I don't pre-wash my fabrics because they are already starched or pretreated in that way and I think it makes the fabrics easier to work with and with less time in ironing. I do wash each quilt as soon as I finish the quilting and binding. I always throw a Shout Color Catcher in with the quilt to soak up any bleeding from the fabrics. Works fine for me.

I always wash a quilt as soon as the last stitch of binding is finished, even though I pre-wash all the fabric. I use starch while sewing, and I want to get that out. I also want to see what it looks like after washing. I think washing usually enhances the quilt's appearance. And like Scissor Queen said, I want the recipient to receive the quilt in its "finished and final" state.


Edited to say - but that's what I do. If you don't want to wash your quilt, don't wash it. Explain to the recipient that it will change somewhat in appearance when it is washed, but that is all right.

Thanks, Rachel. I will probably try to stitch it by hand since the quilt was all hand quilted.

Am I the only person in the world that dry cleans a really good quilt? My bedspreads and comforters that I've bought all come with instructions that say to dry clean only, so I have always thought you needed to dryclean the best queen and king size quilts. I would rather send them to the cleaners than use a laundrymat washer on them, and they are too large for my home washer.I wouldn't put anything nice in a laundrymat dryer, and there is no place to let a quilt dry at home that my dogs wouldn't find it.

I would was h it before giving it Just in case there is a glitch or something somewhere-When I mad my great neice's going off to college quilt I was glad I did because it was quilt as you go and there were a couple of spots that needed mended before she got it. Good Luck

I usually wash before hand when they are gifts. If I don't, I tell them it will wrinkle up a little after it is washed so they know they didn't do anything wrong after it's done. :)

different strokes, but i would dream of sending a quilt to a dry cleaners....first of all, don't kid yourself...if it is labeled or appears to be all cotton, they wash them.... (dry cleaners in the family) ... and if they don't, you have some terrible chemicals inside a layered item that will not come out easily... if your are happy with the results you get, great....but i wouldn't do it...

Perhaps next time I send them I will just say launder them, but I've slept decades under drycleaned comforters and bedspreads.

I typically do not wash my quilts, unless something along the way, indicates that it might be best. I do take a sticky tape lint roller to pick up any thread or in my case some dog hair .

It is my belief that manufacturers put the standard 'dry clean only' on the object so that they cover themselves if anyone washes it badly and then tries to claim compensation. I am with the lady above who says she doesn't like the chemical residue. Washing gets out the formaldehyde and sizing and any other irritating stuff that may be in the fibres and if it is not going to crack the fibre when it is sensibly washed, then that is the way that I go.
I usually don't wash anything until it is finished, but recently had my first colour run so I guess it will remain a dilemma with me.