Before you begin constructing your garments, it is important to preshrink your fabric. Fabrics come from the store with temporary finishes and haven’t been dried, and the last thing you want is to happen is for you to finish constructing a beautiful garment and for it to shrink in the first wash. Trust me. Don’t you hate when you buy a new shirt and you love the fit then it shrinks after you wash it? Save yourself some unneeded frustration and preshrink your fabric!
Fusible interfacing: Immerse into hot water and let it soak until the water is cool. Roll up in a towel to remove excess water and let hang over a towel bar or shower rod to dry. (NOTE: this is the only fabric you can hang dry. Others will stretch and become off grain.)
Hair Canvas: Spray hair canvas with a spray bottle and press dry.
Cottons and linens: Immerse in hot water then dry in your dryer. Press wrinkles if needed.
Wool: Immerse into warm water and squeeze out the excess. Lay out wool into a dry bed sheet and fold it up together. Allow to sit in a plastic bag for 24 hours. Then lay out wool on a flat surface to dry. Press out wrinkles if needed.
Zippers, edge tape and other accessories: Immerse into hot water and let soak until the water has cooled. Allow to air dry then press.
Save yourself the time and preshrink before you sew! Do your research and test a piece of your fabric to see how much it will shrink. Put in that much more work and give yourself a good fitting garment that will last past the first wash!
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