Here is a photo of some linen yardage.The piece on the left is unwashed and the piece on the right has been washed. The picture may not show the contrast very well, but I much prefer the look and feel of the fabric on the right.
If after the first round the fabric still hasn't softened to my liking I will repeat the process.
I have washed all types of fabrics including silk and wool. A hard finished wool that looks like it needs to be made into a very tailored garment can soften and get a little "fuzzy" making it suitable for a more relaxed styled garment.
It is no surprise that this process will frequently shorten the yardage, sometimes significantly, but the surprises that emerge from the dryer are often very exciting!
I learned years ago to always prewash my fabric after I experienced spending hours making myself a gorgeous dress that fitted me perfectly and then when I washed it... well no surprise here... it turned out to be about 2 sizes too small and as you can imagine I was heartbroken LOL. I only started serging my edges before washing last year and what a HUGE difference that makes! No more tangled threads or messes to unravel. It's amazing how different the texture and the colours can be after being washed. With some fabrics when I press them before cutting I use fabric spray starch to make them less slippery and easier to sew with and then once I've made it I throw it in the wash again and it's a good feeling knowing that it's already been preshrunk and I won't get any nasty surprises and it will still fit LOL.
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