Originally Posted by ckcowl
i ALWAYS wash my finished quilts...unless it's a wallhanging that will never be washed.
i want to make sure there are no surprises for the new owner of one of my quilts so i wash them, dry them then look them over well to make sure no seams have come loose, or applique fraying or just anything. i would not be able to sleep if i let a quilt go out the door i hadn't washed first...so, yes, i wash the starch out of the finished quilt. i wash my quilts how ever i believe the new owner is going to wash it. if it's a kids quilt and chances are it is going to be tossed into the washer and dryer with normal household detergent then thats what i do making sure it's going to be ok. i have a friend who never-ever washed her quilts when they were done, she was adament about them being crisp and new when she gave them...she made one for her daughter in law...the daughter in law washed it for the first time...some color ran (the quilter pre-washes everything) and part of the binding came loose...she was so horribly upset...totally afraid of letting her mil know, afraid to ever use the quilt again...it was almost 5 years before the quilter found out what had happened...
i do everything i can to avoid causing anyone such stress, if the colors are going to run or something is not quite right i want to be able to fix it before anyone else has to hide one of my quilts.
I totally agree. I wash just to make sure that the quilt will be okay and not fall apart from washing. (I have had it happen with store bought blanket) or bleed to death. I would feel horrible to send a quilt and have it ruin a load of laundery or fall apart.
I also starch the heck out of my fabric after pre-washing. It has helped in the accuracy of cutting and in piecing. I starch so heavily that when the starch has dried it can almost stand on it own. hehe. a little excessive I know but it works for me. will have to take pic of my latest starched fabric before I iron it out.
its all on its own.
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