Yes!!

Same here. Also b/c of cat hair. No matter if I cleaned and vacuumed all day every day a stray hair or two would land on it :D:D

Yes. My machine has a gentle cycle. I wash in cold with color catchers. I dry quilts on my clothes rack.

I do if it's a quilt that is going to be used (not a wall hanging that won't be washed). Gentle cycle, usually Tide, very little agitating and spin a couple of times. I usually dry them for a bit on a very low heat cycle and then lay them out on a bed to finish drying. Love the color catchers now. Sometimes I'll put a couple in with the quilt if it's for a child and I know it will be washed often.