I've finished a lap quilt for my SIL and her husband. The quilt is a D9P made with charm packs of the Roman Holiday, so there are red blocks scattered all over the quilt, plus one border is red. So, my question... do I wash it using a color catcher before giving it to her, or do I give it to her with a color catcher? Do you wash all your quilts prior to giving them? Do I wash in cold? HELP, please??? (And thanks, in advance, for your expertise!!)

Since this is a gift, I would go ahead and wash it with a color catcher, and also include a box (or a few) of them with the gift. It's much better to wash it yourself and see what happens than to give it as a gift and then worry until she washes it. Now, if it were a customer, I wouldn't do that --- but I would suggest that the customer buy some color catchers!

IMO, I would wash it before giving it to her and if you did not wash the fabric before making it I defintely use a color catcher.

Try to wash any scraps you have leftover and see what happens.
If they don't run I would not wash but would give a box of color catchers with the quilt and an explanation of why and how to use them.

I always wash mine before giving them away. Just to make sure all is OK with the quilt.

I wash quilts I give as gifts because I don't want people surprised when it comes out of the wash wrinkly. If they get it the way it's going to look after they wash it then they don't worry they've done something wrong. Plus a washed quilt is nice and fresh.

THANK YOU, ALL, for quickly responding to me! You have confirmed what I felt I should do... Putting quilt in right now!!

I love my QB friends!!

did you wash the material BEFORE you sewed it together? did it 'run'? i wash all material before use and wash all quilts when they are finished.

I wash all my quilts before I give them away. I put a color catcher in whether I think it'll bleed or not. Better to be safe than sorry, right?
Plus, washing it gives it a nice clean, fresh smell. I'm not saying that it's not smelling good now, but you know what I mean.

like everyone else has said I would wash it just to make sure. I wash just because I would hate to ruin peoples cloths or anything else they might throw in the wash with it. and My question would be if it got spilled on would it bleed on their cloths if they were using it? you just want to make sure it is all good to go.