washing finished quilts
 

When the quilt is completely finished, do you wash it? I am nervous about doing this.

I ALWAYS - last step after binding is tossing the quilt in the washer- then the dryer----every quilt---every time---I want to see how it comes out before it goes to whom ever it is going to...

I always wash mine before giving away or displaying. I want to know that it will be all right when it's washed and not have the recipient get a surprise.

I always machine wash on delicate setting with cool water and a small amount of regular detergent. I dry quilts in the dryer set for cotton. I want to know if there are any problems with it before sending to my friends and family. I know the quilt will get rougher treatment in my kids house. Also I like the crinkle!:thumbup:

I am a hand quilter so by the time I finish a quilt it is quite dirty and must be washed. I wash mine in the machine with Dreft detergent and lots of color catchers.

I forgot to add that I usually dry my quilts in the dryer. However, the exception is the one I'm finishing now. I'll wash it, but plan to dry flat so that I can block it.

My sons daycare quilt (Irish chain) that was machine pieced and machine quilted has been washed at least 70x and is still looking great.

Another hand quilter here who ends up with really dirty quilts by the time I'm done. I always toss mine in the washer, normal detergent, perm. press cycle. Then toss in the dryer on the perm. press setting as well. I prewash my fabric so don't normally use color catchers at that point. Although I've had to in the past. Had a green that just would not stop bleeding after being completed. Finally gifted the quilt with a box of color catchers and instructions to use them with each wash.

I always wash my quilts before they leave my house.. I have pets and maybe whoever is getting this one is allergic....And if its going to fall apart, I better know it.

I look forward to washing EVERY quilt as soon as the binding is finished. Washing gets out any starch that I used while making the quilt, and the quilting often looks better after the quilt is washed. I wash in cold water, gentle cycle, and tumble dry with low heat. Often I take the quilt out of the dryer while it's a little bit damp and lay it out on the floor to finish drying.

I always wash my quilts when they are finished. I am another one who loves the crinkly look of the quilt after it is washed and dried.

I had never thought of washing quilts after they are finished. There are many great reasons to do so and maybe I will start. All the quilts that are used in my home are washed and dried when necessary. There is one hanging on the clothesline right now since my 14 year-old dog had a horrible accident on it during the middle of the night - it actually went into my washer for a hot water wash! It did just fine and smells so much better now ... lol. Before anyone gets worried about it being on the clothesline, part of my line stays in the shade all day so it is ok.

I used to not wash my quilts before giving them away, then I did a pantograph on one and left a slight gap between 2 rows by mistake. I free handed a design on it to blend in, which actually worked out really well, but still I wasn't quite happy with it so I washed it and it crinkled up just enough that I'm sure no one but me will ever notice my mistake.

Recently I used wool batting for the first time. After it was washed it got super crinkly. I'm a little disappointed because I went to a lot of trouble to make a pretty feathery design and you can't really see it because it got so crinkly. It is fluffy though, which is nice.

I do wash my finished quilts, for all the reasons listed above plus one: I want the quilt to look how it will look for the rest of its life. I gave an unwashed quilt to a family member a few years ago, after she washed it she returned it to me because it had crinkled (quite nicely, I might add) and she thought she'd ruined it.

If I am making a quilt to enter in a Quilt Show, I check before washing. Some Shows do not want them to be washed. Clean and all loose threads removed. But do not pre wash.

I always machine wash and dry because I don't think any of the recipients would take any special care so I do the regular wash/dry first

I have not washed but if I am giving to someone else I include color catchers and instructions.

Exactly what I do too!!!! My thoughts exactly. Want to see if it turns out okay.

Several of the big name quilters wash and block their quilts before putting the binding on. If you don't dry it in the dryer they don't shrink up as much and still look new.

I am usually not concerned about how my quilts will survive washing and drying - I've already soaked and washed the fabrics and batting before assembling them.

I do keep the agitation to a minimum - I think that's what is hard on an item.

I see no reason to block them when - so far - opposite sides have ended up to be the same length - and the corners are square.

I do wash them because everything has been handled a lot in the process - and I did have cats - who participated in the making of the quilts.

I'm also a bit of a fanatic about how the grain lines go. I like them either parallel or perpendicular to the edges of the quilt.

I wash mine also - don't lay them on the floor to dry though - if I did there would be 7 cats playing on them!

I don't prewash fabric so as soon as the binding goes on it's into the washer (with colour catcher) & dryer.

Since I do mainly charity quilts, I wash all quilts before giving them away. Use warm water, regular cycle, color catchers (1 or two depending on colors in quilts), and dry on regular cycle.

i wash mine on the long setting on my machine. one never knows how it's going to be treated once it leaves you, so i want to be sure it doesn't happen with the recipient.

DITTO for Traditional Quilter!!!!

I love to wash my quilts as soon as I'm done with the binding. Love to see the crinkle, feel them soften up. It's not finished til it's washed and dryed at my house. I've been known to stay up until the wee hours of the morning just to see it completely finished.

Why?? I work slow and I know it got dusty in addition, it will be washed in when it gets to its destination . Calla

Is there any way to avoid that crinkly look? I'm thinking of trying poly batting - ? Also have a wool batting ($$!) but now it sounds like it'll crinkle too - ??

When I want a more modern look I use either pre-shrunk Hobb's 80/20 or Quilter's Dream poly. The QD poly is more like a cotton batt than the old style poly batts.

Preshrink everything! Including the batting. Here is a link to a blog about prewashing/preshrinking your batting
http://suegarman.blogspot.com/search...inking+batting

Thank you!! I just don't care for the flatness of the cotton batting; would prefer a bit of puff without the crinkles so I'll check those out.

I am not real fond of the super flat cotton batting either so that's why I use Hobb's 80/20 a lot. It has just a little loft to it so it really shows off your quilting.

I agree with what you have said. Maybe I will start to wash them.

I like to wash mine to make sure there are no surprises. Threads that need trimming are also way easier for me to see after it has been washed. It goes in for a normal wash and dry cycle.

Never wash a finished quilt. Let the recipient do it.

The best poly that I have found is made by the Warm Co (same co that makes Warm & Natural) is Soft & Bright. I love it. Unlike most of you, I don't wash my finished quilts. I don't like the crinkled look which is why I use Soft & Bright. I just washed a queen size that I had made several years ago (my bedspread) and draped it over the deck railing to dry, and it looks like I ironed it. I was so pleased at how it came out. I do wash all of my fabrics as soon as they come into the house.

Yes, I always wash mine. I want to know if there are any problems before I give it to someone.

As I use glue to attach the binding, I always wash/dry before giving it to the recipent. Plus I want to know if its going to bleed now instead of later when a very distraught person calls me about it happening. Nothing worse than someone thinking they've destroyed the gift I gave to them. As I don't wash my fabrics beforehand, this takes the worry off my back too.

Suz in Iowa

I always wash. I love the crinkle plus I have a cat with long white hair.