries, I was not able to breathe from the chemical fumes and dyes. I was literally choking. Since then, I always wash my fabrics to take these chemicals & smells away... and of course, for the shrinkage.
Once upon a time, I purchased a length of gorgeous fabric to make a dress. I read the laundering instructions on the end of the bolt. When I got home I washed the fabric as instructed and separately, as always. When I took the fabric out of the washing machine I was horrified because the colors ran all over themselves and were just a big muddle. When I took the fabric back to the store and showed the ruined fabric to the manager and asked for a refund she said, "Why did you wash the fabric before you made the dress?" I said, "You're looking at it." She wouldn't give me a refund but she did credit the cost toward more fabric. I never shopped there again.
I've worked for fabric companies and am an avid sewer who has two additional reasons to wash: 1) Fabric is frequently shipped from the manufacturer by boat, and insects can be a problem. Some of the chemicals on new fabric are insecticides - not so concentrated as to be poisonous, but I'd rather not be handling them when I sew. And 2) Sometimes the crease down the middle of a cut of fabric can be dirty or damaged in some way, especially if it is vintage. Washing will reveal any problems and whether they have been removed by pre-washing.
My mother is an adamant non-prewasher, so I didn’t for a while. Then I made something that ended up all wonky and my mother-in-law pointed out it wouldn’t have happened had I pre-washed. So I now pre-wash everything much to my mother’s dismay. 😂
My wife bought some new drapes and they were significantly too long. Like two feet too long. I have no idea what I'm doing so I watch a bunch of these videos, asked a couple of questions (thank you for the help by the way) and got to work. I laid everything out, measured it with a micrometer, cut, hemmed and hung them. They were perfect! Then I washed them... 8' long drapes shrink. A lot. Worse yet, they didn't all shrink the same amount so now my drapes looks like a kindergartener did them. For the love of Pete, prewash your fabric!
I pre wash almost entirely for hygiene reasons. I don’t know where that fabric has been, I’m washing it. Same goes for new clothing. I’ll try it on at the store, but I’m not going to wear it around until after I’ve washed t.
Same. I was a germaphobe long before 2020 made it hip, and while I'll try on clothes in the store, I throw them straight into the hamper once I bring them home. True for both new and used clothes because, quite simply, I don't know where it's been before it came home with me, and even stuff I have seen is gross--like when people toss clothes on their floor while deciding what to wear... yuck. Also, cutting out one's fabric on the freakin' floor is disgusting. Dude, that's what tables are for! When it comes to clothes, laundry, textiles, dishes, etc., in my house, the motto is, "dirty until proven clean."
I am a devoted pre-washer! I usually serge (with a 4mm stitch length) around the perimeter of the fabric before I wash the yardage so it does not fray when it is washed an dried.
@@redwillowcreations6919 how about trimming the edges with pinking shears? I baste my fabric with a long basting stitch either by hand or more usually by machine. Fabric rarely fraud this way. ❤️
@@redwillowcreations6919 I just use my normal sewing machine to run a zig zag stitch along the raw (cut) edges of my fabric before pre-washing, that stops the freying just as finishing a seam does. Also, like with the salvage, this gives a ready finished, or semi finished, edge that could be used as a cheat during a project.
I am almost 72 and just now starting to sew clothes for myself, although I have made several quilts. You make it all sound so easy and concise to learn. You make sense to me! I am a visual learner, so this really helps me. Thank you.
I have been sewing for over 50 years. My mother was a dressmaker and I learned from her...always pre-wash fabric for all of the reasons you have stated. Back then, wool was dry-clean only...so my mom had an arrangement with the local dry cleaner to “steam cure” the wool for her. She would zig-zag any edges that may fray first. Of course our washers and dryers have all the settings needed to do this. Pre-washing as a habit means that all of your fabric is ready to go whenever the mood to sew hits! Oh, and always iron it just before laying it on your cutting table. 😊🇨🇦
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@@DiamondRubyJewel Thanks so much for your kind words, but Evelyn has a vintage sewing school where she teaches all of these techniques, plus there are lots of other CZcams channels that do a great job! I continue to learn something every day myself! Sewing is such a wonderful, creative use of your time and I wish you much success! A piece of advice I give new sewists is that if you think of garment construction like engineering a building....how each bit in the construction process is key/vital in the structure of your garment will look and stay sound. Take the time to learn the 'why'. It makes all the difference between a garment looking like its fast fashion or couture.
DiamondRubyJewel if you’re interested in some old school tailoring techniques specifically, Foundations Revealed has a couture tailor as one of their tutors on that site (as well as a wealth of other tutors who teach historical dressmaking techniques specifically). For a taste of that, Bernadette Banner has a video on padstitching with that couture tailor, as well as a host of other videos where she uses historical techniques herself. And Bernadette herself is also a tutor on Foundations Revealed. Between that and Evelyn’s Vintage Sewing School, you’ll have both historical and vintage sewing skills completely covered! I really do recommend them both very highly.
Before anything comes into the sewing room, they go into the laundry room first. I mostly quilt, so cottons do shrink and bleed (especially dark blue and reds). I bought a lot of silk shirts at the thrift shops for a wearable art project and they also went into the laundry room. Garment fabric like wool, fusible web, and stabilizers I do it by hand in the bathtub and let air dry. The only shrinkage problems I have ever had is store-bought clothes.
I always pre-wash my fabrics. I took sewing classes many years ago where we were taught that, and it became such a lifelong habit after I saw what results you get with pre-washing and ironing. At the moment, I’m just making face masks, and I usually use quilter’s fat quarters, and I even pre-wash those by hand, and in separate tubs in case they bleed. Then I iron them. I feel it always makes a better product even on such a small item as a face mask. It may seem picky, but it does make a better product, and I’m always reminded of my father who always said, “a job worth doing is worth doing well”. He was right. Plus I can still take pride in a mask made well. I always feel that my name and reputation are in any of my sewing, even masks.
My rule is pre-wash if what I’m making is going to be washed! I also try to pre-wash when I buy it so when creativity strikes I’m not stuck waiting a couple hours on the washer and dryer 😂
I always prewash my fabric as soon as it arrives in the house. I normally hang my handmade clothes to dry but for that first wash I actually put the fabric in the dryer (if type of fabric allows it). Once dry, I photograph it, add the details like yardage and type of fabric and photo to my spreadsheet and the fabric goes into a ziplock with matching thread (if I thought to buy it or if I have it). Once I want to use it the fabric is good to go right away so I think it’s totally worth it.
I wash because I am so allergic to dust mites! People think i'm crazy when i say i can feel it in my nose when i am near something that has sat a long time.
Mee too!!!the same story, super allergic I can smell the dust in 2 seconds!!!! So I have to wash everything and keep fabrics in closed plastic boxes to avoid dust to reach them...
I'm a prewash girl because that's what I learned back when I was in the 7th grade and taken home ec. I hated sewing back then but now I just love it. Thank you Evelyn! Have a nice rest of your weekend!
Hi Regina, I also learned about pre-washing in 7th grade Home Ec. I haven't sewn for 50 years and am just taking it up again. I retired to a warm country and was shocked at the price of simple sundresses which I knew I could make myself. I am so excited to be beginning my second sewing journey at 68. 😊
I always pre-wash my fabrics. Depending on how much I have to wash, I either wash them in the sink or use the washer. When it's nice out, the fabric gets hung outside. Then it gets ironed before being put away. I have a Daisy Kingdom doll that came with an original outfit. The sleeves and collar were white eyelet, the bodice and pant legs are a burgundy. When I washed it, the color ran, so now the white eyelet is now pink .Also deep colors usually tend to run the first time or two that they are washed.
@@Evelyn__Wood Exactly! Like you, I chiefly tend to buy thrifted/vintage/estate fabrics. I know if I wash items when I get them, then it's done and out of the way, and ready for any future projects.
When I began sewing (decades ago) I can still clearly remember some soul destroying experiences that made me realise how important pre-washing is. First memory was when I had put ALOT of effort into making a very detailed skirt. After the first wash the grainline introduced itself & I had a very “biased out of shape” skirt. I’ve never forgotten that lesson! Another early disaster was a tee shirt that after its first wash it shrunk in length but sadly also grew in width. Took boxy to a whole new level!! My third disaster taught me - as you mention - to steam things - especially zips. Another skirt was made with love & a lot of effort. BUT when it was washed (carefully) the zip shrunk & the “ruched” look at the top of the back seam look was another attractive look - NOT! Can laugh about these “lessons” now but it took awhile!! 😂
You look especially beautiful in this elegant outfit :) Love the suffragette brooch and how all the colours complement each other! I always pre-wash my fabric on a much hotter temperature than I'm likely to use for the finished garment and tumble-dry it too. This means my finished garment is totally fool-proof for if my brother/father chuck my washing in the tumble drier while I'm out so that they can put theirs on (RIP my best bra and jeans two months ago.) I did recently forget to pre-wash the lining of a skirt I'm making, so gave it the shrinkage treatment after cutting the pieces. Thankfully I'd cut my seam allowances quite generously because my almost 2cm allowances were barely a millimetre in places, so I'll be having to finish the odd area by hand just to make sure I catch those raw edges. But thank God I realised I hadn't pre-washed it BEFORE I had sewn it all up! It would have been truly horrendous and ended up thrown away with that amount of shrinkage (I'd guesstimate it shrunk 4cm over a 30cm-ish length). I always think that if I'm going to spend however many hours working on something, an extra hour or two putting the fabric through the wash is totally worth it for the peace of mind while sewing!
