Dear Netfah,

The other day I bought a cotton/poly knit, kind of like the tee shirt material, that I really love. I am planning to make a dress for a friends birthday and wanted to know if I should prewash it to allow room for shrinkage before I start cutting.

-Suzie, San Francisco CA

Dear Suzie,

I would suggest washing almost any NON dry clean only material before I construct a garment in this case not only for shrinkage allowance, but for the same reason its good to wash new clothes before you wear them; you never know where they have been stored or what unwanted pests and chemicals may have found their way into the fibers.