So what's your opion on prewashing the fabric? The book says not to but when my class finally came up, the teacher said to go ahead and do it. ??? My quilts are all to be used and washed, and some will be hand quilted. I like the subtle puckered look but the pink one seemed to pucker a bit too much for me. And it's hard to control the washing after it leaves my hands. So I'm considering prewashing on this next one. Your opinion will be greatly appreciated! I'm so happy to have someone to bounce ideas off of.

I truely am addicted to these. My eye is always looking for the biggest print and hoping for the colors I want for the next one. I have blocks left over and will make baby doll quilts for the little girls with them. And the Christmas ones will become pot holders someday. I saw your miniature and wonder how in the world I could do something like that!!! Maybe I could just cut down the extra blocks to about 3 or 4 inches so it would still have the pattern. Could be tricky for me but I will have to try it with one of the left over ugly blocks.

Hi Jenell,

The lady I take quilting classes from off and on has quilted for many years. She's a purist to her cute little bones! She ALWAYS says to prewash your fabrics before class. She washes them in gentle things like Woolite (never Cheer or Tide)...and dries them DRY. Her reasoning is that she has seen one too many VERY NICE quilts ruined because a color bleeds out and runs on other fabrics.

I prewash everything too, but this book calls for you NOT to so the print doesn't shift even a smidge. I am really tempted to prewash Bill's fabric.

i can understand that you wouldn't want the repeat to be distorted at all by washing, drying or pressing. If you prewash, be very careful when presing to make sure you don't distort the shape any.

I barely got the brown one off the ironing board and in the bag to send to the quilters and I just had to start cutting for Bill's new one. It's going to be brighter than I thought but he likes busy so he will be happy. I cut about 700 triangles out this weekend Well it helps that they were stacked in sixes.
I am going to have to read up on mitered corners for this one. I wanted to just sew this one and not have to learn anything new but I found some wonderful fabric to match this for borders.



Oh and I decided I better not prewash after all.

OHHH... that's so pretty Jenell!

Jenell

That is going to be one very pretty quilt!

Milica

Beautiful, Jenell!

Jenell.. that is going to be another awesome One Block Journey...I can't wait to see the finished quilt..

About prewashing.. don't not for this technique..honestly the fabric does not shrink in the same way all over..plus you loose your sizing to give the fabric body when you are cutting and working. The fabric also does not stick together as you are trying to layer them and pin. I teach this technique and really I have seen both sides of the coin on washing and not washing. If you use good quality quilting fabric then there should be no running issues.

I only wash my fabric when appliquing so that the needle turning is easier to work with.

this is only my opinion I know that some habits are hard to break but fabric quality has changed in the last 20 years..the manufacturers are thinking of the people that spend billions of dollars on their fabrics.. that is us the wonderful quilters..LOL

Jenell,
What is the pattern that you are using? I love it! My daughter's mother-in-law does one that she calls stack and whack that looks alot like this. But I've never done one.
I would love the pattern and instructions if you can tell me where to find it!
Keep up the beautiful work! And thanks for showing it to us!
Sherry