To wash a Finished quilt or not
 

I know that some quilter's feel strongly that washing a quilt is a necessary process in finishing a quilt. I felt somewhat scolded in a recent post that I do not plan to wash my art quilt that will be for display until accumulated dust that can't be removed with tumbling in a dryer makes it necessary. I want the unwashed look for as long as possible. Am I wrong or have I just been cited by the quilt police? Is washing always necessary.

If I were you I would not wash it either. The only reason I wash quilts that I am sending to someone to be used is because I want to confirm that it will survive the first washing. A friend of mine said she never washes her quilts, in her opinion it makes them looked used. (Presentation is everything.) For one to be on display, I think you are smart not to wash it.

I don't think you should wash art quilts. JMO

Washing it will change the look of it...I definitely wouldn't wash an art quilt

If my quilt is going to be used on my bed then I wash it when I am finished with the project.
If it is a wall hanging I see no reason why it needs to be washed only when it need to be.
This is just what I do.

I wouldn't wash an art quilt either. Other quilts go in the wash as soon as the binding is done.

I wouldn't wash an art quilt. I wash other quilts or give washing instructions and explain what will happen on the first wash. I do this with baby quilts as mums have special soap for some baby allergies.

There are a few reasons that would lead me to wash an art quilt, and it certainly wouldn't harm anything, but generally I don't find it necessary. But for the sake of sharing information, here are those reasons. Take them for what you will. After all, it's your quilt so it doesn't matter to me what you choose to do & ultimately, I'll never know what you choose anyways. ;)

When I'd wash a finished art quilt
- If marks aren't coming out & I want/need them out, I'd wash & block the quilt
- If owner indicates allergies/chemical sensitivities (due to my own allergies, I pre-wash everything & spray with starch because I'm allergic to sizing so my hands swell up like balloons after touching fabric for very short time & eyes get itchy); this also applies if made in home with pets & buyer is allergic to your type of pet
- If going into a show & there are any lingering smells/scents; I try vacuuming & airing out first, then get a 2nd opinion from someone who doesn't live in my home to ensure it's not just a smell I've gotten used to (especially the case with cigarette smoke; if you smoke at all, the quilt probably smells like it regardless of whether you're an indoor or outdoor smoker)
- If I know the quilt materials & construction lend themselves to crinkling, shrinkage, bleeding or crocking, and it's a customer quilt, I don't care if it's an art quilt. I will always wash & block the finished quilt. I just don't think it's fair that my customers start out with the quilt looking one way & after the first cleaning, it looks radically different. A little different is to be expected, but if they follow all my instructions & the thing comes out faded & crinkly, that's a problem.

When I probably wouldn't wash a finished art quilt
- lots of raw edges, buttons, glittered fabrics, metallic threads, rickrack, etc that could lose their luster, fray, snap, fall off, etc
- mixed media quilts -- especially if some of the items I've attached aren't really made to be washed
- if I had pre-washed all fabrics, marked with either Ultra Clean crayon or white chalk so I know the marks are completely out (if marked) and it was constructed in my pet-free, smoke-free home, and going to a quilt show
- if the quilt is for me & I just don't feel like washing & blocking it right now or don't have time to. For real, if it's for me, it's basically either a practice piece or a demonstration piece so what do I care when it gets washed if it's not disgusting.

