I am usually not concerned about how my quilts will survive washing and drying - I've already soaked and washed the fabrics and batting before assembling them.

I do keep the agitation to a minimum - I think that's what is hard on an item.

I see no reason to block them when - so far - opposite sides have ended up to be the same length - and the corners are square.

I do wash them because everything has been handled a lot in the process - and I did have cats - who participated in the making of the quilts.

I'm also a bit of a fanatic about how the grain lines go. I like them either parallel or perpendicular to the edges of the quilt.

I wash mine also - don't lay them on the floor to dry though - if I did there would be 7 cats playing on them!

I don't prewash fabric so as soon as the binding goes on it's into the washer (with colour catcher) & dryer.

Since I do mainly charity quilts, I wash all quilts before giving them away. Use warm water, regular cycle, color catchers (1 or two depending on colors in quilts), and dry on regular cycle.

i wash mine on the long setting on my machine. one never knows how it's going to be treated once it leaves you, so i want to be sure it doesn't happen with the recipient.

DITTO for Traditional Quilter!!!!

I love to wash my quilts as soon as I'm done with the binding. Love to see the crinkle, feel them soften up. It's not finished til it's washed and dryed at my house. I've been known to stay up until the wee hours of the morning just to see it completely finished.

Why?? I work slow and I know it got dusty in addition, it will be washed in when it gets to its destination . Calla

Is there any way to avoid that crinkly look? I'm thinking of trying poly batting - ? Also have a wool batting ($$!) but now it sounds like it'll crinkle too - ??

When I want a more modern look I use either pre-shrunk Hobb's 80/20 or Quilter's Dream poly. The QD poly is more like a cotton batt than the old style poly batts.