My mother taught us to prewash, and we learned to prewash in home ec. I think it's only recently that some people don't. Mostly for quilts that are going to hang on the wall, and not be used.
The only official sewing class I ever took was about quilting (grandmother covered the rest), where not only shrinking, but bleeding can be a huge problem. So I went through life assuming one had to always pre wash fabric. I only sew with natural fibers (usually thrifted), and can't imagine any other way. Though I do like your ironing suggestion. Thanks!
Back when I was expecting my second child, I made myself a nursing nightgown. I had not prewashed. It shrunk. Fortunately it still fit, it was not as comfortable and the nursing openings were kind of awkward. Now I prewash everything.
I have prewashed my fabric for most of my sewing life. Recently with the crazy coronavirus it became necessary for my husband and all his workmates to wear scrubs to work. I did plain pants and tops with Marvel, etc., fabric. As I was in a rush (we had a weekend's notice to get something) I did the unusual and cut out fabric for two pairs of pants in different solid colours without prewashing. The first time they were washed, the one pair was fully 7" shorter and 4" narrower than the others, lesson learned.
Thank you so very much for your delightful insights! Such things were not available when in the sewing industry. I am 68, having been in the sewing industry for much of my young life. Your darling smile and information is so appreciated.
Well, lol!, I am now a convert to the "School of Wash"! From what I have recently encountered, and reading through all of the great comments (with focus on fabric/fiber type Etc.) none of my material will pass by the washing machine! Good info, Evelyn, thanks!!😁
I just made a bed cover with different fabrics for the borders and the center. I didn't pre-wash and the center ended up shrinking slightly more than the borders, making them ripple. Luckily it wasn't too bad so I was able to press it flat, but I'm never making that mistake again! Worst thing is my mother advised me to pre-wash and I was like "nah, I'm sure it's fine" *facepalm*
I started pre-washing as a quilter, wanting to make sure my cotton fabrics were all as shrunken as they were going to get before sewing little pieces together. I've carried it over to garment making because I just prefer the feel of pre-washed fabrics and get the benefit of pre-shrinking, removing chemicals, and knowing how the fabric is likely to act in the garment. Because I started out with quilting cottons (woven) it feels a bit weird to pre-wash knits, but I'm doing it anyway! Knits will shrink, especially if you put them in the tumble dryer. So if I've washed and tumble dried my fabric, I expect that I won't lose length in my hems after making the garment. With woven fabrics that are prone to ravelling, I always overlock the cut ends of the piece of fabric before washing. This stops the problem of huge clumps of knotted, messy, wasteful threads that have come away from the cut end. Overlocking is so quick and thread so inexpensive that it's false economy to not finish the cut edges before washing. And yes, in times when I haven't had access to my overlocker, I have zig-zagged my cut ends before washing with the same effect. It prevents ravelling. Good video, Evelyn!
Evelyn new to your channel and I'm binge watching your videos today and learning quite a bit. your videos are easy to watch and follow, and I thank you for not being all over the place, which makes it nice to listen and watch what your talking about. Thank you for your content :D
Best habit I learned from you here that I didn't know before is to pre-wash interfacing. I just would not have thought about it even though it makes perfect sense. Thank you for this info and excellent video tutorial.
Hi Evelyn. I am really enjoying your videos. I had a mishap with prewashing. I bought some lovely Japanese gilded fabric and a lot of the gold washed out- also, the fabric feels so thin afterwards. In a way, I'm glad I washed it. I could have gone to the effort of making something, only for it to be ruined in the washing. BTW, I will use the fabric for another project. Another good reason to prewash. 😊
Wonderfully informative video as usual. I always pre wash cottons, however, didn’t think about the reasons you mentioned to pre wash other kinds of fabric. Also, love the broach you are wearing. You are a great ambassador for the art of sewing. Best regards.
I usually pre-washed unless I was buying a few hours before I was planning to wear the garment. I bought one piece of striped fabric that I wasn't familiar with, so I pre-washed. As I was making the shirt, I could actually watch it shrink as I pressed! I only wore it 3 times until it was just too small. The fabric was 100% acetate and I realized decades later it was sleeve lining for a wool jacket! Live and learn.
Should you overlock, zigzag or pink the edges of fabric before washing to avoid a tangled web of threads? And should fabric be washed in warm or hot or hottest water? I'd love an in depth video about the intricacies of pre-washing fabrics, and indeed how to wash garments after construction!
I wash all fabrics under the same conditions I would wash the finished garment. That way, how it will behave after being used and worn will not be a surprise. The types threads used ought to be on the bolt label. You can research how to treat them. Many fabrics today are washable on a gentle cycle or by hand, with a gentle soap. As to tangled threads, my solution is to place new fabric in a washing bag, and wash compatible fabrics in several bags.
I never ever pre- shrunk my fabric. After a long hiatus, I am back to seeing, and I find the fabric is more variable .. in its cleanliness, in the surface treatment it has applied to it, in the durability of the the degree of colour- fastness. So now… I pre- treat. I will put it in the bathtub and either air- dry or damp- dry in the dryer .. before cutting.
I just discover your channel and I love it. Thank you. I'm always surprised, it's the second time I hear about prewash. My grandma, mom and aunt run a famous shop in Belgium and I haven't heard about prewash before. It's new for me but not useless. I'll think about it in the future. ❤️
Industry does not do it as a practice, as it is just not practice to unroll an entire bolt of fabric, wash in some industrial sized machine, then iron it, then roll it out to cut out the pattern pieces.... it is just a home sewing thing! Maybe why you never heard it from them before ❤
I started seriously sewing in 1958 and until very recently I had never ever prewashed. None of the teachers we had ever told us we should prewash and in all the decades I've been sewing I've never had a fabric shrink......... until recently. A year ago I made a shirt from a pattern I'd used 3 times previously. The fourth shirt was to be made out of a lovely cotton fabric. After I'd finished sewing it I then washed it as I always had, after making a garment, and it shrank slightly. It's not unwearable but the sleeves, particularly, feel a little short. I was so disappointed. Now I always prewash. However, I have concluded that manufacturers used to prewash before selling bolts of fabric to wholesalers/retailers but now, in order to cut costs, the customers have to do it and to make up for any possible shrinkage they have to buy extra fabric, giving wholesalers and manufacturers a little extra profit. Call me cynical but.........
Hi Evelyn! Yes love the video, most interesting perspectives. I don’t usually prewash my fabrics but for the finished products I’ll either dry clean or use one of those home dry cleaning products like Dryel or Woolite so that my pieces will last. Not sure if it’s the right step but it seems to work for me. It makes sense to wash the vintage fabrics but I just don’t. By the way, cute top! Well happy sewing everyone!!! 🧵✂️🧵
I work mostly with salvaged materials (fabric, curtains, sheets from thrift shops, refashioning clothing...) I tend to wash everything on boil and dry on Sahara Desert so it shrinks or shreds or does what it's gonna do before I put any work into it. Exceptions are things like men's suit blazers and wool stuff; anything that would normally get dry-cleaned.
I didn’t know the puckering on the interfacing was due to shrinkage! 🤭 this used to happen to me so much when I was younger and too lazy to prewash! Didn’t have any major problems though but nowadays I always prewash, but I realize also watching your video that I always did press my pieces with steam. I prewash new and second hand fabrics for all the reasons you mentioned, and as I’m sensitive the many perfumes in laundry detergents & fabric softeners I make sure to wash for that reason too.
I always prewash all my fabric before sewing it. I mean everything! I prewash wool, silk, rayon, you name it. Almost everything I make I plan on washing in the washing machine so I want to have the hand of the fabric be what it's going to be before I get started on any project.
A steam table will do the same as washing. My grandmother and mother-in-law , seamstress, had steam tables. My grandmother's was 1 meter by 1/2 meter. My mother-in-law steam table was 1/2 meter by 1 and 1/2 meters. Mostly used for bedding pressing, and to iron on. I remember my grandmother making rice starch for ironing, cold rinsing rice and diluting to her liking. This was used for white dress shirt, bed sheets, and the like. Also great pressing out French seams in one shot before sewing. Today we have drapery steamers that work well for steaming, especially for those puckering seems that shrink. Love your videos, joejust
Joe Just I worked in a sample room for a couple of years and we used an industrial steam iron to pre shrink fabric for fit samples. We referred to that as “cooking” the fabric... is that a term you’ve heard?
Wow. This just blew my mind. Been sewing about three years now. Always front scratch. I cant believ how lucky I've been. But I will be risking no more!! Thank you for this video. Was really good.
You could be lucky forever like me! But then maybe not too! Just read some of those stories of fabric shrinkage!! Is a good habit to get into for many reasons 😄
New fabric I usually don’t prewash unless it’s for patchwork. But definitely prewash second hand: hand wash woollens in gentle woolwash, normal washing machine cycle for cotton sheets etc. It’s an interesting argument and I’m glad you have addressed it.