Honestly, though, people should just do what they want. What do I care what you do with your quilts as long as it's your name on the label? I do get that some people wish that more shows required quilts be washed prior to entry due to allergies/chemical sensitivities. I have minor problems compared to some gals I know. One lady in our quilt guild has had asthma attacks at fabric stores (except for Amish & home spun stores since they don't use sizing) because her allergy to sizing is so severe. I can understand what that's like because I have the same problem trying to check out at Victoria's Secret with all their perfumes. I really love shopping there, but by the registers it just feels like a death trap for me. But guess what???!!! The world doesn't actually revolve around me! Many other shoppers love all those strong chemical scents as they're waiting in line. They find them relaxing or exhilarating or fun or sexy or whatever. Sometimes they buy those scented perfumes, lotions & such because they like them so much -- and the same is true for fabric. For every one of us that has a problem with fabric sizing, there are probably 20 or 50 others that aren't allergic & love how it makes the fabric feel or look or smell. We are in the minority & guess what?!!!! The world doesn't revolve around us. I wash all my fabric purchases the minute they come through the door. The only exception was a piece of stamped whole cloth. Every other item whether it was a 2.5" mini charm square pack, jelly rolls, or a 3 yard cut of fabric gets washed with Tide Free detergent on the handwash cycle and then either dried on low or set out & dried flat. Same thing happens with ready-to-wear clothes. They go straight into the wash. When I'm finished even art quilts typically go in the wash, but that's my personal preference & even at that, it's not a hard and fast rule even for me.

There's really no harm in washing art quilts when they're finished. It's definitely more of a process than regular bed quilts, but they can come out looking every bit as nice as when you finished quilting them with some effort. But if it's just for your own family to enjoy, unless it's causing you or your loved ones to need to go for allergy shots every week, I say live & let live. There are enough problems in this world without us having to worry about other people's quilt washing schedules. :p

I have never made an art quilt - but after looking at some of them at the state fair - with all the embellishments that are on some of them - I probably would not wash something like that.

this is the way i feel also.

Nope not necessary. It is your decission.

I wash all quilts as a final step except for my wall hangings. I use unwashed Warm and Natural for batting and love the crinkled look I get when I wash and dry a finished quilt and the Warm and Natural shrinks. For wall hangings, I use thick, pre-washed flannel for batting.

No it is not. I never prewashed my fabrics and for competition, I never washed the quilt before a show. It is what YOU feel comfortable doing!

I'm sorry you felt scolded by someone about this (or any) issue. It's none of their business. Not sure why people have to express their opinions with condescension. Try to ignore it.

I wouldn't wash an art quilt because it changes the visible texture. When they look like paintings, I say leave them looking like they're on canvas. People are astonished that some art quilts are actually made from fabric. Keep that mystique!

I don't wash quilts before gifting. I do include washing instructions. I don't feel bad about it at all. I certainly wouldn't wash an art quilt or a wall hanging. I really only wash quilts if I am using them.

Don't worry about the quilt police. Obviously whichever one you spoke to feels very strongly about this. But it doesn't mean you need to please him/her. Just please yourself.

Dina

There's a difference between a bed / used quilt and an art quilt/ wall hanging. Art/ wall hanging I don't think ever need to be washed. Used quilts however do need to be laundered at some point. I always launder a quilt as soon as it's bound-- that way all ( construction grime, oils, etc.) are removed and if any seam comes undone or any other issue arises I catch it & can fix it before the quilt is gifted, sold, put to use.

I would never wash an art quilt or any quilt that is just going to hang on a wall. Give away throws or bed size quilts, are another story. I always wash those. I had one that wrinkled terribly. No idea what was different. My sister in law chose it. If she had chosen it and then washed it at home, she would have thought she had ruined it. There was such a difference. As it was, I told her I was trying out a new technique, and she loved it.

I prewash all fabric before it gets cut or anything because of bleed and I can't stand the smell. I have also seen customers in fabric stores handle them grossly. That being said, I asked my cousin who does a lot of art and show. She does not wash after assembling and finishing the quilts. She does look them over with a fine tooth comb. She uses a lint brush and microfiber rag to remove any light soil or dust.

No where is it written or cast in stone whether to wash or not.....personal choice.

Its your decision so do as you wish. I'd probably side with you too if its a wallhanging and not a bed quilt. I'd rather it not have the wrinkled look either. As for my bed quilts I always wash them before I give them as a gift as I tend to use Elmer's Glue and want to have it removed beforehand plus I'd rather deal with bleeding if it happens instead of the recipent fretting over thinking she/he destroyed it.

Not the Quilt Police - the Quilt F.B.I.!

