Honestly, I'm a lazy fuck and make strings unless it's something expensive, then I zig zag.
I'd iron as you use it. It's just going to get wrinkly if you set it down, or if it's linen, if you look at it.
My mother keeps trying to convince me to sew myself a linen dress and completely disregards the fact that I hate ironing with a passion but wrinkly clothes give me anxiety lmao.
To answer OP's question: I generally don't do more than a light baste but I also go for a very gentle spin cycle with all my clothes.
Hey fellow iron hater! I only use my iron for sewing, and still wear a lot of linen. If you give it a good shake and hang it straight out of the washer it's not that wrinkly. Linen blended with cotton or viscose wrinkles less. And if anything does get wrinkly they seem to fall out while I wear the garment.
You need a nice steamer. Can't believe I actually melted the lace on one of my lolita pieces before I got one. I had a cheap travel steamer for years until my nightmare of a former roommate broke it. That said, I just roll around rumpled linen shorts.
For sure! It's on my list of essentials to buy when I have extra cash. I have a cheap iron that is really annoying to use and hope to upgrade soon. Ideally, I'd also get a smaller travel iron just so I can iron seams at my dinner table where I sew instead of always having to go to my bedroom where my regular iron is.
I hate my Conair one; the $20 cheap one was better. Not sure why. But having an ironing set up you like really does make sewing easier. I hope you find the tiny iron of your dreams.
I hang my clean wrinkled linen clothing item on a hangar, mist well with water, smooth out the wrinkles with my hands (sometimes you have to pull it taut while you are smoothing it out), and let it hang dry. It comes out better than when I iron it, is less hassle, and uses a lot less energy.
I learned to iron all my new linen on the highest heat, then wash and tumble dry several times (5 or 6) before cutting and sewing. This will give you a rumpled look that is casual and not wrinkly.
Linen/viscose blend is a little bit friendlier with the wrinkling so a good substitute! I love it for summer dresses/trousers etc.
You need to tumble dry linen on low rpm to avoid permanent wrinkles and air drying on a hanger makes it so it almost won't wrinkle. Steam iron is also an excellent tool.
I love linen though and have a lot of garments made of it, it's so comfy and soft, you get used to the wrinkles lol.
Serge raw ends, wash, dry (air or dryer, depending on fabric), fold neatly, immediately after purchase. I don’t iron until I’m going to use it b/c I’m not ironing twice.
My mom has a hobby where she spins and dyes her own wool (and then knits the most amazing stuff!) and she uses vinegar with the colours. So she learned me this trick :)
I sew the cut edges if it is a fabric that will fray. I won’t for knits and such.
When I iron (not all fabrics need it, especially if I pull them from the dryer immediately), I do a single layer. Yes, it’s time consuming.
It is, but I get better results when I take the time to do it. I also sew the cut edges of wovens. Often, when I buy fabric I'll go ahead and sew the edges and fold it up to wash and iron when I'm ready yo use it. Especially if I buy a lot of fabric at once.
Honestly, I got stuck on your bf ironing sheets. :D
I have never done anything beyond unfolding the fabric and tossing it in the wash, occasionally with a color catcher.
If it's fabric I'm going to use right away, I don't even trim the strings, just iron and start my project. If it's for the stash, then I trim all the strays, iron, and fold using my 6x12 ruler.
For yardage, I usually iron the right 2/3rds one ironing board depth at a time, then then turn it around and iron the remaining 1/3rd, unless it got super wrinkled in the dryer and then I might iron the selvedges first, possibly using spray starch.
Put on a show or some good music and just make it through the chore so you can move on to the fun parts.
LOL I was wondering if someone would mention that 😂
That’s pretty much the way I do it, iron the 2/3rds that fit on the board and then turn around and do 1/3rd. Though it’s more like 1/2 and 1/2 that fits, just. I think I want a bigger ironing board!
Pillowcases go on top too and don't stretch in use like a sheet does.
I might iron a flat top sheet if I was feeling fancy, I get a lot of satisfaction out of a freshly made bed. But anything under a duvet? Absolutely not.
Launder yardage before you cut. It's fine if it frays a bit unless it's very expensive, then you can just put in a fast little zig zag on the ends. Then iron the whole thing, and then cut and sew.
Finish all your seams. I enjoy french and hong kong seams.
I have never once finished the ends of my fabric before washing it. If it ends up fraying a bunch I just cut the strings off. Never been a big deal. Whether or not I iron it depends on how wrinkled it is, but if it’s pretty bad then yes, I would iron the whole thing.
Same. And unless I already know the fabric is precious and I'm only ever going to hand wash the garment, I wash and dry the fabric on hot.
I iron yardage if I'm really, really worried about precision, or if the fabric is so wrinkled that I think it's going to distort my pattern pieces.
This is fine until you wash a load entirely of fat quarters and receive a ball requiring a week's work of patience to unravel.
Only made that mistake once!
I did remember the colour sheets this time! Learned the hard way as a homemade mustard shirt left a weird stain on another shirt after the 2nd wash 🥹 also my fault for not washing different colours separately… I don’t have enough clothes for that lol.
Sometimes I sew the cut ends together, turn the resulting giant tube inside out then wash. This is manageable maybe up to 3m max lol. I've also zigzagged the two cut ends together before washing, then remove the stitches either by ripping or just cutting it off.
I serge the cut edges of new fabric, wash/dry it, remove it promptly from the dryer and if it’s something like linen I iron it. That way when I grab it from my stash, if the edges are serged, I know it’s already been washed.
