I always wash my quilts before giving them away for all of the above reasons (especially to ensure no disasters with seams, and no thread snippets, cat fur or quilting marker marks are left); I tell the recipient the quilt has been washed (new moms especially tend to feel the need to wash everything that will contact their little one, and they don't need any extra laundry!) and I include a page of laundering and general care instructions.

Alison

I guess I'm the oddball, I don't wash my quilts before giving them.

I would say no because you don't know what people are allergic to, lots of laundry detergents break me into full on hives because of my eczema, and allergies. i prefer to let people wash their own and wash it how they would like

I always wash before giving....just in case there's a drama. I use scent free - eco friendly washing detergent and let the recipient know it's washed and ready to use straight away.

If there is no chance of anything running, then you could toss the quilt in the dryer with a damp bath towell and a dryer sheet. That's what I do to get the hairs and dust off and to make it smell fresh. It doesn't quite end up as wrinkled as after the first wash but it does take some of the stiffness out. I bet your quilt will help heal the heart.

I always wash and dry a finished quilt, some times I use a marking pen and would not want any marks showing when I gift it. I always try to remember to tell the person it is clean, they are use to washing boughten items from stores. I figure if I wash a quilt, it may look great at least until it is washed by someone else. Had a friend whom I gave about 6 quilts to tells me she likes to wash them a lot because they just get softer and softer. Also wears them out faster too. I about cried.

I always wash.....I don't want any starch, quilting marks, oils (from my hands), dirt or anything else in that fabric when I give the quilt away. You might be surprised all of the chemicals used in the manufacture/printing of fabric and batting. And while I do my best to keep the quilt clean, it will occasionally drop a corner on the floor and pick up some dust/dirt/furball. I don't want the recipient to have to wash it right away. I wash with hypo-allergenic soap, so no issues there either.

I recently sent someone a quilt. She called to thank me yesterday. She was afraid to use it because she thought it would fall apart when washed. I was able to tell her I had machine washed and dried it, so you will be able to wash it whenever it needs it.

I always prewash before gifting a quilt. It double checks for pins or safety pins. I like the way it looks, feels, and smells after being washed and dried in the dryer. It always reassures me that I have not missed a thread to cut, or a seam that didnt get fiixed before washing check.