Do you always wash your quilts before you give them away? I'm still pretty new and have only done a couple, but so far I' haven't washed them. Do you?

Yes. They are all washed before they go out the door.

Ditto :-)

I have dogs therefore I have dog hair and dust in my house. Need I say more? LOL

i only wash quilts that will be washed in their future.

i mainly make art quilts with many types of embellishments and these are never meant to be put in the washing machine.

if a customer wants a quilt for bedding purposes those are always washed first before handing over to the owner.

I always wash mine first because I always have at least one seam that needs to be repaired after that 1st wash (usually in the borders too!! you'd think I could sew one straight piece of fabric to another by now!). and washing and shrinking helps hide some of my minor oopses

YES!!! if anything goes wrong- like a seam comes loose-or a fabric bleed or anything else i want to know- and be able to fix it before it goes to anyone else--- it can be very devestating for the recipient to be the first one to wash their quilt and something happen to it....has been known to really hurt feelings/family relationships

I know we just had this conversation earlier this week..but I can not find my post..

the majority said YES....especially if you have a smoker in the same block as you, you have any kind of animals in the house...etc...

Since I prewash my fabrics before making the quilt, I generally do not worry about washing it again before it leaves the house...depends on how much handling it gets!

If I do wash it, I make sure the recipient knows that..and does not wash it again!

If I don't wash it, I let them know that as well!

Yes.....I like to see them all crinkly.....other way reminds me of an old stuffed shirt...too stiff!!!!! lol

Yes - I wash it in the machine with regular detergent, some color catchers, and cold water, then dry in drier, just as a recipient would. I figure if it takes special care, it reduces the possibility that they would actually use it.

Yes I wash all of my quilts when they are done.

there are quite a few chemicals used in the sizing during the manufacturing process and insecticides during shipping so I want to wash all of that out before giving to someone and them thinking it is ready for the bed. Also, when you are piecing and quilting, you will leave oils and dirt from your hands.

I wash to get out all the starch from the fabrics. It helps to make them softer also. (I am a starch aholic) hehe Plus I have a cat want to make sure also that it doesn't bleed or fall apart after it gets washed. just because I worry about that stuff.

I didn't used to, but since I don't prewash, I've started washing them before gifting. Mainly because I have a dog and a cat in the house so I want to be sure they're not allergic to my quilt! :)

All mine are washed before they are given away

I prewash my fabrics and I still wash every quilt when it is finished. I don't do art quilts. All my quilts are made to be used. I want to know that it is clean when it goes on the bed or when it is given to someone.

Unless they are to sit in a cabinet and never be used..why wouldn't you wash them. I love crinkle and I find washing softens most fabrics.

Yes, I spray baste and use less pins for quilting; so make sure it is washed after.

I always wash mine too........I am terrified that someone will have an allergic reaction to dog/cat dander from my house........

Always. I like the crinkled look. I always wash and dry before gifting. That is probably how the person who gets the quilt is going to care for it.
Sue

Between dogs, marking for handquilting, and the handling, I always wash mine before they go out the door. Because I hand quilt they have a tendency to hang around here for a while and I'm not the most consistent housekeeper either. So dust, messy DH, etc. Yep - wash it. Reg. cycle, reg. detergent, dryer. Just like the recipient would.

I've never thought about washing them first. I am going to start.

Always!! I want to make sure that if there are any problems, I can take care of them and I like them smelling fresh!! :-D

I haven't been washing...you've convinced me to start!

Same here! :thumbup:

so far all my quilts have been for family members, and i have not washed any of them.....but i will keep all this in mind if i do give one outside of the family....thanks for all the info...

Yep !!

I guess I never thought about doing this until now. Thanks for asking the question!

Mandy

I guess washing finished quilts is a personal thing. I do not wash after finished.....either put it on the bed intended for or gift wrap and put a ribbon on it!!!(along with washing instructions) I watched Fons/Porter yesterday-new series and Marianne mentioned she never washes her quilts when finished....and if they are meant for her house, they remain unwashed for maybe a year......she feels they mellow just being used---so I guess I am in good company.
Relate the "washing" to "store bought".....do you wash everything you purchase from the store before you use it? oops, maybe I should not have said any of this!!!!!!!oh well

All of my quilts are washed before they leave my house. I work with very small scraps given to me by a professional seamstress and they are too small to be washed before I sew with them. And I starch the scraps when I iron them. I also use spray basting, so I have a triple whammy in my quilts. I wash my finished quilts with color catcher sheets to make sure that the fabrics don't run, the spray baste comes out, and the starch comes out. Also, I like the crinkly look of washed quilts.

Like to wash it so I can make sure the quilting is even. Seems once washed, it comes alive and so neat. Quilting DOES make the quilt! Also need to make sure ALL the chemicals are out of the fab. My dermatologist says one washing does not get all the chem out of fab.

I guess I am in the minority here. I never wash and I have given away many. I like the new feel after it is quilted.I get requests and gentle hints for quilts. My quilts are meant to be used and so they are sturdy. I use colors I know wont run.

Yes I wash them even if they are wall hangings cause I like the crinkly effect shrinking gives them

Yes I do. ;-) :D

Yes, I always wash my quilts before giving them away. I want to see how they look after washing and it gives me a second chance to look for any threads that I missed clipping earlier. Plus, I want to be sure the quilt is soft and cozy.

Yes for sure reasons as follows

- remove any soil that might come from the whole process, as I spray baste on my sewing room floor also oils from my hands and I do not pre-wash my fabric.
- I use Color Catchers to prevent any shifting of color
- I like how they look when all crinkly
- I can see if I forgot something or if anything came undone

Janet

Very useful information. Thank you.

YES. Except for wall hangings.
That way people will know they are washable. I can also see if there are any loose threads or seams.
I also like the look and smell of freshly washed quilts. When the weather is nice I use fabric softener in the washing machine and then dry the quilts outside.
AND, I too always use Color Catchers.

yes, unless it is a wall hanging

I always wash everything I purchase in a store before using it.

For some reason, a lot (most?) of manufacturers seem to use some type of scent on their products or perhaps the scent is just integral to the manufacturing process. In any case, I wash it with scent-free detergent to get rid of the smell.