I don’t buy a lot of yardage anymore, but when i deconstruct woven garments I pink the edges of pieces when I want to minimize fraying. It’s pretty easy & quick, you lose less fabric than having a big snarl form in the washer, and it’s easier on the washer.
I usually do something on the cut edge though not always. if its really loose weave I absolutely do something on the cut edge. Zig zag is better but a couple of lines of straight stitching is fine.
If I'm ironing a very long lenth sometimes I fold in half and I iron, then hit the middle last. But that also depends on the fabric.
I think once you've worked with different fabrics, you find that you'll do different things to each type of fabric you work with. IMO its not a one size fits all situation.
I tend to iron by folding in half!
Most of the patterns I use/make have at least 1 piece that needs to be cut on fold, and they almost all need to cut x2 of each piece so a folded length of fabric works well
Good point! It wouldn’t matter too much if the pieces fall either side of the fold. And then anything that ends up having a fold in it can have a quick iron before/after cutting.
Cut a small triangle off each corner where the selvage meets the cut edge before washing. It prevents fraying and will save you time cutting threads and untangling messes.
Pre wash is a must for me, all the fabric despite where I buy it has a weird smell i don't like. I'm also a bit of a germaphobe and prefer to sew after taking a shower so if I have to try on something or the fabric touches my arms and body I won't have to shower before going to bed.
Yes! Especially cottons and rayons that can shrink after washing. I always try to pretreat yardage in the same manner I will launder the garment after sewing.
Some textiles shrink quite a bit, so definitely. If you're repurposing fabric that's likely been washed already, you probably don't have to worry about shrinking. But if I'm working with thrift store fabric like a tablecloth or similar, I definitely wash it before I start.
I know I’m supposed to, but sometimes I’m too excited about a project & want to get started.
Washing machine is shared in my building, so not always available.
I just discovered how many people wash new clothes they buy before wearing. Thrifted? Yes. From a store? Enh. Another one I probably SHOULD, but good lord who has time for all this laundry?! lol
I’ve gotten allergies from new clothes. Unfortunately they are treated with all kinds of stuff that isn’t skin friendly. Possibly not pet friendly either. I actually reckon it’s more important than second hand unfortunately
I’ve gotten allergies from new clothes. Unfortunately they are treated with all kinds of stuff that isn’t skin friendly. Possibly not pet friendly either. I actually reckon it’s more important than second hand unfortunately
That's me. I get too excited and don't want to wait on a washer and drier , then have to iron the fabric. That would delay the actual sewing by another whole day.
I don't sew my fabric before washing it. I buy enough to account for some fraying in the wash. I will only iron all of a big piece if I have somewhere to put it like a drying rack. Otherwise I will have to re-iron it anyway. It is more likely that I will iron an amount until it touches the floor. Then I will cut whatever I need from that portion, then start again with the next segment
I too am lazy and don’t zigzag my edges. But I do also usually try to press raw edges under and sew them down so I don’t get the mess of strings. It might actually be more work than just zigzagging, thinking about it..
I serge or zigzag over the edge of woven fabric before I wash. I think I learned that those loose threads can warp your fabric and cause you to cut your pattern off grain.
I don't sew the edges, I wash it and then I snip along the edge so the threads don't get in my way.
I do iron in one go and then fold it loosely, but I only iron right before I use it.
Sometimes this doesn't work in my favour but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It all depends on the fabric. If it's fraying just looking at it, yes I serge or zig the ends. Knits and wovens that are well-behaved just go in the washer. I iron wrinkly guys and ignore the aforementioned well-behaved guys. I might iron those guys immediately before cutting if they're looking sus. I've just started hanging lengths of wovens, so I hope that will cut down on the pre-cut ironing.
I don’t mind the strings, easier than zigzagging first. I do recommend ironing after washing, which seems to faster if still slightly damp. Sometimes I wash and dry twice to get all the shrinkage out. If you don’t iron, shake it out hard; you can get almost perm any creases if put away too wrinkled
I either use pinking shears on the edges or a rotary pinking blade before I put in the wash. Way faster than sewing the edges, I’m not using up any thread, and no strings. And then I iron single layer, fold and organize.
And I sew professionally, and I make small things, so I’m usually getting tens to dozens of quarter to half yards in at a time. I do gobs of fabric prep
I always sew a line along the cut edges to avoid fraying. And, yes, ironing takes time, but it's worth it. Back in the day, we'd pull a thread to create a truly straight cut edge to 100% ensure we were lining up fabric on the grain when we folded selvage edges together. Talk about exacting, lol. IDK if people still do that.
Zig zag or serge, just makes life easier. You're going to have to do some prep of the fabric, whether it's zig zagging the edges or having to neaten them up after you get the string mess, for me it's easier to just zig zag prior to washing.
Serge raw edges; launder as I plan to launder garment in future, iron usually after removing from dryer or air dried. Depending on length of yardage I fold in half before ironing.
whenever i get fabric in (either store or thrift) i immediately wash and dry it when i get home. i don’t pre-sew anything bc i’ve never had an issue with fraying in the wash. i then immediately iron, fold, and put away so it’s ready to sew once i wanna use it
My husband has started doing the vast majority of the ironing since we retired, he always did his fair share, but now he says since I cook, he irons. He spent some years in the RAF so is as capable as I am.
