I have just completed quilting a top that is from the 40's and I did not wash it before quilting as I was afraid to. It is all quilted now and really needs washing. How should I go about it? I need help.

Do you have the binding on it yet? I would if it isn't before washing it :D:D:D

It is all bound and finished. Do I want to just give it to the daughter all finished or should I clean it???

I would wash on gentle and use a gentle tumble dry

I put mine in the washer and dryer and they came out fine. I did 3 that were some my Grandmother had pieced in the '40's and '50's.

I do gentle wash cycle and tumble dry and have had no problems so far. Have done new and old quilts this way.

I have added a picture. Also does any one know what this block is called???

How are the signatures done -- written in ink or embroidered? That will make a difference in how you wash it.

The signatures are all embroidered.

Also the hand piecing was very well done.

I just have to say that this is a wonderful quilt!! :)

If it was me, I'd take it to the dry cleaners

I think washing on gentle and tumble dry should be just fine.

Good luck with the washing. I have no idea on this subject. Very unique quilt, nice work!

i wash mine on a gentle/delicate cycle and in the summer, i just lay them on the back porch to air dry. Not sure how i'll dry this one i'm currently finishing...

Is there any way you can test the signatures to find out if they are colorfast? I would be afraid to wash it unless I were absolutely sure whatever was used for the signatures is permanent. Or, are those embroidered signatures? If embroidered, again you have to make sure that the dye in the floss won't run.

I would hate to send a quilt like this to the dry cleaners; I normally would use either the top-loader method of washing (stop before agitation cycle and hand agitate, then spin out, add rinse water, hand agitate again, then spin out) or a gentle cycle in a front-loader. It is the signatures that give me pause....

I wonder if the black thread would run? Thread wasn't as colorfast as it is now. It's a lovely quilt. As previous poster has said, the signatures are the part I would be concerned about.

soaking is the only way to do old quilts. then spin and fill with clean water. soak, then spin again.

I wash them on gentle with a short cycle. Use Synthropol, or any low foam detergent like Woolite. I rinse mine twice and spin them out. I put them in the dryer but take them out before they are 100% dry, then hang them over my quilt frame to completely dry.

THird generation of quilt washers here. None of us ever did anything special---just wash them and dry them.

I always was mine on gentle with a mild soap, then I always lay my quilts on my bed to dry. I never put my quilts in the dryer. I flip it half way thru the day & let the other side dry. The heat from the dryer will shrink the blocks & in time will fade the blocks.

i do cold water gentle, with retayne. after the retayne, in a separate wash, again cold and and gentle, woolite or baking soda. when i dry, i dry all the way. i think hanging old quilts is harder on them than completely drying them.

How cool! I wash all my quilts on delicate and low tumble dry.

gentle cycle cold water and dry on a cool heat setting is how i would do it

I would also put a "color catch" in with it when you wash it.

The quilt will probably wash just fine....its the embroidery thread used for the siggies that I'm worried about! I would gently dip one in some water and check to see what happens. I might actually send this one to the dry cleaners and explain all about it so that they can clean it for you. I would also be sure to tell the giftee.. how to clean it for future info.

Its a cool quilt! I'd hate to see anything happen to it!

Editted to say...Duh...I posted then scrolled backwards and read Prism's post...I agree with her...maybe your washer is the way to go.?? You could talk to the cleaners about it...I have lots of faith in GOOD ones.

Use the color catchers made by shout, I throw all my tye dye t-shirts in with the rest of the wash and the color catcher sheet sucks up the dyes.

I would wash it very gently with Orvus soap and a color catcher or two. Then I'd tumble it in the dryer before laying it out flat on some towels. I wouldn't take it to the fry cleaners as their chemicals never come out.
After my MIL passed away, I took a quilt that I'd made her to the cleaners and insisted that they wash and dry it without using any dry cleaning chemicals. Well, when I got it back it stunk! They completely ignored my instructions. I've never been able to use it since.

Cris, I'd love to see a close-up pic of your avatar, it is so colorful!

Machine wash (front loader or top loader without agitator only) on gentle cycle.Use TWO of the Shout Color Catchers. Immediately put in dryer on lowest setting for 30 mintues, remove - re-arrange checking top for any fading,etc. then back in the dryer on low on automatic setting for damp dry. Finish drying flat - or draped over top of a bed or sofa...turning as needed. I inherited several quilts from the late 1800's and early 1900's and have used this method successfully on all of them. REMEMBER - fabric dyes back then were not as stable as they are now - but most importantly, those quilts were made to USE. Most have been washed, (wringer washers or outside tubs for the really early ones) and hung on the line to dry.......If you use gentle soap, cold water, gentle cycles, color catchers, and only damp dry you will be OK.

Take your lovely quilt to a coin-op laundromat and wash it with quilt soap (only a tiny bit will do) in a front-loader, cold water, delicate (short) cycle. You can partially dry it in a commercial dryer until just damp, then spread it out over your bed on a white sheet. The agitation of a top-loader is too brutal on antique quilts (Yes, quilts are considered "antique" after 50 years, not 100.) NEVER, EVER dry clean a quilt because it is a chemical wash and is anything but dry!

I've been told that dry cleaning is very bad for the fabric because of the chemicals. I use both the washer and dryer.

All of our quilts are from the 30-40's and we wash and dry on gentle with no problems. I do prefer a lighter soap like Woolite but have used just a touch of Tide when I didn't have Woolite.

I may wash it on gentle cycle in the washer but I would not put it in the dryer. Just line dry it. I have 2 antique quilts that I had appraised and I was told to love them the way they are. The older fabrics will simply fall apart when washed. I do occasionally air them by hanging them on the line on a non windy day.

Beautiful old quilt.

I would wash on "gentle" with "cold water" and toss is a color grabber. Then I would dry on gentle. What a jewel that quilt is. But it does need to be laundered. :-)

Our LQS has a product called "Soak" and you put it in the bathtub, disolve it, add the quilt, soak it for 15 or 20 minutes, take it out (do not wring out water, I use a laundry basket) and lay it flat to dry. I usually put a couple of sheets down on the lawn and lay it on them. It works wonderfully, leaves a nice fresh smell and can do no harm

If it has binding on and is finished I would wash it. I wash my quilts all the time and put them in the dryer and they look fine.

Wow!! I really love your quilt...how about having it dry cleaned?

Every quilt I make, I wash it when I'm done. I always throw in a dye catcher sheet in there too. I've never had a problem.