I wash, dry, and press but don't use spray starch.

Same as ibquiltn4fun.

The pinwheel lotto block is a super fast sew ,,, just be sure that your pinwheels are spinning in the right direction! ;-)

I always pre-wash in warm water and regular laundry detergent since I figure that's the way the quilt will be treated later on. I dry in the dryer but I don't press or starch, I try to grab it out of the dryer right away.

I also pre-wash - hot water, detergent and dryer. I deliberately treat my fabric this way because when we had a housefire the cleaners were not gentle. When I opened the boxes everything was clean, wadded up, stuffed and in dire need of an iron. I worry about newer pieces reacting differently if not also mistreated.

I also wash and examine the finished quilt before gifting it. I'm pretty sure it will be loved, used and tossed into the laundry like everything else. Which, for me, is better than having it folded up in a closet never seeing the light of day.

Ahhh... the debate continues....I'm not a pre-washer, Unless it's a solid or black,

V.

I generally pre-wash, but intend to be consistent in the future. I had gone to my first class to make a wall hanging and didn't know you had to buy the fabric ahead of time (and bring your own machine.) I hurriedly picked out some fabric. Last month I decided it needed a wash and in spite of the fabric sheets, the burgundy bled a lot onto the white. The white now looks pick, but it works.

I always pre-wash in hot water with a teaspoon or two of synthrapol. It's ususally used with hand-dyes, but I have found that some other commercial fabrics can bleed as well. I do not use startch when I press, but I think that's ok if it is your preference.

I'm still new at quilting. I never washed my fabrics before using them. I guess I need to? So do you all press your fabrics before starting and after sewing things together? Sorry if these are obvious questions :D

I always pre-wash. I've had several occasions of even pre-washed fabrics bleeding into lighter colors in a finished quilt. I can't imagine how bad it would have been if the fabrics had not been washed. I have found the dark batiks to be the worst offenders - reds, blues, greens - but even the yellow batiks can shed a lot of dye. I always iron the fabrics before I cut them. My cuts are more accurate that way. And I press every seam before going on to the next one. Getting up and down to go to the ironing board gives me some exercise while I'm quilting. Haha.

Is the hot water to pull anything that might come out color wise?

My understanding of pre wash is it’s for color bleed and shrinkage. If a quilted piece is washed and none of the components were prewashed, the pieces can bleed and shrink inconsistently, it can pull the quilting in unexpected ways. I can heartily recommend “color catcher” washer sheets. It looks like a dryer sheet but goes in the wash and any bleed goes onto the sheet and not other fabrics. Works very well, both on fabrics as well as regular wash.

I'm with HB on the color catcher. I have to admit, that I've never had an issue with bleed on any fabric Except for darks purchased at JoAnne's. I now purchased mostly on line since going to a quilt shop is quite a drive and I only buy brands I have grown to enjoy sewing with and to trust. But I will pre-wash full dark color yardage...just to be safe.

I'm with Jen on the pressing, before cutting, always, after sewing a seam, always, the results are much better. I keep the iron next to my machine. I also only use a dry iron to press so the fabric doesn't get distorted by steam, but I know of others who only use steam...so there you go!

Another prewasher here, but without detergent, just a color catcher and warm water. I always iron fabric and press when piecing.

One caveat about starch. I wouldn’t recommend starching fabric to store in your stash. It is made from corn or potato and can attract moths. I would only starch fabric you will be using in a project you will complete now and wash out.