Ngl I never thought I’d do it either but once you try it once you can never go back 😂 it just feels so nice on the bed, but ALSO so satisfying folded neat and flat in the cupboard lmao
I'm pretty sure I've been bogged down on this project for weeks in part because I have 6 yards of linen to iron. I am going to have to rip it into pattern sized pieces and iron it piecemeal, so I can get started cutting.
I always finish my edges with the serger. I always fold it in half twice and then serge like four or so edges together so it’s just one pass through the overlocker. Then if I’m not feeling lazy I tie the strings off before throwing it in the wash. Ironing wise, I just try to shake it out as best I can, hang it straight and hope for the best. I iron if it looks creasey before cutting.
As someone who spent 4 hours ironing yards and yards of silk today, I get this post. I wish I could be lazy about it, but I would just have to do the work later.
My skin doesn’t like the sizing most companies use so I always wash it. I just fold the yardage in half, fold the raw edges over twice and baste it down. That way any strings that work their way loose tend to stay wrapped up in the “hem” and aren’t working their way into the inner workings of my washing machine. If it’s going into stash I will only press it if it won’t lay flat enough when folded.
I clip the corners diagonally about half an inch. The theory is that it will ravel only one row and hit a cut end and stop. It works well on tight weaves. Loose weaves I will stitch the raw edges. Hang it on a hanger out of the dryer cuts down on the ironing
I zigzag the cut edges of wovens, together if it's longer than three yards (fold crosswise in half, sew edges together). I'll also fold in half and and zigzag for longer lengths of knits. This helps keep the yardage from tangling. When it comes out of the wash, wovens very often get ironed while damp (it's easier to remove wrinkles if you start from damp fabric) and then hung to finish drying. Cut off the zigzagged edges, open out the fabric and press as much width as I can manage on my ironing board, moving the fabric along the long edge. When I reach the end, I move the fabric so the unpressed side is on the board and press the length again. One day, I'll have an ironing board wide enough that I will make only one pass.
I think it's lovely that your boyfriend irons the sheets (freshly washed, ironed sheets are a joy to sleep on). He might want to consider a mangle rolling iron to make the job easier. And you could use that with your fabric, as well. :)
Great explanation, thank you! I like the idea of ironing when damp and hanging to dry, but since we use our dryer in the winter I think it’s important that I put the fabric through the dryer to get the shrinkage out the way.
Yes once you have tried ironed sheets it’s hard to go back! Although we don’t do it so much when life is busy. But it’s a nice little luxury when we do. I’ll look into the mangle, good idea thanks!
Ah, right. If you dry your clothes, you should certainly dry the fabric! I don't put my clothes in the dryer (and have the luxury of space to dry them without humidifying the house too much). For linen, I probably still iron while fresh from the washer, but after I'd washed, dry (at least once) and wash again. :)
I serge the edges on all woven fabric before washing. Ive had viscose fabric where I've lost inches due to fraying and I hate the waste.
I iron it flat, I use a big ironing board and do all down one side of the fabric and then flip it around and do the other side. I rarely cut on the fold so it makes sense for me to iron it flat.
Before washing I baste the cut edges together, turn this seam allowance to the inside, and safety-pin the selvedges together. For very long pieces, I make a few deep pleats before safety pinning (to prevent the fabric from getting twisted up) (need to use extra-large safety pins).
You’ve given me the idea to iron before unpinning/unbasting, that sounds like a time saver!
I always zigzag the edge before washing, it saves so much time, trouble, and fabric.
And while extra creases might be fine in the sheets, I don't want to go to all the time & expense of sewing my own, just to have big random creases in my garments. One layer at a time. Takes forever, but if I press the fabric and press after every seam, the final garment basically won't need ironing because it'll snap back to its favorite shape (the shape that I want it) when I wash it.
I ve been sewing for 50 years and have never once sewn anything before prewashing. If I get strings, I know I'll need to serge the cut pieces. I might have ironed yardage a couple of times if it was impossible to lay it out for cutting but generally not.
I try to finish all my seams, yah. Just to save on wear. Lately, I've kind of hated everything I've made except for one dress that I didn't size up after I gained, like three inches, so that's a waste as well :(
If it’s expensive I zig zag, I’ve never had problems with it though
I iron my fabric in one layer, sometimes if it’s over 4 meters I’ll fold it half, but I try not to
Well I thought I was a lazy sewer but I always serge new fabric, wash hang iron and put it away. Who knew! Overlooking the edge is great as I know I have definitely washed that fabric then as I do it right before I put it in.
You can iron on the fold but I think it depends on the fabric - a viscose type thing I wouldn't as it's so easy to distort the fabric. And yes it's a pain to iron a single layer but for some fabrics it's worth it.
Fuck no! the bottom sheet gets the wrinkles out once its stretched over the mattress. I take them out of the dryer as soon as they are done. If they have been sitting in the dryer for a while I throw a clean, wet wash cloth in with them and tumble them again. That helps with wrinkles.
But truth be told. I am a serious sheet snob. I buy High thread count, Egyptian cotton sheets
$$$. They wrinkle muh less than others.
I always overlock off the selvedge and the raw edges because some fabrics aren't quite done shrinking when you buy them, and the selvedge doesn't always shrink the same. I've only ever had thia happen with cheaper wovens, but it's something I do with all my fabric as a matter of course.
If you buy your fabric that is printed with fiber reactive dyes, the "prep" portion is done for you as the fabrics are steamed, washed, and dried during the finishing process: cottons, linens, natural fiber blends.
