Will Your Cheap Cotton Fabric Shrink The Most?

Test It To Find Out

Let's say you just found some great cheap cotton fabric, and you want to minimize fabric shrinkage. How do you handle this? As a beginner quilter you might freak out. But not to worry, this is really an easy fix and you will soon know if you should continue your quilt making with the cheap cotton fabric you got for a steal or if it is back to the quilt store for you.

The key to avoiding shrinkage is the quality of your fabric. If you’re fabric is good, the amount of shrinkage is so small it doesn’t affect you’re the outcome. Ifyou bought your fabric at a traditional quilt shop you shouldn't have much shrinkage at all.

If you are making a 100% cotton quilt as an heirloom quilt and want it to be around for generations, then pre-wash your fabric. Don’t create stress over something that is an easy fix. Trust me, pre-washing is a small hurdle when it comes to creating keepsake quilts.

Many quilters intentionally use unwashed fabrics to assemble a quilt. The puckers that remain after washing it gives the quilt a more vintage appearance. If you're not going for the vintage look, pre-wash.

I’ve found this is the best technique to pre-washing is using cool water with a mild detergent, Orvus is a good mild detergent. Don’t forget the capful of Retayne! Retayne will help your colors stay fast.

Dry the fabric on a LOW heat. Pop it out of the dryer as soon as it’s dry. You really should iron your fabric right away, if you wait you might have permanent wrinkles. Your storage space might dictate what you will do, since un-ironed fabric will take up more space.

Pre-washing sometimes creates lots of loose threads that wad your beautiful fabric up in a ball. A very simple technique that works to minimize all the loose threads it to cut off a triangle of fabric about a ½ to ¼ inch at each corner. Try this little trick, it works!

Why do cotton fabrics shrink? During the manufacturing process the threads are stretched pulling the threads. Then the manufacturers add different coatings to keep them straight and taut. When the fabric is washed it relaxes back to its original state. Then the drying and agitation action relaxes it even more.

Cottons shrink differently. Obviously cheap cotton fabric is going to shrink a lot more than your normal quilting fabric. Uneven shrinkage could cause puckers and distortions the first time the quilt is washed especially if you are mixing in cheap cotton and quilt shop cottons.

Quilters sometimes intentionally use unwashed fabrics to assemble a quilt because the puckers left over after the first wash give the quilt a softer or more vintage appearance. If vintage isn't the look you're going for it's best to pre-wash your fabrics.