Do you wash fabric?

[Sewingsue]

I did do a search as I thought this had been discussed before, but without success (not saying it isn't there I just couldn't find it).

So, please

Do you wash garment fabric?
All fabrics?
Which fabrics?

[Fiona M]

I pre wash anything that looks like it might shrink or bleed a lot, if that's what you're asking?

[Lachica]

I pre wash anything that looks like it might shrink or bleed a lot, if that's what you're asking?

Ditto. Always wash cotton and viscose. Polyester is indestructible so wouldn't bother. I washed my wool/poly cardi fabric before use, not just for shrinkage but in case its structure changed.

[Samantha]

I've only pre washed fabric twice.

The first time was an expensive linen that frayed loads because I didn't know that you should zigzag the edges to limit this.

The second time was a a big length of what was sold as marino wool/jersey. I then (about 4 years later!) made some tops out of it for myself and my husband. And they have all shrunk every time I washed them to the point we can't fit into them.

I probably won't bother in future - what happens happens.

[Acorn]

Again - sometimes! 

Dressmaking fabric, usually, and always if it is jersey/knitted fabric.

Quilting fabric, only if it is particularly deeply dyed or if it comes from a company I don't know and I'm wary of it.

[sewingj]

I wash everything that is going to be washed after it is made up.  I`m always surprised how much some jersey shrinks.  I have discovered though that Batik doesn`t shrink - something to do with the Batik process - but it does bleed colour

[wrenkins]

Always without exception. I don't want any surprises.
I just took a shed load of fabrics from Craftsy (who go to the trouble of telling you not to pre-wash). I washed them and the selvedges, which started off white, are now all sorts of interesting shades. Presumably if I had put months of work into making a masterpiece, said masterpiece would look like a batik when washed!
I wash my dressmaking fabric to see how much shrinkage, twisting and general messing about it does.
I also preshrink my curtain fabrics as I once had a very nearly very expensive incident!
I do a very cool wash for everything. 

[Ohsewsimple]

Always.  I wash when I get it and then it's ready to use when I want to.
I don't want any nasty surprises after I've put in all the effort of making something.  It also gives you an idea of how it will wash when a garment is finished.  It also gets rid of any excess dye that might transfer you your machine and also any finish on the fabric that often causes skipped stitches. 

[Efemera]

I treat the fabric as I would the finished garment, which usually means chucking it in the washer then the drier..if it doesn’t survive that then it’s in the bin. I never ever prewash quilting fabric.

[SkoutSews]

I never used to prewash fabric. Then a few years ago I made a fitted shirt out of (cheap) printed cotton. First time I washed it, it shrunk, and now it's too tight. It's a shame as I liked the print. So a lesson was learned 

Now I prewash just about everything.

[Surest1tch]

I now I wash all fabrics before I cut them, sometimes twice depending on what it's composed of.  Before I knew better I made myself a pair of trousers which looked fabulous, first time I washed them they shrank like hell  , never again.

[Esme866]

I prewash anything I am going to launder in that manner. No exceptions.

I NEVER prewash wools, silks or linens that I plan on dry cleaning. The hand of these fabrics always changes with water laundering.  I bought silk matka on sale once, $2/yd, brought it on and laid it on the bed to start dinner. Two hours later the cat had thrown up on the folded folded fabric. Decided to wash all 5 yards, wish I hadn't. Don't care for the soft, fuzzy, limp hand it now has.

Some people like the felting effect these fabrics suffer in water - just not my preference.  Especially not a good choice for tailored items.

Remember, RTW is not pre-washed (except for some denim). The crispness of a new item diminishes as it is laundered.

[Starryfish]

I prewash everything apart from wool woven fabric that will be drycleaned. In that case I preshrink it. Jeans denim gets washed at least twice, as the indigo dye bleeds a lot. I use Colour grabber cloths from Lakeland to take up dye in the machine you be amazed at the amount of colour that comes out.

I made a top from some nice interlock jersey recently that I must have forgotten to prewash, and it is almost too short to wear, and have now bracelet length sleeves.

[Tamnymore]

I overlock and wash everything that's going to become a washable garment. That includes Liberty varuna wool (wool challis) a vintage fabric of which I am inordinately fond. Although I hand wash varuna wool I think you could chuck it in the washing machine at a low temperature without much of a problem. I also hand wash silks. The only things I don't wash are tweeds and wool twills that are meant to be dry cleaned.

I've never really had a problem with shrinkage but I'm not taking any chances. I once deliberately put some Royal Stewart wool tartan fabric on a boil wash to see what would happen and it shrank, felted nicely and the colours ran into each other magnificently. Well whaddayaknow the very next season M&S brought out a boiled tartan jacket in its Per Una range but I claim to have invented boiled tartan first! 

[Sewingsue]

Thank you all.
The stories of what can go wrong are definitely supporting prewash.
Thanks @Tamnymore some of my stash is Liberty wool (I didn't buy it - well not from the shop. It came from someone else's stash) and it was concerning me.

Sorry, more questions
cool/warm wash?
short wash?
with powder?