Although I commented a couple of weeks ago I wanted to say something else. I was looking through my fabric and found this funky mid century piece. I am going to make a men's short sleeved shirt with a banding on the bottom. The fabric was very stiff but I thought it would work well. I washed the fabric and dried it. It feels completely different. Now it is lovely soft rayon.(I did the burn test) You would never know it was the same fabric. Now I want to make a dress with it,but my hubby is all excited about his new shirt.
I have to admit Evelyn I did not pre-wash my fabrics either and still in some cases do not for the exception of vintage fabrics. I definitely wash. In my formal sew training this was taught, but I thought I could bypass it until I ran into a couple of problems. A great many of my pieces are dry cleaned, but I recall making this beautiful gray, black and blue wool plaid pencil skirt and after a few wearings, I sent it to the cleaners and low and behold it shrank in the hip area. At first I thought I had put on a bit of weight. You can imagine the horror and the incredible disappointment in putting on a favorite skirt and having that happen. But, it was a hard lesson learned. I still have the skirt though I have not worn it in a while. I now know when I plan to make something in 100% wool, which is incredibly expensive, to do the right thing and pre-wash. The tip on cutting a sample of the fabric and marking it with thread was perfect; I will be giving this a try in the future.
Hello Evelyn, thanks a lot for the video. I usually prewash fabric for the known reasons and because I also buy second hand or they are given to me BUT there is no habit so far. I try to wash them color by color or light and dark, red seperately and sometimes I collect them until a machine is complete. So there ist definitely room for improvement! 😉 Because I like Patchwork etc it would be better to be able to Pull them out an start instead of pulling them out from different spaces and wash the ones that are not washed already 😩 Regards from Germany Stephanie
What a great topic! I prewash religiously like my mother taught me. I also prewash bought clothes. I want to get rid of all the chemicals. Because I only dry clean coats if I have to (I got a washable one 2nd hand the other day and am so happy with that!) I need to see if the fabric will stand up to washing. I also want to know how it will drape after washing. I can be quite ruthless when it comes to washing and have very rarely misjudged what the fabric can withstand.
I have just started sewing and I've only used polyester, cotton, and linen. I have always prewashed them. When I try out wool I am going to test it and maybe try the steam method! I have noticed how fabric color changed in the wash, especially the linen, so I was glad I washed it first.
Glad I'm starting off okay! Washed 6m of corduroy yesterday in preperation for future projects and I've got a load of chiffon and cottons to go in tomorrow! 😂
Great content! My rule is generally, "if you're going to wash the garment in the washing machine after it is made, prewash in the washing machine before sewing". Regarding prewashing, for me silks and wools are not prewashed, because I always dry-clean them after garment making.
I find it important. But I don't wash on hottest temp like some. Especially if it's just for me. I'll prewash warm cold, because I wash most things cold.
@@Evelyn__Wood Oh goodness no! Even with soiled cottons, I've never needed to wash in hot water. Most usually a good quality soap and a soak to loosen dirt/dust/grime is sufficient.
I've learned to wash the fabric before I wear it especially if I think it might bleed. I wash it the way I would wash it when it gets to be a regular piece of my clothing. This shows me what will wrinkle, always need to be ironed, grain shift, shrinkage, roll up, pill, etc.
I prewash every fabric I buy when I intend to wash the finished garment. I try to use the same settings on my washing mashine I tend using for the finished garments too. So cotton fabrics I wash with 40-60°C, wools 30°C or colder in Handwash program, viscose/rayon 40°C or colder. I have a laundry detergent for colored garments (because most of my clothing is black, and so the color wont britghten up that fast and one I use for wool only. (but you can use Hairshampoo for Babys to wash your wool, but if you do it in your maschine use only very very little of that shampoo because of the foam...) I dont have a dryer so everything is drying at the air (in shadow). But there are some fabrics I wont wash, coutil for corsets for example, they can lose their shape and form and strenght and you cant wash a finished corset anyway so it doesnt matter that much. But you are right, fabrics used for tight fitting garments should be prewashed most of the time. Thanks for your videos, even if I know most of the things you talk about I love to watch them because sometimes there are things I can pick up or its only because you are always so friendly and smiling and that brightens up my day :D
Actually, that would be a good argument to prewash coutil. There is nothing special about coutil as a fabric. Just a twill weave. Washing will actually set the weave. Also removes the spinning and weaving oils and chemicals.
O prewash my fabric for corsets and then starch and iron fabric so it's easier to handle to sew the corset. The starch and ironing gives the body back to the fabric. It doesn't effect the wearabilty of the garment. Hope this helps.
I recently bought two bolts of pillow ticking from Walmart (I try not to shop there but you can't find ticking just anywhere....) I prewashed and dried at a friend's house and we refolded and rolled back onto the bolt when done. The Fabric is so much more wonky than we expected. It barely rolled back onto the cardboard bolts. and we noticed a sizeable shrinkage in the coverage of the bolt.. so maybe 1-2" shrink. Since it will be used for Pillows and Handbag linings, it can be straightened out and ironed into shape as I use the segments of the fabric. But at $3/yard for 100%cotton heavy pillow ticking.... I'm still counting myself as lucky. Thank you for an excellent video about Best Practices to Prevent Painful outcomes.... like the 5 Ps in any project>> Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.
I pre wash now.... I have a beautiful warped quilt. It’s a Rhombus! I also worked in retail for years selling apparel mostly denim and intimates. Always wash your new underwear! I remember formaldehyde being one of the treatments used on fabrics and garments! A day after folding 1000 pairs of jeans in an afternoon my hands would be so dry.
I always prewash except for some fine silks or wools which I will clean in the way I am planning to clean when sewn. I also prewash before it goes into my stash, that way I just need to iron and sew when I am ready
Pre-wash, dry, then iron the fabric with right sides together- along the straight of grain, matching side-to-side selvages together . Most patterns assume that fabric is placed right sides together, unless otherwise specified. A dry cleaner can handle any non-washable fabrics. Rayon is especially prone to shrinkage. Any ready-to-wear garments made from rayon, silk, or wool require dry-cleaning to prevent them from becoming twisted, turned, and shrunken. This is true of any drapery fabrics too. I taught my children this fact before they left home. Happy sewing!
Every year for twenty years I made myself a new pair of woollen trousers. This was because my weight kept changing. I pre-washed the wool before I cut them out and I have never gone anywhere near a dry cleaner. Woollen trousers can be washed the same way that you wash a woollen sweater - quickly, in warm water and use the spin dry to get the water our. It is only when it comes to ironing them that you want the dry cleaner. It took me an hour to iron freshly washed 100% wool trousers, but I only had to wash them twice a year.
When I made my first waistcoat I carefully measured everything and made it up. It fitted perfectly - until I washed it. The outer fabric was fine but the cotton lining shrunk about 2 sizes, making the waistcoat unusable. Since then, when I buy fabric I add an extra metre. Once I get home I zip the fabric ends with my overlocker and wash and iron it according to the instructions. THEN I start making my project. Things like waistcoats are relatively close fitting to start with so any error can be disastrous.
When fabric cones in the door, it goes directly to the serger to be readied for the washer. Fabric is washed and dried as it would be after construction. I always have fabric ready to go when I’m in the mood to sew. I even wash silk. I got that ideas from Louise Cutting.
I prewash and DRYer dry (fabric capable), as much as possible. My Mom taught me that about shrinkage. It's harder in the winter because I don't have a dryer. But in summer the 110* days do the same as a dryer. :) So I wash to get rid of the formaldehyde of new fabric and shrink them, and 2nd hand fabrics because you don't know what happened to them before you got them. It also refreshes older fabrics, which is nice.
When my son was little, I made him some cargo trousers with camaflage print cotton, he couldn't wait to wear them when they were finished, but there were a few traces of Taylor's chalk on them so I told him they had to be washed first. Needless to say, they shrunk in the wash, I don't know who was the most disappointed, me or him! I am just returning to sewing, eight years after having a stroke! So I will now have to try sewing one handed!
Always prewash, as I tend to make clothing that is to be washed as opposed to dry clean. Even started prewashing interfacing, as I have a few times where I have seen it shrink when ironing on.
I made a bathrobe with 100% cotton flannel, that was a blue-white-gray plaid design fabric. I pre-washed, and as soon as the agitation started the water turned a dark blue. I thought "Great, getting rid of excess dye." Then I threw it in the dryer, and when I checked the filter afterwards it was thick with fibers (Almost could have used it as a pot holder). So I could say that pre-washing and drying "pre-conditioned" the fabric for me. After ironing, the fabric looked and felt the same, so whatever came out of it did not degrade it in any noticeable way. Also, it had very little shrinkage when I measured after ironing. Had similar results with other types of fabric as well. Dye removal seems to be the most obvious thing that I see happen.
Awesome video Evelyn! I'm such a pre-washer, especially as I'm mostly sewing cottons at the moment. Depending on the cotton I wash it at 30 or 40 degrees, which is the temperature I will most probably use once the garment is finished. What I like to do with my new or thrifted fabrics though is to pinking-shear all the edges so that once I pull it out of the washer I don't find that massive nest of threads - Chiara V.
