Tips for Pre-Washing Fabric before Sewing

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The purpose of buying fabric is getting it stitched to form any shape and size of apparel or decorating piece. Did you know that before the stitching is done, the fabric needs to undergo a wash? That wash varies from one fabric to another. There are many fabrics but we are going to learn the tips to pre-wash Cotton, Kalamkari, Block, Ikat, and Indigo. These are the most commonly used fabrics in any household.

Tips for pre-washing different fabrics

Pre-washing is unique to each of the fabrics mentioned above. Let us know the trick of each.

Cotton Fabric Pre-Washing Procedure: As we all know cotton fabric shrinks easily with the passage of time and therefore to know where, to begin with, the stitching, pre-washing the fabric after being bought from a store or online store is of utmost importance. If you have a washing machine, the job gets easier. Put the cotton fabric by the yard in the washing machine and then leaving it to wash for a few minutes, put it in the dryer. In a few minutes again, you can stop the process. Get it out and iron it. The fabric is ready to be stitched.A household without a washing machine can use a bucket full of water to soak the fabric. Let it dry in shade and then there you are.

Kalamkari Fabric Pre-Washing Procedure: Unlike Cotton, Kalamkarineeds a gentle dip into the water and then instant off it. Once it dries up, iron it. It is a gentle fabric, so washing in the washing machine or rubbing for long in a bucket is not recommended.

Block Fabric Pre-Washing Procedure: Block fabric may or may not be washed before sewing. You may follow the instructions of the manufacturer when you buy it. Otherwise, it is alright if not washed before stitching.

Ikat Fabric Pre-Washing Procedure: Ikat fabric can be given a gentle wash before sewing. Soak it in abucket of mild washing powder and then let it air dry. You can follow the same method as with the cotton fabric. Washing machine wash can be done too. Iron it the way you want and then the fabric can be put to use by stitching.

Indigo Fabric Pre-Washing Procedure: Indigo fabric has color added and due to which there are chances that the color might fade if washed for long. It is, therefore, important that we pre-wash Indigo fabric at 30-degree centigrade by hand.

Sewing is the first thing we know to do after we have bought a fabric but we tend to forget that pre-washing is an important step as doing that, you get the true texture of it. All fabrics shrink after wash. That may be fatal while having already sewed something to be put to use. Pre-washing allows you to get the exact size of the piece you want as the shrinkage has already taken place. There won’t be much of a difference later.

Without any fear of playing with the quality of the material, do pre-wash any fabric you buy. Make sure you read the instructions manual that you get from the manufacturer. That can give a better picture of handling the fabric.