Art quilts should never be washed, only vacuumed with net over the nozzle when dusty. I wash all my finished quilts. If I don't want the wrinkly look I pre shrink the batting and press the quilt smooth again after washing. If I had listened to the guild quilt experts my first quilt I made would not have been entered in the guild's quilt show and I wouldn't have won Viewer's Choice.

I don't wash wallhangings, art quilts, or quilts entered in a show.

I wouldn't wash an art quilt either, I also wouldn't pay any attention to the quilt police. It's your quilt, do it whichever way you want to.

It's your art and it's not for others to lecture you about changing it. Clearly, washing would change it dramatically. Talk about chutzpah, you were likely more polite than I'd have been.

I ALWAYS wash my quilts when they are finished. I can't give a gift of a quilt that I worked so darn hard on that has grease on it from your hands, or a comfy spot where the dog (like Miss BEss - my avatar) took a happy nappy and probably drooled or something that I wouldn't see. I think a quilt looks much better washed. I take mine - all of them I have taken - to the laundromat and wash them gently and dry them, bring them home and hang them on the line - even in the wintertime and it gives them such a good smell of love! If you do it right, they will stay together for a long time. I just would rather give a quilt that is clean. I don't mean literally dirty, I mean with grease from the hands, etc.and that it has a nice clean smell to it. In my humble opinion..................Edie

I actually love the look of an unwashed quilt but I always wash mine before gifting. I wouldn't want seams coming undone or heaven forbid!! a color running. Then I tell the recipient how to wash in the future and include a couple of color catchers.

But an art quilt ... no way! I wouldn't wash it until the dust started to make it sag on the wall. :D

I agree. I also think that wall hangings don't need to be washed unless it looks like it needs it. I will wash quilts that will be used, but even then I don't wash them that often.

Nor would I wash it. I've washed two quilts that I've given, one a baby quilt, which I would always do, and another to a friend and the reason I washed it was because I used Elmer's washable glue to sandwich it and wanted to get rid of any residue before I mailed it.

I've given others away without washing. I think it depends on you, and the recipient (if giving a quilt).

I wouldn't wash an art quilt and I usually don't quilts I gift. I give them some color catchers and instructions on washing. The exceptions to washing quilts I gift is allergies. I alway check to see if anyone in the household is allergic to dog or cat (have one of each). They normally aren't on the quilts but the quilts were in a house with animals. I wash them the night before I gift them.

I don't make art quilts. I do have a wall hanging and a table topper that I did not wash. I did not use any markers on them.
Any quilts for using I do wash as soon as the binding is finished. I use markers to mark rows and such and want them gone.

I don't wash before presentation. But I do give washing instructions with it. I also volunteer to do the first washing and can then fix any spots that may need it.

I would never tell someone else what they should do -- wash or not wash! That's their choice. However, I, too am afflicted with adult onset asthma and it has been especially bad the past year or so. Spent 5 days in the hospital with pneumonia (a complication of asthma) and, yes, I will wash my finished quilts. I don't make art quilts--- perhaps embroidered quilts -- but not art quilts. If embroidery can't stand up to the gentle cycle on my washer, then it may end up being gone. The only large whole cloth embroidered quilt is of the Arkansas Razorback which serves as my avatar. Yes, I washed it, both before it was embroidered and after -- as someone mentioned, you have oils and residues from your hands, and at the time I did that quilt, we had pets (we don't have pets anymore, because I can't stand to lose one of my furbabies -- it hurts too much). Washing that quilt top (on gentle cycle) was a piece of cake. This is also the quilt where I was introduced to fabric bleeding (my very first bed-sized quilt), but I found a solution that sets the die and I keep it on hand. I handle the fabric after it comes in the door only long enough to serge the raw edges so it doesn't ravel in the washer/dryer, because I don't want to risk a severe asthma attack. But, for me to tell someone else that they must or must not wash a quilt -- we don't have quilt police and there's no law that says we have to wash the darn quilt! JMHO Jeanette