Rag Quilt looks used!
 

I made a rag quilt to give at a baby shower on Saturday. Just got back from washing and drying it at the laundromat.

Now it looks like a used blanket. I really don't know what to do. It's made from flannel - I tried to be very aware of using the correct side of the flannel (on the solids) but some of them look awful

The recipient is a girl that I've never met, my friend's DIL. Should I call my friend and explain that a raggy quilt has to be washed first to get the raggy look and apologize or should I go to Baby's R Us and buy something else.

I washed the blanket with clean towels - is that what went wrong? Should I have washed it alone?

I've made these quilts before - but the last time I washed three together - no towels - and they came out fine.

I just don't know what to do at this point.....

I would guess that it has to do with the flannel that you used. Some of it just pills up and looks used as soon as it is washed. I think the only way to know that before making a quilt is to wash the flannel before using. Maybe you did that and I am way off the mark. I actually had that happen to a set of flannel receiving blankets that I made for a work acquaintance's grandma shower. I didn't want to put a whole lot into the gift, yet I wanted it to be nice and useful. I prewashed the flannel and then washed again before gifting and I was afraid they would think I gave them used blankets, (plus a cute bedtime book). But I gave it anyway because I thought a gift is a gift:). I haven't seen her since then, so I'm OK with it. But if you are very concerned and well acquainted with the people, you might feel better to just buy a gift from the registry. Don't give a gift with excuses. Later I would give it to your friend to use when baby visits her house.

Suern3 Excellent reply and suggestions. I find that solid colour flannel always looks 'used' after washing. I have stopped using it if at all possible. I have found that it often has a looser weave and shrinks more than other flannels too.

But Pal, I'll bet your friend would love to have something for the new baby at her house.

I have a flannel baby quilt that I made just to try (and discard) a pattern. It turned out ummmm....less than lovely. But it has been thru two grand-babies and a grand-puppy at my house. Perfect for throwing on the floor for tummy time or a quick diaper change, and also perfect for padding the Pak'nPlay on overnight visits. The grand-puppy now thinks it is her permanent bed at Nana's house!

What appears to be the problem with the quilt? Is it loose strands of thread (if so wash it again and again until those are all gone)? Or is the flannel pilling (no cure for that one)? Or did some of the fabrics bleed onto others (if so, you might be able to wash it again with Synthrapol or color catchers and the excess color might come out)? Also, are you sure it looks bad, or are you being overly critical of your own work? In any case, I would still gift it, either to your friend or as "wrapping paper" for another gift, with an explanation that it didn't come out quite like you expected, but will still be useful. After all, any quilt would look used after the baby threw up on it a few times.

I always wash a quilt before gifting it. I put a card with it explaining how I washed it and it's ready to be used.

I made a quilt for a workmate and casually mentioned when I gave it to her that I always wash the quilts after they're finished because they've been handled a lot while sewing. She was quite impressed that I'd made the quilt. If you're unsure how it will be received it might be best to purchase a gift.

I used to never wash a quilt before giving it because I didn't want it to look used. But then I came to this site and learned it is best to wash them so they are ready to use. No one wants to find out the quilt they made had a seam split or fabric failed in another way after giving the quilt.

I always pre-wash my fabric - especially flannel. Once I bought the perfect blue flannel, it was set to be the back of a quilt and when I washed it the first time it was awful. Never had I seen flannel do what it did. It pilled, it was misshapen, the the color faded in spots. I should have taken it back, but I couldn't find the receipt and it had been a while since it was bought.

My mother In Law and myself use to make all our men hunting shirts (all the men are 6'7'' to 7ft tall). we made them 20 years ago when flannel had polyester in them and we made a LOT of them. The men LOVED them. Then flannel went to 100%cotton and we had to stop making the shirts because of all the reasons you have listed. It was a sad day in our family of tall people. I wont ever make anything out of 100% cotton flannel. Its not your fault. Its a lousy product.

Thank you so much to all of you. Everything that you have mentioned happened to that quilt. It pilled, it faded in spots on some squares and faded completely on others so that it looks like I used two different pinks and it's wrinkled.

The pattern on one of the flannels is baby birds. So I'm making a stuffed animal (following the bird on the flannel) out of one of the left over flannels - the one that I used for some of the squares and the binding and plan on wrapping him in the blanket as Dunster suggested and put both in a cellophane wrapper with a big bow.

If the bird doesn't work out well, then I'll head for the store! It's just that the quilt was so much work....

That's the charm of rag quilts. The more you wash them the softer they get.