Originally Posted by Stacey
I always prewash. Even FQ's. And I never wash the completed quilt before gifting it.
I do wash the completed quilt, for a lot of reasons. Even if it's going to stay with me, I want to get out any starch, blood, sweat, or tears that I've added. I'm especially adamant about doing this with comfort quilts, because I usually don't know where they're going and whether the recipient will have allergies, or ready access to a washing machine. Washing also seems to make any loose thread tails from quilting more visible. Also I don't the recipient to think s/he has ruined the quilt if it puckers and looks "different" the first time s/he washes it. However it looks after washing - that's the way it's SUPPOSED to look. LOL