Ann The Gran Community

Do all of you use HOT water to prewash cotton for embroidering??? I have been told 3 different things so far at various fabric shops in my area; 1. Use COLD H2O only, that the dryer is what shrinks it. 2. Use HOT water and a hot dryer. 3. Use WARM water.....aarrrrrgggghhhhh!!!!

Hi Cathy,

I use whatever the fabric calls for,ex:whites-hot,colors-warm, and darks-cold. So far I have never had a problem with it. Good Luck!

Hello Cathy,

Being a quilter for a few years, I was forced to pre-wash cotton fabric.  I, myself, use cold water for all laundry so this was no exception to me.  I always figured that placing in the dryer would be the "shrinking" agent.

But, I too, have a question for the community..........I will be embroidering two "fluffy" robes for Christmas gifts and have been himming and hawing over actually washing them prior to embroidering.  I keep thinking that I would love the "New" feeling when presenting the robes.  But, I also know the two ladies who will receive the gifts will be placing the dryer.  So, community; what is the thought for pre-washing?

Joan/NJ

Hey Joan,

I never pre-wash anything I give as a gift. I feel it looks used when you give it.

Hi Cathy, I am a quilter and I always prewash my fabric.  I have only used cold water for years.  In fact I do all my wash in it.  Never had a problem.  Congrats on your first embroidery.  I have been embroidering on and off for about 5 years.  Colleen from Long Island NY 

 Hi Cathy,

Welcome to our world!

I always preshrink everything in hot water and the hottest setting on my dryer. It seems to me that if the point is to pre shrink as much as possible, why not use the hottest settings? Especially as I sell items.....I know I wash in cold water, and include laundry instructions in all my items sold, but I can't control what other folks do in their laundry rooms. I want to cover as many bases as I can, so prefer to use the hottest settings. I've been sewing for more decades than I care to admit to, and have never ruined a piece of fabric this way. 

Kathy 

Hi Judy,

I would like to give these gifts without pre-washing so that they will be "new".  I have given embroidered towels as gifts and pre-washed them (because read that suppose to !!??).  Towels were not bad pre-washed because they fluff right back up in the dryer.

BUT, if I don't pre-wash, won't the embroidery design pucker when these ladies actually do wash the robes and use the dryer?

 Joan / NJ

 There's nothing worse than spending the time embroidering an item then washing the stabilizer out and having a puckered object to give as a gift!  And taking stitches out is VERY Hard!  If the item will withstand hot and not ruin the colors, go for it but really warm should do it.  I wash my fabrics and lightly dry them in the dryer, but take them out and finish "drying" them as I press them dry with the iron.  That helps get rid of wrinkles and gives back body to the fabric.  I also use an extra wide ironing board because I also like to quilt and that gives a larger surface! 

Always stitch a design on scrap fabric first to be sure the design works!  Sometimes if you've resized it, the stitches may be off.  And put a pin in Cleveland, Georgia for me...Home of the Cabbage Patch Kids!

Phyllis 

Hi,

I use cold or warm water, and the dryer to shrink cottons, all works well. I have even hung the cotton on the clothesline outdoors to dry and that works fine too. I think the secret is to wet and then dry the cotton and it is pre-shrunk.

Enjoy your embroidering, I have done it for the last eight years, and now have a small home-based embroidery business = and loving it! 

Hilda

I've found that most good quality 100% cotton fabrics hold up best when washed in cold water and machine dried at the lowest setting and removed from the dryer the first time the dryer buzzes signaling that the cycle is over.  Too much heat, whether it is in the washer or in the dryer, takes too much life out of the fabric--fading the colors and making the fabric feel limp. 

My push-pin can be added in Central Texas--the city of Hewitt, to be exact.

 Christine ("Maw" to my grandchildren)

Something that you may want to do is just put your fabric through a rinse cycle and then dry according to the type of fabric.  That is enough to shrink the fabric. Then it should be ready to put your embroidered designs on your item.   Enjoy your time in "Embroidery World", it's a journey to be enjoyed!!

The general rule for preshrinking that I use is:  Wash & dry the fabric in the same manner you will launder it after it is made.  This can apply to all fabric types.  Remember, however, that knits tend to shrink more than wovens (in both length & width), and towels or terrycloth have lots of opportunities in the weave to shrink.  If you're making a gift & not sure how it will be laundered, play it safe & use a hotter setting on the dryer.

Linda from Seattle

I always pre wash in cold water, dry in the dryer to shrink fabrics.  If it is for me, I hang to dry since I hang all my wearable laundry....Jean