If you put the fabric into white, small pillow cases before putting it in the washing machine, it won't strip as much.(Put a few pieces of light or dark fabric together in each pillowcase.) I also avoid putting the wet fabric in the dryer for more than 10 minutes. I hand flatten the "wettish" material and lay it out to dry on a plastic sheet on my diningroom table. Hand "ironing" is so much nicer than regular ironing. If the quilt is definitely going to be a wall hanging, I don't wash it at all. Happy holiday and happy quilting too.