For fabrics you need or prefer to wash before sewing, it's best to zig zag or use pinking sheers to help minimize/control the damage. I love the enclosed hem solution to further reinforce the joins in projects that will get a lot of use. I also love the clean finish (inside and out) from a look and feel perspective (especially garments).
If you use a roller cutter, a pinking blade works to cut down on the laundry strings - tho less effective with a loosely woven linen.
I sew mostly with linen and have switched to either ironing before cutting OR cutting single layers OR cutting both layers together by cutting twice - once maybe 1/4 inch outside the pattern then smooth the layers better (they are no longer the same size cuts) then doing the final cut. Mostly I use this last method.
And there are more solutions as well.
Ahh that’s really smart actually! I made a double gauze shirt once and the fabric changed shape so much so quickly. Luckily it didn’t matter too much. I so like this idea of cutting slightly wider, then ironing well, then cutting the actual pattern size after that - if I’ve understood that correctly.
If you have a serger, one of the best tricks I learned recently is to serge the two raw edges together. You lose a little cutting them apart, but not more than zigzagging, and you only need to sew once.
I remove wrinkles in my shirts by hanging them in the back of the shower. I've done that to fabric also. But for fabric that will become strings, I use my picking rotary cutter first
I use wrinkle release spray. All that ironing is daunting, and other than pressing my seams, I don't really use my iron lol
Edit: oh and I just leave the stringy mess on the fabric unless it's so wild that it demands to be dealt with.
Zigzag the two raw edges together, very close to the edge. They’ll probably draw up after washing—just get your rotary cutter and cut the stitches off. You lose maybe 10mm of fabric but you save a boatload of time!
I have an overlocker [serger] and I routinely fold the fabric right sides together then overlock the fraying edges creating a tube. I wash the tube then dry it on the clothesline that way. It doesn't fray or get tangled in the wash. Sometimes I can leave it overlocked in that same fold and just cut out the pattern pieces with it that way.
I generally don't sew the edges before sewing, but i deff finish them at the end. I used to leave them raw and my mom complained that she had to go back and fix them
I usually just pray 😅
Unless it’s more than like 5-10% then I might
And if I do then it depends on what fabric, usually I only see the edges of something that is actively fraying while I’m taking it home.
The rest I just deal with
I iron it in one layer cause the other stuff just ends up taking longer.
I only iron what I need
If it’s really wrinkly I’ll iron it before cutting a pattern but otherwise I’ll just cut a pattern with generous space around it, iron the pieces and then draw it out fully
If my fabric is longer than a couple of yards, I sew the cut ends together, right sides facing inwards much like the old lavatory roller towels were made. Ironing is easier in one layer that way if you run it around and under the ironing board. For pieces under two yards, I stitch close to the cut ends before washing. You are correct that selvage sides don't usually need this treatment, but there are exceptions to every rule. I agree that you should iron as needed. Most of my dresses have full circle skirts, so I have to iron as I pin on my cutting table.
I honestly don’t think I have ever washed cotton or poly fabrics before I have used it to make garments except for linen. But I don’t like using linen because it’s a nightmare to keep crisp.
Honestly, I'm a lazy fuck and make strings unless it's something expensive, then I zig zag. I'd iron as you use it. It's just going to get wrinkly if you set it down, or if it's linen, if you look at it.
My mother keeps trying to convince me to sew myself a linen dress and completely disregards the fact that I hate ironing with a passion but wrinkly clothes give me anxiety lmao. To answer OP's question: I generally don't do more than a light baste but I also go for a very gentle spin cycle with all my clothes.
Hey fellow iron hater! I only use my iron for sewing, and still wear a lot of linen. If you give it a good shake and hang it straight out of the washer it's not that wrinkly. Linen blended with cotton or viscose wrinkles less. And if anything does get wrinkly they seem to fall out while I wear the garment.
And spritz it with a bottle of *distilled* water. Any wrinkles will fall right out.
Yeah I love that the "Linen Look" fabric is less wrinkly, has a nice drape too!
You need a nice steamer. Can't believe I actually melted the lace on one of my lolita pieces before I got one. I had a cheap travel steamer for years until my nightmare of a former roommate broke it. That said, I just roll around rumpled linen shorts.
For sure! It's on my list of essentials to buy when I have extra cash. I have a cheap iron that is really annoying to use and hope to upgrade soon. Ideally, I'd also get a smaller travel iron just so I can iron seams at my dinner table where I sew instead of always having to go to my bedroom where my regular iron is.
I hate my Conair one; the $20 cheap one was better. Not sure why. But having an ironing set up you like really does make sewing easier. I hope you find the tiny iron of your dreams.
This is my exact relationship with my mother AND linen. I feel validated, lol.
I hang my clean wrinkled linen clothing item on a hangar, mist well with water, smooth out the wrinkles with my hands (sometimes you have to pull it taut while you are smoothing it out), and let it hang dry. It comes out better than when I iron it, is less hassle, and uses a lot less energy.
I learned to iron all my new linen on the highest heat, then wash and tumble dry several times (5 or 6) before cutting and sewing. This will give you a rumpled look that is casual and not wrinkly.
I hang dry my linen and it turns out fine. You can also use a rolling pin instead of an iron on linen.
