Even if I had a clothesline (which I desperately miss) I would use my dryer for quilts. We have an abundance of redbirds, jays, grackles, sparrows, etc., and I would not be willing to risk my quilt to one of their flyovers. froggyintexas

I wash my quilts just like any other blanket..I have line dry..also machine dry..in my opinion...once they have been wash..the batting will dry however it is going to..the quilts on the line dry less fluffy looking..because the weight pulls then ..so the batting is stretched out again..either way works..it is just what look u prefer...

I dry my quilts on the wash line. But I hang the quilt over three or four lines. That way there is very little pressure from the hanging.

I would never want to live in a place that did not have a garden and a clothes line.

One more option if you are lucky enough to have a balcony, machine dry a bit, then hang on balcony to finish drying. I usually put a white sheet over the balony first so there is no issue with wood stain. It could be an indoor or outdoor balcony.

I bet you don't have dogs.:eek: If I were to lay a quilt on the floor to finish drying, I'd have all 4 dogs "helping" to hold it down. :D I dry my quilts in the dryer, no fur kids helping.

I machine dry all my quilts, and I have no issues with it.

When I give a quilt gift, I find that assuring the recipient that the quilt is machine wash and dry is a huge relief to them, and probably contributes to them using it as opposed to storing it away.

I agree with PenniF. If it is a quilt that will be used everyday by the recipient, then put it in the machine and dryer. If is a hand appliqued Baltimore album then it should get special treatment. In other words, consider the production and use.

I have a 100' clothesline and use it more than my dryer. For my quilts, I only put them on the line. My clotheslines are parallel to each other so I hang one side of the quilt on one line then lift the other end and hang it up, creating a sort of hammock with the quilt! Less stress on the fibers and it doesn't flop or wrap around the line in the breeze!

Froggy, I'm especially careful about this problem when the blueberries or cherry trees are in bloom! I have been hit with some pretty colorful fly-overs!!

I had learned this somewhere, somehow, that quilts are to lay flat and in the yard if possible. Put sheets on the bottom and lay one atop to prevent unwanted deposits. Don't know about hanging, owing to the weight and stress on the edge, does this cause distortion? However, since my quilts are used and not heirloom quality, I wash on a gentle cycle and put in the dryer on low. I also use a gentle detergent.