Depending on the amount of fabric you have, washing it inside of a mesh lingerie bag or a zip shut pillow protector helps to greatly reduce that mass of tangled, knotted threads along the edges. I've had good luck with it.
Hi, I definitely prewash. I especially like to launder my thrift finds. Who knows when the last time they have been washed, how many lovely hands they’ve passed through, and how long they’ve been hanging up unloved and unused. I take them home, wash then, love them, and incorporate them into my sewing. Also, is your blouse a refashion? I like the 1930’s collar. I hope you’ll do a class on collars in our Vintage Sewing School and show us how to make that lovely collar. 😇
I pre-wash according to how the finished project would be washed, or a little rougher/hotter if the fabric can take it. So far that means cottons and linens go on a 30C wash or a 40C wash (30 is my default so I often forget to go higher), and wools or silks go on their designated special setting, unless the silk is hand wash only, in which case I do that. If something is going to shrink (discounting pure wools), it seems most shrinkage comes out in that first wash, something like 90% of it, but I have had a pre-made but not pre-shrunk loose floor length re-enactment dress that did continue to shrink, just little, on the second and maybe third washes too (this was fine as the dress was made with this in mind and miraculously wound up sitting nicely on the tops of my feet). For that reason I give fabric that is clearly more 'natural', less processed, cheep, or intended for a very fitted and/or precise project a second pre-wash too, to try and catch that last 10% of the possible shrinkage.
I was not pre-washing and busy with part of a linen croppedjacket, when I snipped my finger with the scissors and bled all over the front panel of the jacket😶. Upon rinsing the panel in cold water it shrunk to my horror and came out smaller than the other panel of the jacket😮. Lesson learnt well.
Dad had me wash the fabric as soon as we brought it home from the store that first time. I do not remember if I washed the purse fabric first or not but I was never going to wear the purse. I always had to wash fabric before I took it to school to sew with. Last year as I cut fabric off the bolts here I washed it before I made mask. I would say at least 90% of of the time I launder it first. It depends on what I am making. If it is wearable and going to be laundered I wash it. It is very rare I do not.
I NEVER prewash when making quilts. I like the factory finish on the cottons as it helps with piecing accuracy. I do steam press the bejesus out of it though before I cut and piece it and/or starch t it’s a home made solution. I have found it makes no difference in the look of my final washed quilt whether I prewash or not. When making clothing I always prewash to prevent shrinkage. As well, I like. Softer hand to the fabric when I am sewing it.
If the fabric content is cotton or rayon I definitely prewash, if it is/mostly poly I don't always. However my latest practice is to take all washable fabric purchases directly out of the bag and into the washer before it ever gets to my sewing area. If I am making something for my grandkids and I know that that family doesn't always check the dryer like they should, I will make sure I really dry that fabric more than I would for my own use. That way the item should still fit after the first washing and drying.
I wash everything with the settings I will use when washing the finished garment. If it is a very delicate fabric (or even if it is not a washable fabric), I will mostly hand wash it very carefully and until now I haven't destroyed anything 😅 I mostly do it because of shrinkage, but also because I want to know that it is really clean. Then I will fold it and put it in my stash, and I will iron it before really using it, so I make sure that the fabric lies flat underneath the pattern.
I am getting 10 yards of Poly Satin Fabric 708933 from Hobby Lobby for a wedding dress. Initially, I didn't plan on washing it, but you have convinced me otherwise. I guess I will cut a large piece for the bodice, leaving some extra fabric, and see if there is any shrinkage. Washing all 10 yards would be quite a task! :P
I don't know if you still look at comments on these older videos but I absolutely love your blouse. It is so elegant and unique. Did you make it and if so could you share which pattern you used? Thanks so much if you do. Otherwise is this just a compliment that you look great in the blouse😁
It depends on how much time I have during the COVID era of online ordering. For a minute there, I couldn't find ANYTHING I'd want to wear (and equally wouldn't want others to either), so testing and prewashing became more common. I prefer steaming the snot out of everything. Maybe too much... It's up there with the look and smell of cedar.
You mentioned that washing will/can relax the grain of the fabric. My sewing teacher, 40+ years ago, taught us to put the fabric diagonally when the grain was wonky after washing/drying. Which makes me wonder about straightening the fabric before cutting. Will the sewn item go back wonky after it is wash like it did during prewash? I never noticed that it did but, I don't generally sew for myself.
Yes this is good way to get the grain back into place too! I always want to cut my garment pieces and the fabric to sit, as it will sit in the garment once made up wash after wash 😊
Depends on the usage. Clothes fabric - definitely pre-wash - I had a linen blend shrink by 25% through the warp. Quilt fabric no - but I do wash the assembled top and backing before quilting.
Another informative video. In quilting I don't like to pre-wash and I always make the quilt a little large. For garments I think it is a very good idea to pre-wash and I was taught to do that in school. I have had issues with the edges fraying pretty badly. Do you do anything to prevent fraying??? Like put a zig zag stitch on the edge???
Here is my story. About 50 years ago, I cut, out of yellow cotton corduroy, pieces to make overalls for my 2 years old daughter. The overalls came up and buttoned on the shoulder. Out of a cute brown and white gingham, I made two little chick appliques. I sewed them to the thigh area of one leg and the calf of the other leg. Oh goodness, my little one looked so cute. (I did not take a photo, sad to say). She wore them, I washed them. Can you guess? They shrank so much, she could never wear them again. Ever since that time I have prewashed all washable fabric. Thank you, Evelyn, for this excellent video.
One of the pre washing 'horror stories' !! I'm glad this has never happened to me, but hearing it makes me want to prewash everything again!!
I scored two lovely summer skirt suits that shrank. My sister bought them in the late 1960s and they shrank in the first wash. I was smaller than my sister so I got them. Yay!
They were a beautiful cotton lined in muslim. The cotton is as smooth as silk and printed in floral patterns, one pink, one blue. I still have them. The tops are still wearable but I turned the skirt into hot pants.
I used to work in a fabric store for years and all I can say is always pre-wash if the fabric is washable! I used to also think that new fabric from a roll is probably quite clean but thats not always the case. Most fabrics have been in a lot of places before they end up in the store; woven and dyed in India packaged, sent to Europe, printed in England and slapped with a "made in England" text, sent to more warehouses, cut and rolled in to smaller rolls and sold to stores and so on. A lot of hands have touched the fabrics before it ends up on the shelves and most of the time nobody has any idea what kinda chemicals were used in the making or where the fabric or fibre originally came from since only the country where the product was finalised needs to be mentioned in the country of origin. Occasionally dead bugs/dirt/stains could be found rolled up in the fabric. And some customers will let the fabric roll over the floor when they spread it out. A lot of possible things that you don't want to put against your skin. And then there's the whole grain situation and I won't even get to that :D You explained it very well.
I sometimes forget but I’ve gotten into a good practice of doing it. As soon as I get home from the fabric shop I admittedly wash it .
That is good information, thanks!
Jenna, thank you for that information. Before I sew a project, sometimes I'll just soak it in the sink with a little bit of soap. Then I either hang dry it or put it in the dryer for a short cycle.
This, this , this. I was taught to always wash and iron fabric before doing anything else and NEVER skip this step. If it can't be washed, off to the cleaner it goes.
I used to work in a fabric store too, long time ago, and I had to quit... sad... as when batches of fabrics were coming in from some countries, I was not able to breathe from the chemical fumes and dyes. I was literally choking. Since then, I always wash my fabrics to take these chemicals & smells away... and of course, for the shrinkage.
Once upon a time, I purchased a length of gorgeous fabric to make a dress. I read the laundering instructions on the end of the bolt. When I got home I washed the fabric as instructed and separately, as always. When I took the fabric out of the washing machine I was horrified because the colors ran all over themselves and were just a big muddle. When I took the fabric back to the store and showed the ruined fabric to the manager and asked for a refund she said, "Why did you wash the fabric before you made the dress?" I said, "You're looking at it." She wouldn't give me a refund but she did credit the cost toward more fabric. I never shopped there again.
I've worked for fabric companies and am an avid sewer who has two additional reasons to wash: 1) Fabric is frequently shipped from the manufacturer by boat, and insects can be a problem. Some of the chemicals on new fabric are insecticides - not so concentrated as to be poisonous, but I'd rather not be handling them when I sew. And 2) Sometimes the crease down the middle of a cut of fabric can be dirty or damaged in some way, especially if it is vintage. Washing will reveal any problems and whether they have been removed by pre-washing.
My mother is an adamant non-prewasher, so I didn’t for a while. Then I made something that ended up all wonky and my mother-in-law pointed out it wouldn’t have happened had I pre-washed. So I now pre-wash everything much to my mother’s dismay. 😂
🤣🤣🤣
My wife bought some new drapes and they were significantly too long. Like two feet too long. I have no idea what I'm doing so I watch a bunch of these videos, asked a couple of questions (thank you for the help by the way) and got to work. I laid everything out, measured it with a micrometer, cut, hemmed and hung them. They were perfect! Then I washed them... 8' long drapes shrink. A lot. Worse yet, they didn't all shrink the same amount so now my drapes looks like a kindergartener did them. For the love of Pete, prewash your fabric!