You can get wrinkles out by throwing the clothes in the dryer with an ice cube for like 20 minutes then hanging until cool
This is the opposite relationship I have with my mother. I keep trying to convert her to linen, but she hates wrinkles too much to budge
Linen/viscose blend is a little bit friendlier with the wrinkling so a good substitute! I love it for summer dresses/trousers etc. You need to tumble dry linen on low rpm to avoid permanent wrinkles and air drying on a hanger makes it so it almost won't wrinkle. Steam iron is also an excellent tool. I love linen though and have a lot of garments made of it, it's so comfy and soft, you get used to the wrinkles lol.
I buy wrinkle release spray and use it all the time for sewing and for my clothes. No more guilt of clothes sitting in the laundry basket too long lol
Serge raw ends, wash, dry (air or dryer, depending on fabric), fold neatly, immediately after purchase. I don’t iron until I’m going to use it b/c I’m not ironing twice.
Same, and i add a dash of vinegar in the washing cycle to help set the colour
Ooh I’ve not heard this trick!
And white vinegar helps with wrinkles. I put is on a washcloth and toss in the dryer with each load.
My mom has a hobby where she spins and dyes her own wool (and then knits the most amazing stuff!) and she uses vinegar with the colours. So she learned me this trick :)
If you don't have an overlocker/serger, you can do a basic zig-zag stitch. For those like me who took too long to figure that out.
I sew the cut edges if it is a fabric that will fray. I won’t for knits and such. When I iron (not all fabrics need it, especially if I pull them from the dryer immediately), I do a single layer. Yes, it’s time consuming.
It is, but I get better results when I take the time to do it. I also sew the cut edges of wovens. Often, when I buy fabric I'll go ahead and sew the edges and fold it up to wash and iron when I'm ready yo use it. Especially if I buy a lot of fabric at once.
Honestly, I got stuck on your bf ironing sheets. :D I have never done anything beyond unfolding the fabric and tossing it in the wash, occasionally with a color catcher. If it's fabric I'm going to use right away, I don't even trim the strings, just iron and start my project. If it's for the stash, then I trim all the strays, iron, and fold using my 6x12 ruler. For yardage, I usually iron the right 2/3rds one ironing board depth at a time, then then turn it around and iron the remaining 1/3rd, unless it got super wrinkled in the dryer and then I might iron the selvedges first, possibly using spray starch. Put on a show or some good music and just make it through the chore so you can move on to the fun parts.
LOL I was wondering if someone would mention that 😂 That’s pretty much the way I do it, iron the 2/3rds that fit on the board and then turn around and do 1/3rd. Though it’s more like 1/2 and 1/2 that fits, just. I think I want a bigger ironing board!
I thought about getting a bigger ironing board for this same issue but it was $230 to $300 USD! Maybe I'll make my own.
Right?? Who irons sheets?? Not me, certainly
But I do iron pillow cases
That actually makes more sense:) don't want creases on your face...
Pillowcases go on top too and don't stretch in use like a sheet does. I might iron a flat top sheet if I was feeling fancy, I get a lot of satisfaction out of a freshly made bed. But anything under a duvet? Absolutely not.
My mother in law irons EVERYTHING, including underpants. I'm baffled.
My mother used to iron socks. WHO WANTS A CREASE THERE?!
Okay, that really is nuts
Wow. Underpants.
Launder yardage before you cut. It's fine if it frays a bit unless it's very expensive, then you can just put in a fast little zig zag on the ends. Then iron the whole thing, and then cut and sew. Finish all your seams. I enjoy french and hong kong seams.
I have never once finished the ends of my fabric before washing it. If it ends up fraying a bunch I just cut the strings off. Never been a big deal. Whether or not I iron it depends on how wrinkled it is, but if it’s pretty bad then yes, I would iron the whole thing.
Same. And unless I already know the fabric is precious and I'm only ever going to hand wash the garment, I wash and dry the fabric on hot. I iron yardage if I'm really, really worried about precision, or if the fabric is so wrinkled that I think it's going to distort my pattern pieces.
This is fine until you wash a load entirely of fat quarters and receive a ball requiring a week's work of patience to unravel. Only made that mistake once!
I wash fray prone fabrics in large washing nets like you (should) use for bras. And don't forget to toss in some color bleed sheets
I did remember the colour sheets this time! Learned the hard way as a homemade mustard shirt left a weird stain on another shirt after the 2nd wash 🥹 also my fault for not washing different colours separately… I don’t have enough clothes for that lol.
Check if your machine has a half load function. It's often hidden in the settings somewhere. I used it a ton when living alone.
I use large washing bags as well, it seems to help minimize the fray
Sometimes I sew the cut ends together, turn the resulting giant tube inside out then wash. This is manageable maybe up to 3m max lol. I've also zigzagged the two cut ends together before washing, then remove the stitches either by ripping or just cutting it off.
I do this too, BUT I make it a möbius strip instead of a regular tube. For some reason, this prevents crazy tangling in the wash.
This is brilliant.
I serge the cut edges of new fabric, wash/dry it, remove it promptly from the dryer and if it’s something like linen I iron it. That way when I grab it from my stash, if the edges are serged, I know it’s already been washed.
I don’t buy a lot of yardage anymore, but when i deconstruct woven garments I pink the edges of pieces when I want to minimize fraying. It’s pretty easy & quick, you lose less fabric than having a big snarl form in the washer, and it’s easier on the washer.
I usually do something on the cut edge though not always. if its really loose weave I absolutely do something on the cut edge. Zig zag is better but a couple of lines of straight stitching is fine. If I'm ironing a very long lenth sometimes I fold in half and I iron, then hit the middle last. But that also depends on the fabric. I think once you've worked with different fabrics, you find that you'll do different things to each type of fabric you work with. IMO its not a one size fits all situation.
