The Best Way to Prepare FQs for Quilting

[@Oceanskye11]

Just tried your method & it worked like a charm !! Thank You so much! 😀

[@SuzyQuilts]

Yay!

[@marjoriecheadle6052]

Just what I needed today. Thank you!!

[@koalasez1200]

Nice tutorial! So, it reminded me of a time before you (and maybe your parents) were born 😊. We had to sprinkle our clothes with water, roll them up and put them in a big bag where they would sit for 30 minutes…even a day (and sometimes in the fridge)…then we pulled out the garment one at a time…irons weren’t as hot back then so it took awhile. We used bottles with ‘sprinkler head’ stoppers made for this purpose, no spray bottles like now but spray starch was available. I ironed my dad’s uniform shirts then later hubby’s Army fatigues. Things are so much nicer now!! Sorry for the trip back on memory lane but watching you brought all that back (in a good way). Sure am glad for our fabulous irons etc. now!!! Thank you!

[@pattiejohns2924]

Ha, ha, I learned to iron exactly as you described. Seems like forever ago. I currently use Suzy's method, old habits die hard.

[@maryjeanchapple6582]

AhHa! Can’t wait to try that! I had the exact same fold line situation this morning!

[@happybuela]

Thanks for the link to the large wool ironing mat! It looks like you have something between it and your table though - my guess is to protect your table surface? What is that? I use a large fold-up table for cutting my pieces and parts, and later for basting and marking my quilt. I’d love to use it for ironing too, but it has a plastic surface.

[@Kera.S.]

3½ minutes actually 🤣 amazing idea, TFS

[@teresaclutter9757]

In the case of woven fabrics, I’ve heard some quilters recommend washing the fat quarters due to the amount of shrinkage. I have some but have not sewn with them yet. So, you still don’t prewash and the quilts have been okay after washing?

[@SuzyQuilts]

I don't think you should prewash woven FQs because you will lose a lot to fraying and you may not have enough fabric for your quilt pattern. Some shrinkage is fine, your quilt will just look crinkled once it's washed. If you are worried about fabric bleeding, you can soak the FQs in hot water with Retayne - amzn.to/4ai66ml

[@emmaleecontreras3800]

In your water bottle was it just water?

[@SuzyQuilts]

Yes, since this fabric has not been pre-washed, it still has starch in it from the manufacturing process. Because of that, I don't think it's necessary to add more starch to the fabric. I know some quilters like their fabric to be extra stiff, so if that's the case, you can add a 50/50 starch to water ratio into your water bottle. For more info, check out this post - suzyquilts.com/the-best-way-to-prepare-fqs-for-quilting/