Hi From the Uk
04-03-2020, 06:39 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 3
Hi From the Uk
Just finished my first quilt! Im pretty pleased with it. I've tried to attach pics.
Just wondering if its the right thingto do to wash it now. All my info is great onhow to make and finish a quilt but doesn't say how to treat it now. Should I wash it cold/cool in a machine on gentle, gently spin and then a bit tumble driy and hang out? Would that ruin it? It has a few chalk marks on the front.
I used Benartex quilting cloth and batting from the 'Warm Company'
I'm pretty sure there are more quilters in the US than people in the UK!
Dulcie
Just wondering if its the right thingto do to wash it now. All my info is great onhow to make and finish a quilt but doesn't say how to treat it now. Should I wash it cold/cool in a machine on gentle, gently spin and then a bit tumble driy and hang out? Would that ruin it? It has a few chalk marks on the front.
I used Benartex quilting cloth and batting from the 'Warm Company'
I'm pretty sure there are more quilters in the US than people in the UK!
Dulcie
04-03-2020, 08:05 AM
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,463
Welcome from Ontario, Canada. Great quilt!
If the fabric was washed before you used it, then a gentle cold water wash should be fine. I put my quilts in the dryer to just damp and then block flat to dry to prevent stretching when hanging. If the fabrics were not washed, you might get some bleeding even in cold water wash. I would suggest throwing in a couple of colour catcher absorbing sheets but I don’t think you have them there? Since all the fabrics are dark on black, you may be okay with washing. Good Luck!
If the fabric was washed before you used it, then a gentle cold water wash should be fine. I put my quilts in the dryer to just damp and then block flat to dry to prevent stretching when hanging. If the fabrics were not washed, you might get some bleeding even in cold water wash. I would suggest throwing in a couple of colour catcher absorbing sheets but I don’t think you have them there? Since all the fabrics are dark on black, you may be okay with washing. Good Luck!
04-03-2020, 08:16 AM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Waterford Michigan
Posts: 7,241
First of all Welcome to the QB from SE Michigan! We have a number of folks for the UK. Your quilt is so beautiful I love the colors and your quilting is beautiful too.
As far as washing your quilt I always wash my quilts to get any residues out of it from either spray basting or from glue basting which are my prefered methods of basting a quilt. I also prefer to hang a quilt outdoors to dry because I love the fresh smell of drying a quilt outside. It can be dried in a dryer too. I always use a gentler cycle for washing though and let it ring out normally. Color catchers are great when washing for the first time (at least) and using a cold water wash. Again I look forward to seeing you here on the QB. Welcome aboard!!
As far as washing your quilt I always wash my quilts to get any residues out of it from either spray basting or from glue basting which are my prefered methods of basting a quilt. I also prefer to hang a quilt outdoors to dry because I love the fresh smell of drying a quilt outside. It can be dried in a dryer too. I always use a gentler cycle for washing though and let it ring out normally. Color catchers are great when washing for the first time (at least) and using a cold water wash. Again I look forward to seeing you here on the QB. Welcome aboard!!
04-03-2020, 08:41 AM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,066
Welcome to the boards and please accept a big round of applause. That's a fantastic first quilt!
I'm a big believer in my quilts being crafts or useful objects and not art, so as I say they are designed to be "machine pieced, machine quilted, and machine washed!". I always wash them before I give them away, to take off any thing (like pet hair) they may have collected during the process. In 40 years of quilting I've only had one disaster, and that was with a really bad piece of maroon fabric. Otherwise all quilts have survived their first of many washings and none have fallen apart or shredded.
If you have a laundromat you like available with a large machine, it can be worth it for that first wash for a larger top. Otherwise, I just stuff them in my extra-large capacity home unit If you have a stackable size machine, I'd probably definitely go the laundromat option. We had a great one in our neighborhood for a long time, sadly the original owner has officially retired (the laundromat was his after 20 years in the army first retirement) and it has gone downhill a bit. But it was sort of nice sometimes when I was behind on laundry and doing 5-6 loads all at once in an hour instead of it taking all day.
I'm a big believer in my quilts being crafts or useful objects and not art, so as I say they are designed to be "machine pieced, machine quilted, and machine washed!". I always wash them before I give them away, to take off any thing (like pet hair) they may have collected during the process. In 40 years of quilting I've only had one disaster, and that was with a really bad piece of maroon fabric. Otherwise all quilts have survived their first of many washings and none have fallen apart or shredded.
If you have a laundromat you like available with a large machine, it can be worth it for that first wash for a larger top. Otherwise, I just stuff them in my extra-large capacity home unit If you have a stackable size machine, I'd probably definitely go the laundromat option. We had a great one in our neighborhood for a long time, sadly the original owner has officially retired (the laundromat was his after 20 years in the army first retirement) and it has gone downhill a bit. But it was sort of nice sometimes when I was behind on laundry and doing 5-6 loads all at once in an hour instead of it taking all day.
