reading but not posting

i'm one of those guilty of not posting as much as i used to. the old format was much easier and the "conversations" were easier to keep up with because you didn't have to click on something to see the responses and then come back to the original BB. i don't have dialup, but it sure seems like i do with the amount of time it takes to open new windows in this format. and i also have to remember just what it was i was going to answer too -- something that age has graced me with! but i do so appreciate that eric and sue were gracious enough to listen to our earlier complaints and come up with a solution so i try not to complain. it is tho the reason i don't post very often.

as for washing, yes i do. guess it's a throwback to my clothing sewing days and since it's 100% cotton i just expect the shrinkage. dyes are so much more stable now that bleeding is practically unheard of. but i wouldn't want to make a bold statement that nothing runs and have someone end up with a ruined quilt after putting in all that work. vinegar USED to be a recommended method to set dyes, and also salt, but the chemicals that are used these days don't respond so it is a waste of time to try them. also, just because dyes come out in the water does not mean they will migrate onto other fabrics in your quilt. the person who suggested putting another piece of white in the water to see if it "caught" the color is absolutely correct. and now the caveat: if i'm using strips of fabric there is no way they can be washed, so of course i don't. but i do try then to use background fabrics and backings that are also not washed so i have some consistancy. i just finished a quilt for my BIL like that. strips were from connecting threads and precut into 2 1/2" pieces. jelly rolls are another product, and now bali prints have introduced a line of strips with a catchy name that i just can't remember -- that grey matter once again ;)

don't feel alone in your opinion of washing. around the time that sharyn craig and harriet hargrave were writing their book "the art of classic quiltmaking" they were lecturing together. you guessed it, one (sharyn) doesn't wash, and the other (harriet) does. they both have their reasons and ways of handling their decision, and just agree to disagree. there is no right or wrong. i'll give you one of my bad experiences tho... i had washed my fabrics and the quilt had been washed a couple of times (this is 20-some years ago tho). one time i washed it and did not immediately move it to the dryer. the wet fabrics laid on each other for some time and the deep maroon did bleed onto the light colored background in a few spots. i'm probably the only one who ever noticed it, but you can be sure i have always been johnny on the spot at taking a quilt out of the washing machine from that point on.

i'm going to try to remember how to post a picture and show you my latest quilt. it's the one made with strips from connecting threads. and by the way, i would definitely recommend their lines of fabric as far as quality goes. i was pleasantly suprised and so were my quilt buddies.

dutchrose ---{-@