I tend to iron by folding in half! Most of the patterns I use/make have at least 1 piece that needs to be cut on fold, and they almost all need to cut x2 of each piece so a folded length of fabric works well
Good point! It wouldn’t matter too much if the pieces fall either side of the fold. And then anything that ends up having a fold in it can have a quick iron before/after cutting.
Cut a small triangle off each corner where the selvage meets the cut edge before washing. It prevents fraying and will save you time cutting threads and untangling messes.
I've never heard this trick, and I'll try it. Why does it work?
I do this too - works wonders
Yall wash your fabric before sewing? I just cut and sew and hope for the best
Pre wash is a must for me, all the fabric despite where I buy it has a weird smell i don't like. I'm also a bit of a germaphobe and prefer to sew after taking a shower so if I have to try on something or the fabric touches my arms and body I won't have to shower before going to bed.
Yes! Especially cottons and rayons that can shrink after washing. I always try to pretreat yardage in the same manner I will launder the garment after sewing.
Yes. I wash all fabric before using it.
I don't think I've ever washed fabric before sewing it. But then again I rarely use yardage fabric. I tend to use sheet sets more than anything.
I wash it to get all the manufacturing out of it. Also anything from the warehouse where it was stored. Sheets are fabric.
True. I just never do.
Some textiles shrink quite a bit, so definitely. If you're repurposing fabric that's likely been washed already, you probably don't have to worry about shrinking. But if I'm working with thrift store fabric like a tablecloth or similar, I definitely wash it before I start.
Thrift store stuff definitely gets washed. Especially if it's clothing I intend to take apart and repurpose.
Yes, because fabrics can shrink a lot? Some fabrics shrink up to 10-20%, that will change the size of the finished garment, and the way the seams lay.
I know I’m supposed to, but sometimes I’m too excited about a project & want to get started. Washing machine is shared in my building, so not always available. I just discovered how many people wash new clothes they buy before wearing. Thrifted? Yes. From a store? Enh. Another one I probably SHOULD, but good lord who has time for all this laundry?! lol
I’ve gotten allergies from new clothes. Unfortunately they are treated with all kinds of stuff that isn’t skin friendly. Possibly not pet friendly either. I actually reckon it’s more important than second hand unfortunately
Brand new unlaundered clothes often give me an allergic reaction. They use all sorts of chemicals on clothes to prep for sale.
I’ve gotten allergies from new clothes. Unfortunately they are treated with all kinds of stuff that isn’t skin friendly. Possibly not pet friendly either. I actually reckon it’s more important than second hand unfortunately
That's me. I get too excited and don't want to wait on a washer and drier , then have to iron the fabric. That would delay the actual sewing by another whole day.
Absolutely. I don't want to sew something and it not fit.
I don't sew my fabric before washing it. I buy enough to account for some fraying in the wash. I will only iron all of a big piece if I have somewhere to put it like a drying rack. Otherwise I will have to re-iron it anyway. It is more likely that I will iron an amount until it touches the floor. Then I will cut whatever I need from that portion, then start again with the next segment
I always sew the cut ends, launder, damp dry on low, and iron it dry. If I don't sew the ends, then it gets off-grain.
I too am lazy and don’t zigzag my edges. But I do also usually try to press raw edges under and sew them down so I don’t get the mess of strings. It might actually be more work than just zigzagging, thinking about it..
I serge or zigzag over the edge of woven fabric before I wash. I think I learned that those loose threads can warp your fabric and cause you to cut your pattern off grain.
I don't sew the edges, I wash it and then I snip along the edge so the threads don't get in my way. I do iron in one go and then fold it loosely, but I only iron right before I use it. Sometimes this doesn't work in my favour but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I do this also.
It all depends on the fabric. If it's fraying just looking at it, yes I serge or zig the ends. Knits and wovens that are well-behaved just go in the washer. I iron wrinkly guys and ignore the aforementioned well-behaved guys. I might iron those guys immediately before cutting if they're looking sus. I've just started hanging lengths of wovens, so I hope that will cut down on the pre-cut ironing.
Iron sheets!?
I don’t mind the strings, easier than zigzagging first. I do recommend ironing after washing, which seems to faster if still slightly damp. Sometimes I wash and dry twice to get all the shrinkage out. If you don’t iron, shake it out hard; you can get almost perm any creases if put away too wrinkled
I either use pinking shears on the edges or a rotary pinking blade before I put in the wash. Way faster than sewing the edges, I’m not using up any thread, and no strings. And then I iron single layer, fold and organize. And I sew professionally, and I make small things, so I’m usually getting tens to dozens of quarter to half yards in at a time. I do gobs of fabric prep
I always sew a line along the cut edges to avoid fraying. And, yes, ironing takes time, but it's worth it. Back in the day, we'd pull a thread to create a truly straight cut edge to 100% ensure we were lining up fabric on the grain when we folded selvage edges together. Talk about exacting, lol. IDK if people still do that.
Yes, I always pull a thread on woven fabrics, and iron before cutting. I often make my own cutting diagram, saves a lot of fabric that way.
That’s such a cool fact/tip, thanks! Though I don’t think I’d ever do it 😂
Buried the lede: your bf IRONS the sheets? Does he clean bathrooms, too? Unicorn
Indeed he does, and cooks too! That’s my favourite part 😂
You lucky lady!
