When I think of a quilt, I think of warm, cuddly, and inviting...something that's meant to be loved and snuggled. I have only gifted a few small throws, but they were all laundered to give them the crinkly softness that quilts require in my mind.
I would feel weird giving someone a quilt that looked or felt less than soft or even stiff. That doesn't seem inviting to me at all.