I have never washed a large-sized quilt but need to wash one that will be a gift. How will it look after washing? Will it have a 'no longer new' look? I hope you understand what I mean.

Yup I hear you. I know what you mean and that is why I do not wash consignment quilts but I generally do wash quilts that I gift. After washing the quilt will have a slightly more puckered look especially if you use batting or fabric that shrinks. I also find that the dryer is what shrinks and puckers it more then washing only. If I wash a quilt made with prewashed high quality fabrics and batting that does not shrink much it will look less puckered then with inexpensive fabrics and batting that has a high percent shrinkage. Also washing on cold and drying with the back to the sun will give less puckering versus washing on hot and drying in the dryer. The good part is many people like the puckered look and feel as it makes the quilt softer and give this lovable quality to quilts that make people want to snuggle up into them.

Theres been some posts about this recently, whether people was or not, and it's a split. I always wash my quilts because I love the look of a quilt that has been washed! Hard to describe really! To me it loses the flatness, as the fabric gathers up with the stitches and the quilt is slightly puffier?

Does anyone have any closeup photos so I can see how it looks?

I'm with you, MzStitch . . .I find the look of washed quilts to look more "cared for" and aged :)

Check out this quilt

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-56290-1.htm

It was quilted then washed.

If you don't like the puckered look after washing you can iron the quilt to give it a more flat look. I often do that with quilts I'm gifting. I stretch the quilt slightly as I'm ironing to prevent wrinkles.

I personally would wash for a gift and not wash for sale. I think washing makes the quilt look more homey and comfy and less like a show piece. I want the people who I give it to to use and abuse my quilt, so I want it to look homey. If I was selling it, I want it to be more showy so people want to pay a lot for it and take it home. :) Hope that makes sense!

Rachel

I prefer to wash quilts that I make for gifts. It gives me a chance to 'block' the quilt, and I'm worried that non-quilters will freak when their 'flat' quilt becomes a wrinkled quilt after the first washing.

I always wash mine too.