Do you wash your newly completed quilts?
 

I was wondering who washes their quilts when they are just finished? Why do you do it or why don't you do it?

Yes. Especially since i like the wrinkled vintagy look ;)

I don't because there are so many allergies. I can NOT use TIDE, I break out. A family member is allergic to fabric softner. So I let the person getting the quilt wash it with their own soap and stuff.

I do wash them because I like the crinkly look, I have heard their are lots of harsh chemicals in the fabric and most of all I do not want them to bleed so I wash them with the color catchers.

I use starch while sewing, so one reason I always wash a new quilt is to get the starch out.

I don't wash mine. I like the look of the just completed quilt. When I do have to wash it, I do like that look too.

If i use fusible batting or fusible spray basting i do soak and spin out and soak again and spin out. just to get rid of the fusible. then toss in the dryer to get rid of wrinkles.
allergies- when i moved to Colorado, it's so dry here that my itching got ten times worse. i started using Cheer Free and now use Tide that has no perfumes or dyes. helped my itching a ton!!
i forgot one day and got out an older pair of jeans and wore them. i got welts on my legs!! took them off, got in the shower and put lotion on my legs and washed those jeans!!

I always wash a finished quilt....it washes out any starch, chemicals, stitching marks, oils from my hands ....it also may help to show any areas that need attention such as seams coming unsewn, threads to be clipped, etc.

Ditto. Buckeye Rose stated every reason I wash a quilt. Plus, I like the crinkly look. :)

My husband and I both smoke and we have a sometimes cat so I always wash my quilts. I have never had anything come undone but feel it is good to check. I always prewash the fabric (except jelly rolls).

I don't because I am afraid it will fall apart!! How's that for confidence!

I prewash my fabrics but I still always wash the quilts when completed. As others have said, removes starch; smells; dog hair; oils from my hands and the crinkly look. And even though I prewash, I've had fabric bleed after completion. What a nightmare that quilt was. No matter how many color catchers I used it wouldn't stop bleeding. Finally gifted the quilt with a box of color catchers and instructions to never wash it without them.

Does anyone ever think you are giving them a used quilt?

I do for myself and sometimes with other quilts - sometimes I want to be sure no-bleed from fabric - just depends on the fabric - I love the washed look.

I usually wash mine... I just think they look so much better when they have been washed. Also, I have started using washable school markers to mark my quilting lines, so have to wash that out..would be kinda funny if I gave a quilt away that still had all those marks on it...lol hope I never forget to wash my marked lines out! rofl

I like the crisp look of a newly created quilt...so I do not wash.

I do not wash the quilt because I washed both top and backing before quilting it.

I ALWAYS ALWAYS WASH FINISHED QUILTS!!! before anyone receives them-
i have 2 friends- a mother in law- and the daughter in law-
a few years ago mil made dil a quilt for christmas---it was beautiful and very much loved! dil called mil asking about washing it- one of the kids had spilled something on it- dil followed mil's instructions---took it out of the dryer to find a number of seams had come loose-and there was even a horrible hole! dil was devistated! and so afraid mil would be mad- she cried and cried- and hid the *damaged quilt*--for months i was 'caught in the middle of this mess---with one crying over it constantly- and the other (b****ing) constantly about how ungrateful dil was- quilt was not even being used-
i was sworn to secrecy---(son was deployed-and caught in middle long distance)
finally when we were all together---and mil made a very harsh statement i could take it no longer-went in got the quilt and tossed it on her lap!
she was so embarrassed- by her bad behavior---and also by her neglect -not making sure everything was secure--and washing it first---had she washed it first the problems would have been seen right away-and fixed before it was gifted---and dil would have been spared all the tears---as if hubby being gone wasn't enough!
i never give a quilt that has not be washed-and checked out totally= i do not want to cause anyone such stress.if something is going to happen to it in the wash- i want to know about it first-

Yep I wash every quilt before it leaves my house. Washing makes the quilting pop and I can see if I missed a spot.

I always wash, it gets out the marks etc. and I too like the look of it.

I always wash a quilt when it's done - unless it's a special wall hanging or as I'm working on right now - a silk necktie quilt.
I have a cat who will search out any piece of fabric and lay on it. I've even caught her sleeping on TOP of my machine when I have a quilt draped over it.
I'm also not the best housekeeper (lol) so sometimes there are extra threads or dust hitchhiking on the quilt.
And I wash them so I can double check to make sure no seams have popped in the wash - so I can fix them before the quilt is gifted.

lol....I have the same fear, so I guess our feelings are "normal"?


