# Ironing fabric?



## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

Okay I am a total newbie- I washed and dried my fabric - it is SOOOO wrinkled it will take me forever to iron it- what in the heck do you all do to get the fabric to be so not wrinkled? is there a trick? that I don't know yet?


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

My trick? I use it as it comes off the bolt.  The only time I ever prep fabric is for when I'm doing a block swap on here(it's one of the requirements). For that, I either line dry or dry to just damp and then iron.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

I rewashed it last night and didn't dry it- I hung it up on the drying rack..hoping there will be less wrinkles!


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

take out of the drier while still slightly damp, and hand pull out the wrinkles, then air dry.

And I never prewashed fabric for anything, until the quilt swaps here. The good quilt store cottons, I have been told by more than one store, are now sized well enough not to need the pre-shrinking to make it stay same sized after making.

Some people like to make, then wash and let draw up a bit to make it look as if an heirloom.


But, are you putting in any fabric softener? if not for here - and just for your use, it will make the wrinkles less.

And spray with finisher or mist of water, and steam press/iron to get those nasty wrinkles out - if cotton, or mostly cotton blend.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

I've always taken it out the washer a little damp yet. Snapped it like sheets and hung to dry on a line. Use plenty of pins to hang and smooth, smooth, smooth as you hang it. Usually just needs a light touch up with the iron.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

AngieM2 said:


> take out of the drier while still slightly damp, and hand pull out the wrinkles, then air dry.
> 
> And I never prewashed fabric for anything, until the quilt swaps here. The good quilt store cottons, I have been told by more than one store, are now sized well enough not to need the pre-shrinking to make it stay same sized after making.
> 
> ...


The reason I pre-wash all fabric is because of the insecticides and other chemicals that are put on before shipping.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

This stuff came from craigslist and it needs washed- it was free- and all very pretty-but the woman had cats- and alot of them- she was a quilter but got cancer and lost nerve function in her hands and feet- 
wanted the fabric to go to someone who would use it- I figured the least I could do would be wash it and try to make my first quilt with it


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Hi end quilting fabric should be cut and sew ready. However, certain darks should be rinsed first to prevent bleeding.

Mid grade fabric, like what you get from Joanne's needs to be rinsed first. The starch acts like a detergent, so just use the rinse cycle. As stated above, simply shake and hang, or take it right to the ironing board.


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## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

Back in the day when I sewed a lot of clothing I always pre-washed the fabric the same way I intended to wash it after it was assembled. It's what I learned in home-ec class. My motto, 'better safe than sorry'.


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

I take mine from the washer after the final spin and put it in a plastic bag. Put it in the refrigerator for a few hours. Even a day or too, (I know, sounds stupid) the iron then GLIDES over it if you iron it while it's still cold. I iron it dry and it don't take that long.

My mother use to iron for people to make some spending money. She taught me that trick.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I remember sprinkling the clothes and almost balling them up in a bag in the bottom of the refrigerator, then pulling them out to iron/press on a Saturday afternoon. 

Especially the long sleeved white shirts. 
But we all started with hankies and pillow cases.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

WHHAHAA??!!?? okay- I may have a good use for the mini fridge sitting in the garage!


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

You never know how something will shrink so I think (after learning the hard way) it's best to prewash. I use a steam iron with spray starch. 

If that doesn't work, take a white tea towel and soak it in water. Place that on top of the fabric and iron. If the wrinkles aren't all out you can use spray starch. 

If that doesn't work, I would let the fabric partially dry then, using an ironing cloth, iron.


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

Ruby said:


> I take mine from the washer after the final spin and put it in a plastic bag. Put it in the refrigerator for a few hours. Even a day or too, (I know, sounds stupid) the iron then GLIDES over it if you iron it while it's still cold. I iron it dry and it don't take that long.
> 
> My mother use to iron for people to make some spending money. She taught me that trick.


I know this will be hard for some to imagine, but dryers used to come with an insert that one would fill with water to sprinkle cloths AFTER they were dry - oh my, those were the days... My mother would stuff her damp clothes in a special vinyl bag that went into the freezer - no mold for lazy girls in our house! I just use a spray bottle.