Aww nooooooooo!! 😣😣😣
@@Evelyn__Wood It's alright, I learn my best lessons by messing up. Like they say, "Those that never make mistakes, mever make anything at all."
Slade Noland I thought I was the only one who said, “for the love of Pete!” 😂
I did something simular with curtains...
I've got some curtains I want to cut down. I'll be sure to wash them first! Thanks for the warning.
I pre wash almost entirely for hygiene reasons. I don’t know where that fabric has been, I’m washing it. Same goes for new clothing. I’ll try it on at the store, but I’m not going to wear it around until after I’ve washed t.
Same. I was a germaphobe long before 2020 made it hip, and while I'll try on clothes in the store, I throw them straight into the hamper once I bring them home. True for both new and used clothes because, quite simply, I don't know where it's been before it came home with me, and even stuff I have seen is gross--like when people toss clothes on their floor while deciding what to wear... yuck. Also, cutting out one's fabric on the freakin' floor is disgusting. Dude, that's what tables are for! When it comes to clothes, laundry, textiles, dishes, etc., in my house, the motto is, "dirty until proven clean."
I am a devoted pre-washer! I usually serge (with a 4mm stitch length) around the perimeter of the fabric before I wash the yardage so it does not fray when it is washed an dried.
I wish I had a serger for this reason. Some fabric frays so ridiculously much that you can't wash it until its turned into a finished garment.
@@redwillowcreations6919 how about trimming the edges with pinking shears? I baste my fabric with a long basting stitch either by hand or more usually by machine. Fabric rarely fraud this way. ❤️
@@redwillowcreations6919 I just use my normal sewing machine to run a zig zag stitch along the raw (cut) edges of my fabric before pre-washing, that stops the freying just as finishing a seam does. Also, like with the salvage, this gives a ready finished, or semi finished, edge that could be used as a cheat during a project.
I do this as well! It also makes it clear if a fabric in my stash has been washed.
I am almost 72 and just now starting to sew clothes for myself, although I have made several quilts. You make it all sound so easy and concise to learn. You make sense to me! I am a visual learner, so this really helps me. Thank you.
I have been sewing for over 50 years. My mother was a dressmaker and I learned from her...always pre-wash fabric for all of the reasons you have stated. Back then, wool was dry-clean only...so my mom had an arrangement with the local dry cleaner to “steam cure” the wool for her. She would zig-zag any edges that may fray first. Of course our washers and dryers have all the settings needed to do this. Pre-washing as a habit means that all of your fabric is ready to go whenever the mood to sew hits! Oh, and always iron it just before laying it on your cutting table. 😊🇨🇦
I love she took week fabric to the dry cleaner! 😊 It's a good habit you've kept Polly!
*POLLY WOULD YOU PLEASE START A HOW TO SEE FOR BEGINNERS AND INTERMEDIATE LEVELS. YOU SOUND LIKE YOU HAVE OLDSCHOOL THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE. THEY'RE THE LAST OF A DYING BREED. THE OLDSCHOOL TAILORS ARE GONE. NOBODY TEACHES US. PLEASE DON'T LET IT DIE OUT. I'M SUBBING TO YOU HOPING YOU'LL BEGIN PLEASE START WITH TEACHING US BY HAND , SEWING MACHINE AND THE COMPONENTS OF A MACHINE, WHICH KIND IS BEST FOR BEGINNER AND EXPERTS, ETCETERA. YOU CAN GET SUCCESSFUL AND EARN CZcams INCOME EVENTUALLY.. DON'T LET THE WISDOM DIE. THANKS*
@@DiamondRubyJewel Thanks so much for your kind words, but Evelyn has a vintage sewing school where she teaches all of these techniques, plus there are lots of other CZcams channels that do a great job! I continue to learn something every day myself! Sewing is such a wonderful, creative use of your time and I wish you much success! A piece of advice I give new sewists is that if you think of garment construction like engineering a building....how each bit in the construction process is key/vital in the structure of your garment will look and stay sound. Take the time to learn the 'why'. It makes all the difference between a garment looking like its fast fashion or couture.
DiamondRubyJewel if you’re interested in some old school tailoring techniques specifically, Foundations Revealed has a couture tailor as one of their tutors on that site (as well as a wealth of other tutors who teach historical dressmaking techniques specifically). For a taste of that, Bernadette Banner has a video on padstitching with that couture tailor, as well as a host of other videos where she uses historical techniques herself. And Bernadette herself is also a tutor on Foundations Revealed. Between that and Evelyn’s Vintage Sewing School, you’ll have both historical and vintage sewing skills completely covered! I really do recommend them both very highly.
@@katherinemorelle7115 *I TRULY THANK YOU.😉*
Before anything comes into the sewing room, they go into the laundry room first. I mostly quilt, so cottons do shrink and bleed (especially dark blue and reds). I bought a lot of silk shirts at the thrift shops for a wearable art project and they also went into the laundry room. Garment fabric like wool, fusible web, and stabilizers I do it by hand in the bathtub and let air dry. The only shrinkage problems I have ever had is store-bought clothes.
I always pre-wash my fabrics. I took sewing classes many years ago where we were taught that, and it became such a lifelong habit after I saw what results you get with pre-washing and ironing. At the moment, I’m just making face masks, and I usually use quilter’s fat quarters, and I even pre-wash those by hand, and in separate tubs in case they bleed. Then I iron them. I feel it always makes a better product even on such a small item as a face mask. It may seem picky, but it does make a better product, and I’m always reminded of my father who always said, “a job worth doing is worth doing well”. He was right. Plus I can still take pride in a mask made well. I always feel that my name and reputation are in any of my sewing, even masks.
My rule is pre-wash if what I’m making is going to be washed! I also try to pre-wash when I buy it so when creativity strikes I’m not stuck waiting a couple hours on the washer and dryer 😂
Me too!! 😄
I always prewash my fabric as soon as it arrives in the house. I normally hang my handmade clothes to dry but for that first wash I actually put the fabric in the dryer (if type of fabric allows it). Once dry, I photograph it, add the details like yardage and type of fabric and photo to my spreadsheet and the fabric goes into a ziplock with matching thread (if I thought to buy it or if I have it). Once I want to use it the fabric is good to go right away so I think it’s totally worth it.
One less thing to get in the way of your creative genius. 😉
I wash because I am so allergic to dust mites! People think i'm crazy when i say i can feel it in my nose when i am near something that has sat a long time.
Mee too!!!the same story, super allergic I can smell the dust in 2 seconds!!!! So I have to wash everything and keep fabrics in closed plastic boxes to avoid dust to reach them...
Me, three!
I'm a prewash girl because that's what I learned back when I was in the 7th grade and taken home ec. I hated sewing back then but now I just love it. Thank you Evelyn! Have a nice rest of your weekend!
Hi Regina, I also learned about pre-washing in 7th grade Home Ec. I haven't sewn for 50 years and am just taking it up again. I retired to a warm country and was shocked at the price of simple sundresses which I knew I could make myself. I am so excited to be beginning my second sewing journey at 68. 😊
I always pre-wash my fabrics. Depending on how much I have to wash, I either wash them in the sink or use the washer. When it's nice out, the fabric gets hung outside. Then it gets ironed before being put away. I have a Daisy Kingdom doll that came with an original outfit. The sleeves and collar were white eyelet, the bodice and pant legs are a burgundy. When I washed it, the color ran, so now the white eyelet is now pink .Also deep colors usually tend to run the first time or two that they are washed.
Arrhh... the dreaded 'pink' 😓! It happens to the best of us!
I always, always prewash using a delicate setting. I hang fabric up over my shower curtain rod to dry. I've never had any problems.
I think a habit like it sounds as though you have, is best if you want to pre wash. then its done and you don't have to think of it again! 😀
@@Evelyn__Wood Exactly! Like you, I chiefly tend to buy thrifted/vintage/estate fabrics. I know if I wash items when I get them, then it's done and out of the way, and ready for any future projects.
Yes!!
@@Evelyn__Wood What if it then sits in your stash for years? Is it still clean? Asking for a friend :)
Hmmm, I better ask for my friend too please! 🤣
When I began sewing (decades ago) I can still clearly remember some soul destroying experiences that made me realise how important pre-washing is. First memory was when I had put ALOT of effort into making a very detailed skirt. After the first wash the grainline introduced itself & I had a very “biased out of shape” skirt. I’ve never forgotten that lesson! Another early disaster was a tee shirt that after its first wash it shrunk in length but sadly also grew in width. Took boxy to a whole new level!! My third disaster taught me - as you mention - to steam things - especially zips. Another skirt was made with love & a lot of effort. BUT when it was washed (carefully) the zip shrunk & the “ruched” look at the top of the back seam look was another attractive look - NOT! Can laugh about these “lessons” now but it took awhile!! 😂
You look especially beautiful in this elegant outfit :) Love the suffragette brooch and how all the colours complement each other!
