Sierra

Whenever I read that pre-washing is "out" because it means ironing, or presewing the raw edge, I suspect the person is NOT using the "delicate" cycle (when my top loader machine went out I got a front loader and I got great rebates from the state! and it has a 12 minute rinse and spin cycle ... which must be for quilters!) and/or that they are overdrying. I prewash in very hot water in my laundry sink and treat with salt or vinegar in cold water if there is a lot of color bleeding. I dry (with an old dryer) but I put the cycle dial lower than the "finish" area and take it out before it can overdry and fold it right away. I NEVER have wrinkled fabric.

I always wash a finished quilt because it may have touched the floor and it simply has been worked on a lot. Never use anything but a no-allergy soap and NEVER use anything smelly like those little sheets that advertise how wonderful they smell. I can't stand them myself, and they actually make two sets of my grandchildren choke up... allergies! Again, I only use a delicate setting and normal warm water when washing and dry a touch lower than "finished". This fluffs up the quilt and they are never wrinkled. AND it always amazes me the number of threads I find that need clipping! I clip threads before the final wash, but always find more after...