I don't launder it because I figure they will (as I do) when they can use their own detergent, etc. as they like it!

I wash since I do not wash before I make the quilt and I want to make sure nothing comes apart, plus I too like the softer look after washing.

If I prewash the fabric (all the fabric) I don't wash the finished quilt but I will run it through the dryer with a wet bath towel and a softener sheet. That freshens up the quilt and gets all the threads off. It also frees all the threads that still need to be nipped.

The one I am working on now is not prewashed and it is going to someone battling cancer. I will wash all the chemicals out and send a freshly laundered quilt.

Sorry, but I do not understand the idea of seams coming apart. Don't you check the seams when you sew the pieces together? I usually pin at the intersections (to avoid flipped seam allowances) and I pin on long stretches so nothing will slip. I have never had an open seam or barely there seam. If that is the case I rip and resew. In the last quilt I had one square that was too small but when I adjusted, I still had over 1/8" seam on the side.

I have never washed before gifting the quilt- don't want anyone to think I am giving a used/second hand quilt :o And yes they all know I quilt and am making a blanket for just that special occasion, but still feel funny about it ..... Like after I wash it- it is no longer "new"

I wash all my quilts. I just can't see myself using a quilt that hasn't been washed first.
With or without starch, I think there's still quite a bit of dust in them. I just itch at the
thought. LOL
Wall-hangings would probably be the only exception but then they go on the wall and
not over my skin.

Always! Even though I usually prewash the fabric (except for precuts), I wash with Hypoallergenic soap and fabric softener. I use starch and washable glue, so I want to wash that out. I love it crinkly and soft. I don't think they look used...I think they look cuddly and inviting!

I like the new quilt look so I don't wash mine. So far mine have been for family and no one is allergic to dogs. I did throw one in the dryer with a fabric sheet because the back was less expensive fabric and thread clippings were sticking to it. I trust my sewing and my machine, so I feel no concern about undone seams. I do include 2 color catchers with every quilt, but all fabrics that may bleed have been prewashed.

i do not wash my fabric before i sew it together, because i like the feel of the new fabric, why would i wast that... the front and back will shrink at approx the same rate so i don't care... they'll be old all the rest of their lives...why start early?

NEVER, am careful to keep them clean whilst working on them but do wash all fabric before incl batting unless poly.

I'd rather a quilt fell apart BEFORE i gave it to someone than AFTER I gave it to someone! Then I can fix it and 'learn from my mistakes'.

I do a lot of that 'learn from my mistakes' thing...

I use elmers washable glue instead of pins when pieceing. So, yes, I always wash a finished quilt. I use cold water, scent free detergent, no fabric softener. I also prewash my fabric before cutting and piecing.

I haven't finished a quilt yet but I will probably wash before gifting. It takes me so long to finish a quilt, I think it needs to be washed before someone else gets it. I use "free" detergents for myself and no fabric softener. I have been environmentally ill in the past and I wouldn't give something to someone knowing it had fragrances or other chemicals in it that could possibly make them sick. Actually, those things might make me sick before I could give the quilt away.

Yes - love the soft crinkly look which also serves to hide piecing and quilting lack of precision. Also gets rid of the starch, exposes threads I didn't see that I needed to cut, and convinces me that it won't fall apart or bleed when the person I give it to washes it!

I usually wash mine before giving away since I hand quilt with a lap frame and drag the quilt all over the place while working on it. Also I have a cat similar to another mentioned that likes to sleep on every inch he can find. My daughters are allergic to cat dander so it's simplier to make sure it's clean.

I pre-wash fabrics and don't generally wash the quilt when it is done. However, I seem to handle some quilts extensively while working on them, and those need to be washed. I am doing my first quilt with spray basting for the sandwiching and will be washing this one when it is finished for certain.

I wash before gifting. (Didn't for the first few since I was also afraid they'd fall apart!) BUT ... I iron them before gifting them so they don't look used - they retain some of the crinkly vintage, but still look new. I like the crinkly look, but not the "this old thing" look.

I wash mine along with a color catcher but I do not use detergent or fabric softner.

Nope. Everyone who gets a quilt knows I made it especially for them, except for the charity quilts I make. I don't know that it's ever occurred to me or anyone I've given a quilt to that it's "used". There's also that pesky label, with the recipient's name, the date, etc....

To be honest, another reason I wash my quilts before giving is because I want to enjoy the finished quilt for a day or two (or week :)) before it goes to its new home. I like to see how washing finishes it, crinkles it, softens it, so I can see exactly what the recipient sees when they receive it.