I always pre-wash my fabric on a much hotter temperature than I'm likely to use for the finished garment and tumble-dry it too. This means my finished garment is totally fool-proof for if my brother/father chuck my washing in the tumble drier while I'm out so that they can put theirs on (RIP my best bra and jeans two months ago.)
I did recently forget to pre-wash the lining of a skirt I'm making, so gave it the shrinkage treatment after cutting the pieces. Thankfully I'd cut my seam allowances quite generously because my almost 2cm allowances were barely a millimetre in places, so I'll be having to finish the odd area by hand just to make sure I catch those raw edges. But thank God I realised I hadn't pre-washed it BEFORE I had sewn it all up! It would have been truly horrendous and ended up thrown away with that amount of shrinkage (I'd guesstimate it shrunk 4cm over a 30cm-ish length). I always think that if I'm going to spend however many hours working on something, an extra hour or two putting the fabric through the wash is totally worth it for the peace of mind while sewing!
I feel like so many beginners don't realize that this step is so important! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic!
My mother taught us to prewash, and we learned to prewash in home ec. I think it's only recently that some people don't. Mostly for quilts that are going to hang on the wall, and not be used.
The only official sewing class I ever took was about quilting (grandmother covered the rest), where not only shrinking, but bleeding can be a huge problem. So I went through life assuming one had to always pre wash fabric. I only sew with natural fibers (usually thrifted), and can't imagine any other way. Though I do like your ironing suggestion. Thanks!
Back when I was expecting my second child, I made myself a nursing nightgown. I had not prewashed. It shrunk. Fortunately it still fit, it was not as comfortable and the nursing openings were kind of awkward. Now I prewash everything.
I have prewashed my fabric for most of my sewing life. Recently with the crazy coronavirus it became necessary for my husband and all his workmates to wear scrubs to work. I did plain pants and tops with Marvel, etc., fabric. As I was in a rush (we had a weekend's notice to get something) I did the unusual and cut out fabric for two pairs of pants in different solid colours without prewashing. The first time they were washed, the one pair was fully 7" shorter and 4" narrower than the others, lesson learned.
I think it is also important to wash your fabric the same way the finished garment is going to be washed. Dry cleaning, normal, delicate washing, etc.
Thank you so very much for your delightful insights! Such things were not available when in the sewing industry. I am 68, having been in the sewing industry for much of my young life. Your darling smile and information is so appreciated.
Thanks so much for watching!
Thank you Ms. Evelyn for this video as I am new to sewing and need lots of pointers. Love your Channel
Well, lol!, I am now a convert to the "School of Wash"! From what I have recently encountered, and reading through all of the great comments (with focus on fabric/fiber type Etc.) none of my material will pass by the washing machine!
Good info, Evelyn, thanks!!😁
I just made a bed cover with different fabrics for the borders and the center. I didn't pre-wash and the center ended up shrinking slightly more than the borders, making them ripple. Luckily it wasn't too bad so I was able to press it flat, but I'm never making that mistake again! Worst thing is my mother advised me to pre-wash and I was like "nah, I'm sure it's fine" *facepalm*
I started pre-washing as a quilter, wanting to make sure my cotton fabrics were all as shrunken as they were going to get before sewing little pieces together. I've carried it over to garment making because I just prefer the feel of pre-washed fabrics and get the benefit of pre-shrinking, removing chemicals, and knowing how the fabric is likely to act in the garment. Because I started out with quilting cottons (woven) it feels a bit weird to pre-wash knits, but I'm doing it anyway! Knits will shrink, especially if you put them in the tumble dryer. So if I've washed and tumble dried my fabric, I expect that I won't lose length in my hems after making the garment. With woven fabrics that are prone to ravelling, I always overlock the cut ends of the piece of fabric before washing. This stops the problem of huge clumps of knotted, messy, wasteful threads that have come away from the cut end. Overlocking is so quick and thread so inexpensive that it's false economy to not finish the cut edges before washing. And yes, in times when I haven't had access to my overlocker, I have zig-zagged my cut ends before washing with the same effect. It prevents ravelling. Good video, Evelyn!
I was so glad that this was one of the first lessons I had, I’ve never had any of my clothes shrink.
Evelyn new to your channel and I'm binge watching your videos today and learning quite a bit. your videos are easy to watch and follow, and I thank you for not being all over the place, which makes it nice to listen and watch what your talking about. Thank you for your content :D
Best habit I learned from you here that I didn't know before is to pre-wash interfacing. I just would not have thought about it even though it makes perfect sense. Thank you for this info and excellent video tutorial.
Hi Evelyn. I am really enjoying your videos. I had a mishap with prewashing. I bought some lovely Japanese gilded fabric and a lot of the gold washed out- also, the fabric feels so thin afterwards. In a way, I'm glad I washed it. I could have gone to the effort of making something, only for it to be ruined in the washing. BTW, I will use the fabric for another project. Another good reason to prewash. 😊
Wonderfully informative video as usual. I always pre wash cottons, however, didn’t think about the reasons you mentioned to pre wash other kinds of fabric. Also, love the broach you are wearing. You are a great ambassador for the art of sewing. Best regards.
I usually pre-washed unless I was buying a few hours before I was planning to wear the garment. I bought one piece of striped fabric that I wasn't familiar with, so I pre-washed. As I was making the shirt, I could actually watch it shrink as I pressed! I only wore it 3 times until it was just too small. The fabric was 100% acetate and I realized decades later it was sleeve lining for a wool jacket! Live and learn.
Love your channel. Very informative and somewhat relaxing
Should you overlock, zigzag or pink the edges of fabric before washing to avoid a tangled web of threads? And should fabric be washed in warm or hot or hottest water? I'd love an in depth video about the intricacies of pre-washing fabrics, and indeed how to wash garments after construction!
I wash all fabrics under the same conditions I would wash the finished garment. That way, how it will behave after being used and worn will not be a surprise. The types threads used ought to be on the bolt label. You can research how to treat them. Many fabrics today are washable on a gentle cycle or by hand, with a gentle soap. As to tangled threads, my solution is to place new fabric in a washing bag, and wash compatible fabrics in several bags.
@@petersdotter1 Thank you! :D
I never ever pre- shrunk my fabric. After a long hiatus, I am back to seeing, and I find the fabric is more variable .. in its cleanliness, in the surface treatment it has applied to it, in the durability of the the degree of colour- fastness.
So now… I pre- treat.
I will put it in the bathtub and either air- dry or damp- dry in the dryer .. before cutting.
You’re literally my favorite teacher
Well thankyou!! That is a lovely compliment! Thanks for watching! x
All of this makes common sense,Thank you so much for your info 😀
I just discover your channel and I love it. Thank you. I'm always surprised, it's the second time I hear about prewash. My grandma, mom and aunt run a famous shop in Belgium and I haven't heard about prewash before. It's new for me but not useless. I'll think about it in the future. ❤️
Industry does not do it as a practice, as it is just not practice to unroll an entire bolt of fabric, wash in some industrial sized machine, then iron it, then roll it out to cut out the pattern pieces.... it is just a home sewing thing! Maybe why you never heard it from them before ❤
I started seriously sewing in 1958 and until very recently I had never ever prewashed. None of the teachers we had ever told us we should prewash and in all the decades I've been sewing I've never had a fabric shrink......... until recently. A year ago I made a shirt from a pattern I'd used 3 times previously. The fourth shirt was to be made out of a lovely cotton fabric. After I'd finished sewing it I then washed it as I always had, after making a garment, and it shrank slightly. It's not unwearable but the sleeves, particularly, feel a little short. I was so disappointed. Now I always prewash. However, I have concluded that manufacturers used to prewash before selling bolts of fabric to wholesalers/retailers but now, in order to cut costs, the customers have to do it and to make up for any possible shrinkage they have to buy extra fabric, giving wholesalers and manufacturers a little extra profit. Call me cynical but.........
How do you keep fabric from fraying in the wash?
@@kevinmtorres if you've got an overlocker/serger you could overlock the edges. Or use a zigzag stitch on a standard machine.
@@rosemaryhannah3467 Thank you very much for the two suggestions. Have a great sewing day.
Hi Evelyn! Yes love the video, most interesting perspectives. I don’t usually prewash my fabrics but for the finished products I’ll either dry clean or use one of those home dry cleaning products like Dryel or Woolite so that my pieces will last. Not sure if it’s the right step but it seems to work for me. It makes sense to wash the vintage fabrics but I just don’t. By the way, cute top! Well happy sewing everyone!!! 🧵✂️🧵
I work mostly with salvaged materials (fabric, curtains, sheets from thrift shops, refashioning clothing...) I tend to wash everything on boil and dry on Sahara Desert so it shrinks or shreds or does what it's gonna do before I put any work into it.
Exceptions are things like men's suit blazers and wool stuff; anything that would normally get dry-cleaned.
Amen. I say if it can't survive the washing stage - no matter how pretty the fabric is -- I don't use it,
Wool i wash in cold water and hang to dry to try to avoid felting
I prewash and dry all my fabrics except for precuts and jelly rolls. Awesome video, Evelyn!
