How do you wash and Dry a new Quilt?
 

I have just finished my first quilt, but I am not sure how to wash and dry it. I've read that I should wash it on cold with mild soap and then block it to dry it. It is a baby quilt and I'm sure that my niece will want to put it in the drier. It has wool batting.
How should I clean and dry it and what should I tell my niece?
Thank-you. wfeld1st

Since it is a baby quilt, I would wash on delicate and dry on delicate. I'm sure the recipient won't take special care since it will be washed once a week.

I wash it in Tide Free and Gentle, then dry it in the dryer. I know my sister rewashed the baby quilt in Dreft (?) before she used it with my niece.

I always give a care of quilt note with the gift. I include what quilt is made of, type of batting, poly, cotton, wool, ect. You never know who may be allergic to what. Water temp, cycle, drying information, anything I can think of. What they do with the information is up to them.

I would look at your batting package and see what it recommends for the wool batting. I'm not familiar with wool batts so don't know how washable it may be. Since I use W&N (cotton), I toss mine in the washer, usually perm. press cycle, in warm water. Then toss in the dryer, again perm press cycle, until it's dry. I have found that if the quilt is square when it's completed there's no need to block. Might want to use a 'baby' detergent since it is for a baby but otherwise I just use my regular laundry detergent.

First, was the fabric washed before you made the quilt? How intense are the colours? If it's never been washed bright fabrics you will need something in a gentle wash in case the fabric bleeds. If it bleeds do not dry the quilt which will set the marks.Will your fabric bleed even if pre-washed? sometimes. I always use Shout Color Catchers in the washer the first time I wash a quilt.
I have never used a wool batt so check the packaging for the care it requires.

first check the batting package and see how it says it can be laundered- i've used dream wool which is totally wash/dryable.
but different batts have different requirements.
i tend to wash/dry my quilts exactly like i think they will be cared for by the person i'm giving them to-for baby/kids quilts i expect them to be tossed in to the washer and the dryer-so that's what i do when i finish one- i toss it in --usually with warm water because thats what i tend to use- a regular cycle- then i toss it into the dryer- if it doesn't survive that it's not going to survive a child/baby using it---
i actually wash/dry all of my quilts this way-unless it's a wallhanging- item i do not expect to ever be washed....in the 35 years of making quilts i've never made one that did not go through the washer/dryer -- some i don't wash/dry often---like the wool quilts that normally just need to be vacuumed/ spot cleaned/ or taken out & dusted/ shook out-
the silk/velvet/crazy quilts were washed when finished- but i did lay them outside on a sheet(draped over my hammock) with another sheet over it to protect it from birds-to dry

Did you prewash the fabric? Is the batting 100% or wool/ cotton blend? Did you prewash and dry the batting? If everything has been prewash and pre shrunk, then I would put regular wash and dry instructions in with the gift. (Personally, I do not totally dry my quilts in the dryer) If both the fabric and batting has not been prewashed, I would hand wash the quilt in a tub of luke warm water, with a mild soap, rinse well, roll up to squeeze the extra water out of the quilt, then blot well with towels, and hang dry.

if it is done now, i would cold water wash with cold water (don't even warm water rinse, change of temp can make felt easily) rinse and give her a little tag with the same info... if you put that wool bat into a dryer while it is wet, it will be felt when it comes out...it should be air dried... in future, use poly for baby quilts, washable, dryable, hypoallergenic and dragable for years..allergies are too prevalent in young ones and wool is highly allergenic to a pretty big percentage of people.. i'm sure it feels wonderful and looks beautiful so we're all gonna cross our fingers...i know your daughter will love the quilt...

They don't need babying. Cold water gentle wash and dry in low heat dryer.