To wash or not to wash ... that is the question.
This is the conundrum that faces patchworkers and sewists everywhere. I have to confess that I am not much of a prewasher of fabric. But is Moda Toweling fabric different?
I decided to conduct an experiment.
I cut regular patchwork cottons and toweling into matching sized pieces. I washed some of them, using a cold wash and then dried some on the clothesline and others in the dryer.
I then pressed them and measured to see if the toweling had shrunk, and whether it had shrunk more or less than the regular patchwork cottons.
My conclusion was that it did shrink a little more than the regular patchwork cottons.
The findings mean that if I am including toweling in a quilt, pieced with regular patchwork cottons, then I would wash it first. I also like to wash the 60" wide toweling if I am using it for the back of my quilt. This wide toweling makes great quilt backs, it is soft and snuggly and has a lovely weight to it making the quilt warm and cozy. If also makes the quilt totally reversible. The quilt on the left is the Windmill Quilt. It is showing toweling pieced with regular cottons and 60" wide toweling on the back.
If I am making something just using toweling or I am appliquéing on toweling, I don't wash the toweling first. I like the dressing in the fabric to add a little body.
I have also made raggy quilts with toweling and they are washed and dried a lot. I have no trouble with the colour running and the quilt didn't shrink unevenly. It looks just as good, even after lots of use and lots of washes. The quilt on the right is Raggy Rail Fence.
I hope this helps you make decisions regarding washing Moda toweling.
The video about washing toweling can be viewed here.
Happy sewing
Jenelle
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