I actually wash those too on a mesh/lingerie bag. 💙
I didn’t know the puckering on the interfacing was due to shrinkage! 🤭 this used to happen to me so much when I was younger and too lazy to prewash! Didn’t have any major problems though but nowadays I always prewash, but I realize also watching your video that I always did press my pieces with steam.
I prewash new and second hand fabrics for all the reasons you mentioned, and as I’m sensitive the many perfumes in laundry detergents & fabric softeners I make sure to wash for that reason too.
I always prewash all my fabric before sewing it. I mean everything! I prewash wool, silk, rayon, you name it. Almost everything I make I plan on washing in the washing machine so I want to have the hand of the fabric be what it's going to be before I get started on any project.
Thank you for the video on to prewash fabrics or not to prewash!
A steam table will do the same as washing. My grandmother and mother-in-law , seamstress, had steam tables. My grandmother's was 1 meter by 1/2 meter. My mother-in-law steam table was 1/2 meter by 1 and 1/2 meters. Mostly used for bedding pressing, and to iron on. I remember my grandmother making rice starch for ironing, cold rinsing rice and diluting to her liking. This was used for white dress shirt, bed sheets, and the like. Also great pressing out French seams in one shot before sewing. Today we have drapery steamers that work well for steaming, especially for those puckering seems that shrink. Love your videos, joejust
Joe Just I worked in a sample room for a couple of years and we used an industrial steam iron to pre shrink fabric for fit samples. We referred to that as “cooking” the fabric... is that a term you’ve heard?
@@gemmaghoukassian5350 I would not know I don't speak Spanish:
@@gemmaghoukassian5350 oops my grandmother spoke Spanish and my mother-in-law spoke Italian I only speak English go figure. LOL
Thank you for the memory of my grandmama and her rice starch. Haven't thought of that in years. Thanks!
You are my all time favorite CZcams instructor
Aww 😘 Thankyou! That makes my day!
Wow. This just blew my mind. Been sewing about three years now. Always front scratch. I cant believ how lucky I've been. But I will be risking no more!! Thank you for this video. Was really good.
You could be lucky forever like me! But then maybe not too! Just read some of those stories of fabric shrinkage!! Is a good habit to get into for many reasons 😄
New sewist here (sort of). I like the idea of finishing the cut/torn edges and pre-washing.
Im going to pre wash my fabrics now after all this onfo since i am fairly new to dress making😁👗 thanks for all the good tips.
New fabric I usually don’t prewash unless it’s for patchwork.
But definitely prewash second hand: hand wash woollens in gentle woolwash, normal washing machine cycle for cotton sheets etc. It’s an interesting argument and I’m glad you have addressed it.
In quilting I was taught to pre-shrink at the iron since we usually deal with smaller pieces of fabric.
Although I commented a couple of weeks ago I wanted to say something else. I was looking through my fabric and found this funky mid century piece. I am going to make a men's short sleeved shirt with a banding on the bottom. The fabric was very stiff but I thought it would work well. I washed the fabric and dried it. It feels completely different. Now it is lovely soft rayon.(I did the burn test) You would never know it was the same fabric. Now I want to make a dress with it,but my hubby is all excited about his new shirt.
Pre-washing is what has held me back from sewing. I love the length of your hair and the curly look is lovely on you. :-)
I have to admit Evelyn I did not pre-wash my fabrics either and still in some cases do not for the exception of vintage fabrics. I definitely wash. In my formal sew training this was taught, but I thought I could bypass it until I ran into a couple of problems. A great many of my pieces are dry cleaned, but I recall making this beautiful gray, black and blue wool plaid pencil skirt and after a few wearings, I sent it to the cleaners and low and behold it shrank in the hip area. At first I thought I had put on a bit of weight. You can imagine the horror and the incredible disappointment in putting on a favorite skirt and having that happen. But, it was a hard lesson learned. I still have the skirt though I have not worn it in a while. I now know when I plan to make something in 100% wool, which is incredibly expensive, to do the right thing and pre-wash. The tip on cutting a sample of the fabric and marking it with thread was perfect; I will be giving this a try in the future.
i find your video very helpful, thank you for uploading them. I had problem with with not prewash fabrics, now i prewash most of them.
Thanks sooo much for sharing!❤️
Hello Evelyn, thanks a lot for the video. I usually prewash fabric for the known reasons and because I also buy second hand or they are given to me BUT there is no habit so far. I try to wash them color by color or light and dark, red seperately and sometimes I collect them until a machine is complete. So there ist definitely room for improvement! 😉 Because I like Patchwork etc it would be better to be able to Pull them out an start instead of pulling them out from different spaces and wash the ones that are not washed already 😩 Regards from Germany Stephanie
I pre-wash everything. Now I need to go and finish doing more wash tests on the wool I have. O.O
What a great topic! I prewash religiously like my mother taught me. I also prewash bought clothes. I want to get rid of all the chemicals. Because I only dry clean coats if I have to (I got a washable one 2nd hand the other day and am so happy with that!) I need to see if the fabric will stand up to washing. I also want to know how it will drape after washing. I can be quite ruthless when it comes to washing and have very rarely misjudged what the fabric can withstand.
Thank you. I actually did not know about the size you recommended for test swatches.
I have just started sewing and I've only used polyester, cotton, and linen. I have always prewashed them. When I try out wool I am going to test it and maybe try the steam method! I have noticed how fabric color changed in the wash, especially the linen, so I was glad I washed it first.
Yes!! So many reasons to prewash!
Glad I'm starting off okay! Washed 6m of corduroy yesterday in preperation for future projects and I've got a load of chiffon and cottons to go in tomorrow! 😂
Look at you go! Now to sew it all!
Great content! My rule is generally, "if you're going to wash the garment in the washing machine after it is made, prewash in the washing machine before sewing". Regarding prewashing, for me silks and wools are not prewashed, because I always dry-clean them after garment making.
So, my friends, do you pre-wash fabric? Or not? Or somewhere in the middle like me?
I find it important. But I don't wash on hottest temp like some. Especially if it's just for me. I'll prewash warm cold, because I wash most things cold.
A pre washer! I don't ever wash on hot! 😄
@@Evelyn__Wood Oh goodness no! Even with soiled cottons, I've never needed to wash in hot water. Most usually a good quality soap and a soak to loosen dirt/dust/grime is sufficient.
I ALWAYS prewash!!!!
I've learned to wash the fabric before I wear it especially if I think it might bleed. I wash it the way I would wash it when it gets to be a regular piece of my clothing. This shows me what will wrinkle, always need to be ironed, grain shift, shrinkage, roll up, pill, etc.
I prewash every fabric I buy when I intend to wash the finished garment. I try to use the same settings on my washing mashine I tend using for the finished garments too. So cotton fabrics I wash with 40-60°C, wools 30°C or colder in Handwash program, viscose/rayon 40°C or colder. I have a laundry detergent for colored garments (because most of my clothing is black, and so the color wont britghten up that fast and one I use for wool only. (but you can use Hairshampoo for Babys to wash your wool, but if you do it in your maschine use only very very little of that shampoo because of the foam...)
I dont have a dryer so everything is drying at the air (in shadow).
But there are some fabrics I wont wash, coutil for corsets for example, they can lose their shape and form and strenght and you cant wash a finished corset anyway so it doesnt matter that much. But you are right, fabrics used for tight fitting garments should be prewashed most of the time.
Thanks for your videos, even if I know most of the things you talk about I love to watch them because sometimes there are things I can pick up or its only because you are always so friendly and smiling and that brightens up my day :D
Arr yes!!!! Definetly wash as you intend to wash the garment! that is a great to I forgot to mention. Thankyou so much for always watching!
Actually, that would be a good argument to prewash coutil. There is nothing special about coutil as a fabric. Just a twill weave. Washing will actually set the weave. Also removes the spinning and weaving oils and chemicals.
O prewash my fabric for corsets and then starch and iron fabric so it's easier to handle to sew the corset. The starch and ironing gives the body back to the fabric. It doesn't effect the wearabilty of the garment. Hope this helps.
I recently bought two bolts of pillow ticking from Walmart (I try not to shop there but you can't find ticking just anywhere....)
I prewashed and dried at a friend's house and we refolded and rolled back onto the bolt when done. The Fabric is so much more wonky than we expected. It barely rolled back onto the cardboard bolts. and we noticed a sizeable shrinkage in the coverage of the bolt.. so maybe 1-2" shrink. Since it will be used for Pillows and Handbag linings, it can be straightened out and ironed into shape as I use the segments of the fabric. But at $3/yard for 100%cotton heavy pillow ticking.... I'm still counting myself as lucky.
Thank you for an excellent video about Best Practices to Prevent Painful outcomes....
like the 5 Ps in any project>>
Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.
This was such a useful video!
I pre wash now.... I have a beautiful warped quilt. It’s a Rhombus! I also worked in retail for years selling apparel mostly denim and intimates. Always wash your new underwear! I remember formaldehyde being one of the treatments used on fabrics and garments! A day after folding 1000 pairs of jeans in an afternoon my hands would be so dry.
Oh yes!!! When you see that many new jeans, you realise what's on them!
