I never let a quilt leave my house that hasn't been freshly laundered.
if it's for a child, i chuck that sucker into warm water through a heavy duty cycle, and then into the dryer. i want to know it will hold up to frequent washing.
for an adult/fancy quilt i will use either cold or warm - depends entirely on my mood - regular cycle. whether or not i toss it into the dryer depends a lot on how badly i need it to fluff up and hide the garfarbles. :lol:
i let the quilt decide whether or not it needs a press. some demand it, some look best all relaxed and comfy.