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If I am gifting a quilt that will be used, I wash and dry it exactly as I would any other bedding. I cannot expect the recipient to follow special instructions every time, I can assume they will throw it in the washer and throw it in the dryer with their regular detergent. IF there is any special concerns (one red & white quilt given to an adult) I include a box of Color Catchers, but I do not expect this will be washed as often as a child's.

I ALWAYS prewash all of my fabric with warm water and dry as I do all of our clothes. I don't like how dry my hands get when handling the fabric if I don't prewash.
IF I SUSPECT A FABRIC WILL BLEED (9 yards of gorgeous green batik), I now use Retayne with that fabric when I prewash. After 6 washings and 7 color catchers (first 6 turned green), I learned to love RETAYNE. It holds the color in the fabric and doesn't allow it to bleed. When this quilt is completed, I will wash with Syntrapol (this does not allow any dyes that are floating in the wash water to adhere onto the quilt).

When quilt is finished, I throw it in my HE front loader with Tide sensitive detergent (my usual detergent), wash on cold and then line dry outside on the clothesline. Others will not be as careful with the quilt as you are because YOU are the one who put all of the work into that quilt.

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Originally Posted by AZ Jane (Post 7290877)

I agree with this. Fortunately, I only make baby quilts & find most young parents wash everything on cold (except cloth diapers) with Tide ColdWater or a similar detergent formulated for washing in cold water. It's too much work to be sorting all the clothes when you have a little one vying for your attention every minute of the day!

Those of us born in the 70's or earlier are used to sorting out clothes & were taught that clothes get cleaner with warm/hot water. I admit even I struggle to remember that I can now wash in cold if I buy the right detergent. The only struggle I have is low vs. medium heat in the dryer because I know people prefer to dry clothes faster than what's actually good for quilter's cotton, but I've seen what mid-high heat does to quilts & just can't bring myself to do that if there's any hope of winning someone over. Usually you can't fit much else in with quilts anyways so I try to explain why Low heat is ideal & hope for the best.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tessagin (Post 7289762)

I prewash every fabric that comes into my house. I keep washing until the water runs clear. I'm very anal about prewashing. I don't want to have to deal with bleeding and with what I've seen how some people handle fabric in the store with disregard like wiping their sweaty necks and such. I definitely prewash.

I'm with you! I wash everything too as you never know which color is going to bleed. I have had reds not bleed but blue or green and even pink and lavender sometimes bleed.

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I used an organic, dye-free, scent-free, chemical-free detergent in cold water with three color catchers and partially dried it on low. I finished drying it draped over two poles in the backyard in the shade.

Good Grief. If I didn't put that much thought in washing my kids.

I have always been of a mind that if it is not dirty I feel no need to wash it. Lately I've heard people say you should get the chemicals out of it. I just put the same detergent that I use for my clothes.

I have a top load, large capacity washer--use a full tub, cold water, and my regular liquid detergent--plus 3-4 color catchers. I lay the quilt out on a sheet covered piece of plastic in the basement to dry usually, but sometimes I will put it in the dryer on perma prest setting. My DIL (with 10 month, 22 month and 7yr boys)told me she was so glad that all the quilts I've made them are wash and dry so they can actually use them. Me too!

Cool water wash gentle cycle then either line dry or low heat gentle dryer cycle. There is no need to pre-wash new quilting fabric generally as it will wash out some of the crisp look of a new quilt. However if you want that bumpy full look on stippled or meander stitched quilt a gentle wash makes it fluff up.

I do machine wash my quilts, using EXTRA GENTLE cycle, and I dry my quilts on EXTRA GENTLE cycle, TOO! I have had too many back injuries to hand-wash quilts, even baby quilts! I care for the quilts I make, but I just cannot do the hand-washing for quilts, besides I'm 70 years old now. I do WASH GENTLY, using the EXTRA GENTLE CYCLE, and that's going to have to serve the purpose. I love and treasure any quilts, either that I make or that someone has made for me, but I have to be very careful of things I do. I'm sure there are thousands of you out there that face the same problem.

God Bless you all.

Jeanette

You could probably do a twin size quilt in a home washer and dryer, but it depends on the washers capacity. 100% agree that at least 3 color catchers should be used, cold water, gentle cycle.