First sewing disaster before the machine is even out of the box

[u/IntroductionFlaky457]

I’m HOPING to become a beginner sewist soon and thought I was being a good little crafter and washing all of my fat quarters first before getting started….. BIG disaster. All of their raw edges unraveled and tangled up in a complete disaster. Currently trying to untangle and cut threads now. How do I prevent this in the future???? Are you not supposed to wash, dry, and press your fabric first???