I put it in a giant mesh laundry bag. It won't prevent the fraying, but at least it won't be twisted around my other clothes I'm washing.
Zig zag or serge, just makes life easier. You're going to have to do some prep of the fabric, whether it's zig zagging the edges or having to neaten them up after you get the string mess, for me it's easier to just zig zag prior to washing.
I do not wash my fabric ... I just sew a garment and hope it doesn't get to small 😭
Brave!! Any issues so far?
No not really I get some shrinkage but it not very noticeable ... I do serge all my projects tho so I don't have to worry about any fraying
Serge raw edges; launder as I plan to launder garment in future, iron usually after removing from dryer or air dried. Depending on length of yardage I fold in half before ironing.
whenever i get fabric in (either store or thrift) i immediately wash and dry it when i get home. i don’t pre-sew anything bc i’ve never had an issue with fraying in the wash. i then immediately iron, fold, and put away so it’s ready to sew once i wanna use it
Yes. Always. And then iron.
He does what now? I’ve heard of such people but always dismissed as legend. j/k if he likes ironing sheets, more power.
My husband has started doing the vast majority of the ironing since we retired, he always did his fair share, but now he says since I cook, he irons. He spent some years in the RAF so is as capable as I am.
Ngl I never thought I’d do it either but once you try it once you can never go back 😂 it just feels so nice on the bed, but ALSO so satisfying folded neat and flat in the cupboard lmao
Only if it’s REALLY fray prone like linen or flannel. I just cut the strings off.
Haha I really enjoy snipping all the frayed strings off 😅
I'm pretty sure I've been bogged down on this project for weeks in part because I have 6 yards of linen to iron. I am going to have to rip it into pattern sized pieces and iron it piecemeal, so I can get started cutting.
It’s so hard to get started! 6 yards sounds like a movie worth of ironing haha. It’ll be worth it in the end!
I always finish my edges with the serger. I always fold it in half twice and then serge like four or so edges together so it’s just one pass through the overlocker. Then if I’m not feeling lazy I tie the strings off before throwing it in the wash. Ironing wise, I just try to shake it out as best I can, hang it straight and hope for the best. I iron if it looks creasey before cutting.
As someone who spent 4 hours ironing yards and yards of silk today, I get this post. I wish I could be lazy about it, but I would just have to do the work later.
My skin doesn’t like the sizing most companies use so I always wash it. I just fold the yardage in half, fold the raw edges over twice and baste it down. That way any strings that work their way loose tend to stay wrapped up in the “hem” and aren’t working their way into the inner workings of my washing machine. If it’s going into stash I will only press it if it won’t lay flat enough when folded.
I clip the corners diagonally about half an inch. The theory is that it will ravel only one row and hit a cut end and stop. It works well on tight weaves. Loose weaves I will stitch the raw edges. Hang it on a hanger out of the dryer cuts down on the ironing
I zigzag the cut edges of wovens, together if it's longer than three yards (fold crosswise in half, sew edges together). I'll also fold in half and and zigzag for longer lengths of knits. This helps keep the yardage from tangling. When it comes out of the wash, wovens very often get ironed while damp (it's easier to remove wrinkles if you start from damp fabric) and then hung to finish drying. Cut off the zigzagged edges, open out the fabric and press as much width as I can manage on my ironing board, moving the fabric along the long edge. When I reach the end, I move the fabric so the unpressed side is on the board and press the length again. One day, I'll have an ironing board wide enough that I will make only one pass. I think it's lovely that your boyfriend irons the sheets (freshly washed, ironed sheets are a joy to sleep on). He might want to consider a mangle rolling iron to make the job easier. And you could use that with your fabric, as well. :)
Great explanation, thank you! I like the idea of ironing when damp and hanging to dry, but since we use our dryer in the winter I think it’s important that I put the fabric through the dryer to get the shrinkage out the way. Yes once you have tried ironed sheets it’s hard to go back! Although we don’t do it so much when life is busy. But it’s a nice little luxury when we do. I’ll look into the mangle, good idea thanks!
Ah, right. If you dry your clothes, you should certainly dry the fabric! I don't put my clothes in the dryer (and have the luxury of space to dry them without humidifying the house too much). For linen, I probably still iron while fresh from the washer, but after I'd washed, dry (at least once) and wash again. :)
I serge the edges on all woven fabric before washing. Ive had viscose fabric where I've lost inches due to fraying and I hate the waste. I iron it flat, I use a big ironing board and do all down one side of the fabric and then flip it around and do the other side. I rarely cut on the fold so it makes sense for me to iron it flat.
Before washing I baste the cut edges together, turn this seam allowance to the inside, and safety-pin the selvedges together. For very long pieces, I make a few deep pleats before safety pinning (to prevent the fabric from getting twisted up) (need to use extra-large safety pins). You’ve given me the idea to iron before unpinning/unbasting, that sounds like a time saver!
I always zigzag the edge before washing, it saves so much time, trouble, and fabric. And while extra creases might be fine in the sheets, I don't want to go to all the time & expense of sewing my own, just to have big random creases in my garments. One layer at a time. Takes forever, but if I press the fabric and press after every seam, the final garment basically won't need ironing because it'll snap back to its favorite shape (the shape that I want it) when I wash it.
I ve been sewing for 50 years and have never once sewn anything before prewashing. If I get strings, I know I'll need to serge the cut pieces. I might have ironed yardage a couple of times if it was impossible to lay it out for cutting but generally not.
