Always....if for some reason there is trouble, like a seam giving way, I want to know it and be able to fix it. I don't want them to wash it in 6 months and think THEY did something wrong. Same thing with the way they look after washing. Not only is that what I am going for, I don't want them to think the first version is how it should be and then after washing they think it is wrong and they did it. Also, I always do the first wash with color catchers. I don't want to have to advise them to do that. I don't want to give them a chore, I want them to get the finished product and fall in love with it the way it is meant to be.