I'm going to hitch a ride on this thread, too, to learn from the more seasoned quilters. I do wash most everything (except for a small wall quilt that I know won't get washed) and I would be happy to just iron, except that perhaps i'm slightly OCD for big wrinks...then out comes the Best Press. If it's too wrinkled, won't it mess up the size of your cuts??

I always iron my yardage before cutting, spritzing with water if necessary (I can't find a steam iron that doesn't dribble and sputter). I press the seams after they are sewn to reduce distortion in the cut pieces.

Donna

Not sure how to answer this, I prewash everything (yardage that is). I iron (I think, rather than press) as I match the selvages together, it helps keep things square before cutting. I hang all prewashed, pressed yardage soon afterwards, so I never have to wonder did I or didn't I (tho' one can tell from the edges, how badly it frays, etc).

I don't use starch or spray, just a mister shot of water when needed.

Am so curious Linnea, why put the fabric in the fridge?

Lena (Karen)

I'm making a child's quilt next and plan on pre-washing everything. Some sites say you have to pink the edges or do something to stop it raveling. I'm doing an "I spy" quilt, so have many 1/4 yards of fabrics to wash. One site mentioned using a "pinking wheel" on your rotary cutter. I've only looked at Walmart for it and they didn't have one. Is there really such a thing?

bk

The reason for putting the fabric in the fridge is to keep it damp until you iron/press it. That way it won't "sour".

(At least that's why my mom put the ironing in the fridge)

bk

years ago we trimmed our seams with pinking shears so they wouldn't ravel. Now they make a replacement blade for your rotary cutter that is a pinking shape of cut. I think it's a bit of overkill and hard to measure that your cuts are accurate. I sometimes pink things with shears after they are sewn together if I think it needs it. I also use spray starch to make things stay stable during a project. I never use a steam iron so a spritz bottle of water is by my ironing board.

I clip the corners, wash and iron.......no steam iron so use a spritz of water if needed.

Thanks, I thought I had heard of the clipping thing, but wasn't sure.

Thanks again for all your support and help as I fumble my way thorough newbie status.

bk

It is okay to iron (moving the iron back and forth with long motions) yardage. Because the fabric hasn't been cut & re-sewn, perhaps on the bias, then the fabric is less likely to stretch while ironing. It is still a good idea to move with the grain of fabric (the direction of the selvedge) or across the grain (from selvedge to fold), rather than on the diagonal. Also, a huge amount of pressure on the iron could distort things.

Once the fabric is cut, there is more concern about the motion of the iron stretching things, so you need to be more careful.

My method depends on the fabric. I always wash my yardage fabric because the chemicals bother my hands. Sometimes the fabric comes out of the dryer nicely and can just be folded. Sometimes it is all wrinkly and needs a good ironing. I store my fabric wrapped on comic book boards and before cutting for a quilt, I iron and starch as needed.

Thanks, everyone! I ironed it yesterday, still slightly damp. It was
very wrinkled but nothing was stubborn. I was surprised at how much raveling
happened, even though I clipped the corners and washed it folded in 3 lingerie
bags.

I have had to put this project on hold. My husband helped me to
calculate the proportions and cuts yesterday. Since I am not using an existing
pattern, it turned out to be very difficult, even though much of the area is
taken up by a printed nursery pattern. The “simple baby gift” is taking an
enormous amount of time, and he urged me to do something else or buy a gift. I
might make a stuffed animal instead. I am having knee surgery in 2 weeks and
need to do household things to get ready for it.

I decided to pack up everything carefully, with the diagram, and wait
til a near (closer) relative has a baby (which I expect will not be long). I
will know quickly and have plenty of advance notice to make it.

Thank you all so much for your help. This advice on this forum has been
invaluable. I am self taught at sewing, and even though I have been doing it
for decades, I still have much to learn.