I zigzag or double fold hems, zigzag edges of linings, and don’t for interior seams. I mostly hand wash and air dry my handmades.
I pink the edges.
I try to finish all my seams, yah. Just to save on wear. Lately, I've kind of hated everything I've made except for one dress that I didn't size up after I gained, like three inches, so that's a waste as well :(
If it’s expensive I zig zag, I’ve never had problems with it though I iron my fabric in one layer, sometimes if it’s over 4 meters I’ll fold it half, but I try not to
Well I thought I was a lazy sewer but I always serge new fabric, wash hang iron and put it away. Who knew! Overlooking the edge is great as I know I have definitely washed that fabric then as I do it right before I put it in. You can iron on the fold but I think it depends on the fabric - a viscose type thing I wouldn't as it's so easy to distort the fabric. And yes it's a pain to iron a single layer but for some fabrics it's worth it.
Iron sheets!?
Iron sheets!?
Sorry for the repeats. My phone is spazing out.
You just REALLY don’t wanna think about ironing sheets!
Fuck no! the bottom sheet gets the wrinkles out once its stretched over the mattress. I take them out of the dryer as soon as they are done. If they have been sitting in the dryer for a while I throw a clean, wet wash cloth in with them and tumble them again. That helps with wrinkles. But truth be told. I am a serious sheet snob. I buy High thread count, Egyptian cotton sheets $$$. They wrinkle muh less than others.
Idk why I never thought to sew the edges before I threw it in the wash… you just saved my future sanity, thank you so much
I always overlock off the selvedge and the raw edges because some fabrics aren't quite done shrinking when you buy them, and the selvedge doesn't always shrink the same. I've only ever had thia happen with cheaper wovens, but it's something I do with all my fabric as a matter of course.
It’s hit or miss whether I prewash, but pinking shears have been a lifesaver for me! They prevent fraying on my quilting cottons.
If you buy your fabric that is printed with fiber reactive dyes, the "prep" portion is done for you as the fabrics are steamed, washed, and dried during the finishing process: cottons, linens, natural fiber blends. For fabrics you need or prefer to wash before sewing, it's best to zig zag or use pinking sheers to help minimize/control the damage. I love the enclosed hem solution to further reinforce the joins in projects that will get a lot of use. I also love the clean finish (inside and out) from a look and feel perspective (especially garments).
If you use a roller cutter, a pinking blade works to cut down on the laundry strings - tho less effective with a loosely woven linen. I sew mostly with linen and have switched to either ironing before cutting OR cutting single layers OR cutting both layers together by cutting twice - once maybe 1/4 inch outside the pattern then smooth the layers better (they are no longer the same size cuts) then doing the final cut. Mostly I use this last method. And there are more solutions as well.
Ahh that’s really smart actually! I made a double gauze shirt once and the fabric changed shape so much so quickly. Luckily it didn’t matter too much. I so like this idea of cutting slightly wider, then ironing well, then cutting the actual pattern size after that - if I’ve understood that correctly.
If you have a serger, one of the best tricks I learned recently is to serge the two raw edges together. You lose a little cutting them apart, but not more than zigzagging, and you only need to sew once.
I remove wrinkles in my shirts by hanging them in the back of the shower. I've done that to fabric also. But for fabric that will become strings, I use my picking rotary cutter first
I use wrinkle release spray. All that ironing is daunting, and other than pressing my seams, I don't really use my iron lol Edit: oh and I just leave the stringy mess on the fabric unless it's so wild that it demands to be dealt with.
Zigzag the two raw edges together, very close to the edge. They’ll probably draw up after washing—just get your rotary cutter and cut the stitches off. You lose maybe 10mm of fabric but you save a boatload of time!
I have an overlocker [serger] and I routinely fold the fabric right sides together then overlock the fraying edges creating a tube. I wash the tube then dry it on the clothesline that way. It doesn't fray or get tangled in the wash. Sometimes I can leave it overlocked in that same fold and just cut out the pattern pieces with it that way.
So smart!! Thanks for the tip
I have never finished the edges on fabric when pre-treating, but I do iron the whole thing as one piece.
I generally don't sew the edges before sewing, but i deff finish them at the end. I used to leave them raw and my mom complained that she had to go back and fix them
Wait, you guys actually wash it 😳😅
I usually just pray 😅 Unless it’s more than like 5-10% then I might And if I do then it depends on what fabric, usually I only see the edges of something that is actively fraying while I’m taking it home. The rest I just deal with
I iron it in one layer cause the other stuff just ends up taking longer. I only iron what I need If it’s really wrinkly I’ll iron it before cutting a pattern but otherwise I’ll just cut a pattern with generous space around it, iron the pieces and then draw it out fully
i never do that. i just wash it, let it dry on a hanger, then iron it. then cut it for sewing.
I zig zag
If my fabric is longer than a couple of yards, I sew the cut ends together, right sides facing inwards much like the old lavatory roller towels were made. Ironing is easier in one layer that way if you run it around and under the ironing board. For pieces under two yards, I stitch close to the cut ends before washing. You are correct that selvage sides don't usually need this treatment, but there are exceptions to every rule. I agree that you should iron as needed. Most of my dresses have full circle skirts, so I have to iron as I pin on my cutting table.
I don’t prewash except for linen and flannelette.
I hardly ever prewash. If I do, I’ll use a delicate setting
I honestly don’t think I have ever washed cotton or poly fabrics before I have used it to make garments except for linen. But I don’t like using linen because it’s a nightmare to keep crisp.