I wash everything that's made of material before I wear of use (linen etc) before I use them. That smell of new garments is bad enough in itself.
I always prewash except for some fine silks or wools which I will clean in the way I am planning to clean when sewn. I also prewash before it goes into my stash, that way I just need to iron and sew when I am ready
Pre-wash, dry, then iron the fabric with right sides together- along the straight of grain, matching side-to-side selvages together . Most patterns assume that fabric is placed right sides together, unless otherwise specified. A dry cleaner can handle any non-washable fabrics. Rayon is especially prone to shrinkage. Any ready-to-wear garments made from rayon, silk, or wool require dry-cleaning to prevent them from becoming twisted, turned, and shrunken. This is true of any drapery fabrics too. I taught my children this fact before they left home. Happy sewing!
Every year for twenty years I made myself a new pair of woollen trousers. This was because my weight kept changing. I pre-washed the wool before I cut them out and I have never gone anywhere near a dry cleaner.
Woollen trousers can be washed the same way that you wash a woollen sweater - quickly, in warm water and use the spin dry to get the water our. It is only when it comes to ironing them that you want the dry cleaner. It took me an hour to iron freshly washed 100% wool trousers, but I only had to wash them twice a year.
When I made my first waistcoat I carefully measured everything and made it up. It fitted perfectly - until I washed it. The outer fabric was fine but the cotton lining shrunk about 2 sizes, making the waistcoat unusable. Since then, when I buy fabric I add an extra metre. Once I get home I zip the fabric ends with my overlocker and wash and iron it according to the instructions. THEN I start making my project. Things like waistcoats are relatively close fitting to start with so any error can be disastrous.
When fabric cones in the door, it goes directly to the serger to be readied for the washer. Fabric is washed and dried as it would be after construction. I always have fabric ready to go when I’m in the mood to sew. I even wash silk. I got that ideas from Louise Cutting.
It's good to have it all ready to go!
I was advised to prewash. I had my fabric stored for a long period of time and so clean material is a must .
As a beginner I’m loving your channel. Thank you. I’m in love with your blouse in this video. Which fabric is it made of? Just beautiful 👌🏼
I prewash and DRYer dry (fabric capable), as much as possible. My Mom taught me that about shrinkage. It's harder in the winter because I don't have a dryer. But in summer the 110* days do the same as a dryer. :) So I wash to get rid of the formaldehyde of new fabric and shrink them, and 2nd hand fabrics because you don't know what happened to them before you got them. It also refreshes older fabrics, which is nice.
When my son was little, I made him some cargo trousers with camaflage print cotton, he couldn't wait to wear them when they were finished, but there were a few traces of Taylor's chalk on them so I told him they had to be washed first. Needless to say, they shrunk in the wash, I don't know who was the most disappointed, me or him! I am just returning to sewing, eight years after having a stroke! So I will now have to try sewing one handed!
Always prewash, as I tend to make clothing that is to be washed as opposed to dry clean. Even started prewashing interfacing, as I have a few times where I have seen it shrink when ironing on.
I made a bathrobe with 100% cotton flannel, that was a blue-white-gray plaid design fabric. I pre-washed, and as soon as the agitation started the water turned a dark blue. I thought "Great, getting rid of excess dye." Then I threw it in the dryer, and when I checked the filter afterwards it was thick with fibers (Almost could have used it as a pot holder). So I could say that pre-washing and drying "pre-conditioned" the fabric for me. After ironing, the fabric looked and felt the same, so whatever came out of it did not degrade it in any noticeable way. Also, it had very little shrinkage when I measured after ironing. Had similar results with other types of fabric as well. Dye removal seems to be the most obvious thing that I see happen.
Awesome video Evelyn! I'm such a pre-washer, especially as I'm mostly sewing cottons at the moment. Depending on the cotton I wash it at 30 or 40 degrees, which is the temperature I will most probably use once the garment is finished. What I like to do with my new or thrifted fabrics though is to pinking-shear all the edges so that once I pull it out of the washer I don't find that massive nest of threads - Chiara V.
I should take your tips and finish the edges more than I do.... so many thread nests!! 😂😂
Depending on the amount of fabric you have, washing it inside of a mesh lingerie bag or a zip shut pillow protector helps to greatly reduce that mass of tangled, knotted threads along the edges. I've had good luck with it.
Great tip! I use these for all my clothes, but definetly need a bigger one to fit fabric lengths!
Hi, I definitely prewash. I especially like to launder my thrift finds. Who knows when the last time they have been washed, how many lovely hands they’ve passed through, and how long they’ve been hanging up unloved and unused. I take them home, wash then, love them, and incorporate them into my sewing. Also, is your blouse a refashion? I like the 1930’s collar. I hope you’ll do a class on collars in our Vintage Sewing School and show us how to make that lovely collar. 😇
I pre-wash according to how the finished project would be washed, or a little rougher/hotter if the fabric can take it. So far that means cottons and linens go on a 30C wash or a 40C wash (30 is my default so I often forget to go higher), and wools or silks go on their designated special setting, unless the silk is hand wash only, in which case I do that. If something is going to shrink (discounting pure wools), it seems most shrinkage comes out in that first wash, something like 90% of it, but I have had a pre-made but not pre-shrunk loose floor length re-enactment dress that did continue to shrink, just little, on the second and maybe third washes too (this was fine as the dress was made with this in mind and miraculously wound up sitting nicely on the tops of my feet). For that reason I give fabric that is clearly more 'natural', less processed, cheep, or intended for a very fitted and/or precise project a second pre-wash too, to try and catch that last 10% of the possible shrinkage.
I was not pre-washing and busy with part of a linen croppedjacket, when I snipped my finger with the scissors and bled all over the front panel of the jacket😶. Upon rinsing the panel in cold water it shrunk to my horror and came out smaller than the other panel of the jacket😮. Lesson learnt well.
Dad had me wash the fabric as soon as we brought it home from the store that first time. I do not remember if I washed the purse fabric first or not but I was never going to wear the purse. I always had to wash fabric before I took it to school to sew with. Last year as I cut fabric off the bolts here I washed it before I made mask. I would say at least 90% of of the time I launder it first. It depends on what I am making. If it is wearable and going to be laundered I wash it. It is very rare I do not.
I NEVER prewash when making quilts. I like the factory finish on the cottons as it helps with piecing accuracy. I do steam press the bejesus out of it though before I cut and piece it and/or starch t it’s a home made solution. I have found it makes no difference in the look of my final washed quilt whether I prewash or not.
When making clothing I always prewash to prevent shrinkage. As well, I like. Softer hand to the fabric when I am sewing it.
If the fabric content is cotton or rayon I definitely prewash, if it is/mostly poly I don't always. However my latest practice is to take all washable fabric purchases directly out of the bag and into the washer before it ever gets to my sewing area. If I am making something for my grandkids and I know that that family doesn't always check the dryer like they should, I will make sure I really dry that fabric more than I would for my own use. That way the item should still fit after the first washing and drying.
yes! always
I wash everything with the settings I will use when washing the finished garment. If it is a very delicate fabric (or even if it is not a washable fabric), I will mostly hand wash it very carefully and until now I haven't destroyed anything 😅
I mostly do it because of shrinkage, but also because I want to know that it is really clean.
Then I will fold it and put it in my stash, and I will iron it before really using it, so I make sure that the fabric lies flat underneath the pattern.
I am getting 10 yards of Poly Satin Fabric 708933 from Hobby Lobby for a wedding dress. Initially, I didn't plan on washing it, but you have convinced me otherwise. I guess I will cut a large piece for the bodice, leaving some extra fabric, and see if there is any shrinkage. Washing all 10 yards would be quite a task! :P
I have never pre-washed. Had no problems. Until covid. Now I pre-wash everything. Even zips😁.
I don't know if you still look at comments on these older videos but I absolutely love your blouse. It is so elegant and unique. Did you make it and if so could you share which pattern you used? Thanks so much if you do. Otherwise is this just a compliment that you look great in the blouse😁
It depends on how much time I have during the COVID era of online ordering. For a minute there, I couldn't find ANYTHING I'd want to wear (and equally wouldn't want others to either), so testing and prewashing became more common. I prefer steaming the snot out of everything. Maybe too much... It's up there with the look and smell of cedar.
Thank you
You mentioned that washing will/can relax the grain of the fabric. My sewing teacher, 40+ years ago, taught us to put the fabric diagonally when the grain was wonky after washing/drying. Which makes me wonder about straightening the fabric before cutting. Will the sewn item go back wonky after it is wash like it did during prewash? I never noticed that it did but, I don't generally sew for myself.
Yes this is good way to get the grain back into place too! I always want to cut my garment pieces and the fabric to sit, as it will sit in the garment once made up wash after wash 😊
Depends on the usage. Clothes fabric - definitely pre-wash - I had a linen blend shrink by 25% through the warp. Quilt fabric no - but I do wash the assembled top and backing before quilting.
Another informative video. In quilting I don't like to pre-wash and I always make the quilt a little large. For garments I think it is a very good idea to pre-wash and I was taught to do that in school. I have had issues with the edges fraying pretty badly. Do you do anything to prevent fraying??? Like put a zig zag stitch on the edge???