I read an 1949 household hint book that said you could hang your stuff on the clothes line and spray it down with a garden hose to get the wrinkles out. 

I do agree though, fabric has different kinds of sizing and shrinkage is different side to side than it is lengthwise - plus everything shrinks at a different rate. More happens in the dryer. Pre-washing is wise. 

Stef is right on, put it through the worst laundry process it will ever receive.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

My trick? I have a dryer with a cool down cycle, It stops, then runs for a minute every so often, probably about 10 times before it shuts off for good. I let it cycle several times and then take the fabric out and fold it right away. And make sure to trim the frayed thread (not the edge, just the clumps of loose stuff) and untangle the fabric if it's twisted in the wash. All the fabric I'm using for my star blocks was washed and folded. Have not needed to iron any of it before I start cutting. 

I never leave it sit in the dryer. I do the same thing with all my dress clothes so I don't have to iron them either.

And another thing, I also toss a clean dry towel in with the fabric in the Dryer (not the wash). It helps to draw moisture from the fabric, but holds it a bit longer so I think it does sort of work like adding a bit of steam to the dryer. Maybe it does not help . . . just one of the things I've always done.


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

When I started quilting, I read that fabric should always be washed 1st. I threw a couple pieces in the washer (some were 2 yards, some 1 yard), and boy what amess! It was all tangled, and threads all balled up. I pullled it apart and dried it, and never did get the wrinkles out, after several ironings.

Now, I don't prewash accept for swaps that require it. Then, I fold my fabric in about a 10 inch square, and cover it with very hot tap water & dish soap. Let it sit about 30 minutes, then flush with clear tap water. Wring gently (not tightly), and roll up in a towel to absorb most of the water, then unroll & iron. Fabric comes out looking great.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Tinker that happened to me the first time I pre-washed my quilt cuts. Now I just serge (or zig zig) the ends and no more raveling.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Tommyice said:


> Tinker that happened to me the first time I pre-washed my quilt cuts. Now I just serge (or zig zig) the ends and no more raveling.


Yes, I do too! I serge the ends folded and pin the selvages together with large safety pins before washing.

Angie, I remember sprinkling clothes and putting them in the refrigerator to prevent mold.


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## goodhors (Sep 6, 2011)

Stef said:


> Back in the day when I sewed a lot of clothing I always pre-washed the fabric the same way I intended to wash it after it was assembled. It's what I learned in home-ec class. My motto, 'better safe than sorry'.


I learned the same way, probably because my Mom WAS the Home Ec teacher!

I wash everything in a fabric purchase before using it. I don't want to put the time into a project and then it is terrible after being washed. This especially included any cottons, which shrink with drying because it is the nature of cotton. Old blue jeans are tighter than new ones of the same size! Heat in drying does shrinking to cottons and the part cottons, though much less with being partially synthetic. I hang cotton T-shirts and already tight fashion jeans to dry, so they don't shrink up, last longer too. Important when that shirt cost a lot or is a favorite one. VERY important when the kid didn't order a size large enough!! Painted on T-shirts can be very unattractive or wasted money if you won't let kid wear it!


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

Sewing a rolled edge on the ends of fabric is a good test of your thread too, and takes care of loose threads binding up. Whether or not a project benefits from shrinkage, it's usually not a pleasant surprise. 

Knitters are schooled to treat separate dye colors in the same yarn as different yarns because they can shrink at a different rate. And the same "guage" measurements apply - a slight shrinkage or variance seems insignificant until it's multiplied in the final project.

Back to wrinkles, they start in the spin cycle of the washer and are set in the dryer. That's why the first "wrinkle free" garments were named "drip dry".


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Garment fabric I'll pre-wash. But quilting? Nah. Not unless it's a a REALLY dark color that needs a color-set.
Otherwise, I'm with Terri, I just use it straight off the bolt. 

In a case like yours though Becka, I think ironing is going to be your best bet, though.


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