As a handquilter I usually have to at least spot clean any quilt I do to remove any markings I may have used for the quilting pattern. For my Linus Quilts I always prewash and iron the fabric before machine quilting. It is not a bad idea to wash a quilt when you are finished creating. It proves if the stitches will hold up and the fabrics are colorfast. You can iron or press your quilt after washing to get back that crisp look.