Tom--welcome to the board..there's a wealth of knowledge here. I will start with my 2-cents worth in answer to your question. Your starched quilt will behave just as your starched shirts do...after wearing all day, they become limp. The handling and quilting should soften your quilt up. However, I would not store it for any length of time before laundering because silverfish (especially) like the taste and you could end up with nibble holes. So washing immediately is your own preferred choice. We will all want to see pix of your finished product.