Quilting fabric - should I pre-shrink?

[wednesday13]

I am going to attempt my first quilted bag, there's some chance I may need to launder it one day so should I pre-wash the fabrics? And what about the cotton wadding?

The fabric is Kaffe Fassett Shot Cotton, it's quite a soft Indian-type weave, it does look like it might shrink TBH. I wouldn't make it worse in any way would I by washing?

wish I'd remembered to ask this at the shop!

Always wash dry and press fabric before sewing. Don't need to wash the wadding.

Thanks, will get started straight away

I prewash all fabric that comes into the house - some scarcely shrinks, some lose 5-10% of its original size!

I would also wash the wadding if you can be bothered. It says you're not meant to put it on a full cycle before it's used, but I put the cotton/bamboo blend I use on a 40 wash with no probs. If you're nervous it'll fall apart maybe a handwash cycle or even a soak in a hot bath for 15 mins before spinning and hanging out.

I may not bother with the wadding, it was blimmin expensive Quilter's Dream Cotton and apparently does not shrink. Good point though.

Hmmm, I rarely wash before quilting but I do know by reputation that Kaffe Fasset does have a tendency to shrink, so I would make an exception for that.

I was taught to pre wash fabric before, although I can rarely be bothered and so far haven't come unstuck (probably lucky)! Never heard of prewashing wadding though.

I was told on a quilting course to wash all or nothing. For a quilt the little wrinkles that you get from the wadding & fabric shrinking is quite nice. Not sure if you would want the same effect on a bag?

I do wash my fabrics before quilting, although it's a bore, when you've got something nice you want to get started on! Some stuff shrinks quite a bit, and some stuff could run, which would be utterly devastating on a finished project

Totally agree with GetOutMyPub about all or nothing, some quilters don't pre-wash because they like the puckering you get once the quilt is washed for the first time.

Guilty!!! and because I'm lazy...