When you give your quilting for a gift
 

Do you always wash it before giving it?

I do not. I figure if it is for a kid, the mother will wash it whether I have washed it or not, so I just let her have that privilege. My recepients seem to like the new look that quilts have before they are washed. Most of my wall hangings never get washed.

You will get plenty of responses, for and against. I personally wash mine prior to gift giving to make sure that all hand oils and dust are off the quilt before it goes to the receipant. I have cats and dogs and although they don't lay around on my fabrics or works in progress, their hair and dander are always floating around in the air. I also wash my fabrics prior to using them due to allergies and the chemicals used in processing the fabrics make my hands itch something terrible. I sew my binding on by hand and I like the way washing it hides any imperfections that there may be in my stitching. I do give it a good steam to get out the big wrinkles but I like the wrinkly look after it is washed.

I wash before I use also....allergies to the formaldehydes. And, I was after it is made, but only for quilts, not WH or table runners. That way the recipients don't get surprised thinking that they did something wrong if it wrinkles.

Okay, whats a WH?

WH = wall hanging? My best guess.

I too prewash all fabrics and usually wash the finished project. I was the very upset recipient of a wall hanging for my infant son some 36 years ago and with his asthma and allergies was told to launder everything in his room at least weekly --- suffice it to say the wall hanging shrank and bled and ran all over the place. So, to avoid any9one having the same problem I prewash. And I use warm water to do it in. Cold water will often cause embroidery floss dyes to run where warm won't.

Yes, I do. However, I do not dry it in the dryer.

Oh yes, I always wash as soon as the binding is done and the label is on. But, only for one reason... quality control! This way, if a seam pops or the binding missed a few inches(yes, it has happened oops!) then I can catch it before it goes out the door. I would be so worried if I didn't do this "QC check" on it before giving, it would drive me bonkers!!

I agree I always wash and dry. I just know the one time I don't the whole thing will fall apart! LOL

"Quality control" is in the back of mind also when I wash my quilt before gifting!

If it's a baby quilt I wash/dry it before sending...but if it's not.. I don't. I have washed/dried the fabrics prior so sewing, and while I do have dogs they don't hang out in the sewing room much.

I do dryer FLUFF them just to de-lint - and remove any stray thread ends on them.
.

Definitly! i would never let a quilt go out the door without it being laundered and ready-regardless of being a gift, a donation, or to a show- the final step to every quilt i create is washed and dried after the binding-
too many hurt feelings/undo stress can be caused by the recipient being the first one to wash their new quilt- i want to see how they come out before anyone else (just in case)

sometimes-just depends on the recipient-I rarely wash a baby quilt-I tell the mom to wash it however she washes baby's clothes-I don't keep special laundry soap on hand. Other quilts I want to see the end result with the shrinkage-a look I love. Table runners etc. I don't wash.

i wash before. i want to be sure there are no surprises when the giftee washes it.

Yes I do, and I usually include a bottle of Quilt Soap for future care.

I also wash before gifting to remove starch, sizing, and quilting marks.

Yes, I always washed it after I am done with it. I don't want any surprises for the gift recipent. A thread could come loose, dye could fade (even with a color catcher, although it has only happened one time for me and it was a batik that did it). 99.9% of the time no issues, but you never know. I do not put them in the dryer though.

Yes, I always wash.

No, I don't always wash a quilt before I give it away but always include Shout color catchers with it in case one or more of the colors were not washed. Most of the time I do wash my fabrics first but there always seems to be one that gives off color.

Me too!
For the same reasons...I like to make sure they make it through the wash with no issues

I would not some people have allergies to some soaps. i am allergic to most detergents so i would attach washing and drying instructions and let them handle the washing themselves.

I always wash.

1) To get the dog hair off.
2) To make sure it doesn't fall apart.

I always wash to make nothing is going to fall apart and if there are any issues I can fix. I usually dry on low for about 25 minutes and then lay on bed to dry completely.

I always wash.

I always wash - to make sure everything is fine, no loose stitches, etc. also dry it - to make sure that the washing directions I give them are correct and won't destroy the quilt. Most of my friends are having grandchildren, so the quilts are going to get lots of use, I want to make sure they're going to stand up to it. Also I love the comfy look the quilts get when washed. And incidentally, I have two fur-bearing mousetraps who think it's their job to inspect whatever I'm working on, so there's cat hair and dander, too.

I've only had one finish but I did wash and dried in the dryer so I could mimic how I'd expect it will be laundered in the future. Plus I have two cats - one of which is long haired and a shedder and who LOVES fabric. Plus the recipients hate cats and I'd hate for them to find any cat fur.

Yes. I wash before I gift - 2 reasons: I have pets & recipients may have allergies & that wy if there are any problems, I can fix

Yes, for the same quality control reasons mentioned. And I always have a little trepidation when I do....Oh, the agony of pulling out a quilt that has somehow not withstood the harshness of the washing machine. So far so good, but you never know.

I always wash - quality control as many others have said. The last one I made had to have one seam blind stitched - better i found it b4 giving than the recipient found it after.

Absolutely yes.
I don't pre wash fabric, I have animals and dust and I drag the thing around as I'm sewing. And I LOVE the crinkly look, imho it isn't finished without those. And quality control is another issue. I've usually found problems before washing, but I still want to know what's going to happen when it does get washed.

I never did . . . . until I read this. Some very valid points. QC and all. I will from now on.

I ALWAYS wash, there have been other threads lately on this topic with some good answers also.:)

I do. If a seam is weak and needs attention, I want to know before someone else gets it.

Same here. I think I have only given one away (a wall hanging with photos since I didn't stitch through them) that I didn't wash in the machine, though I did provide washing instructions.

I wash completed quilts for two reasons, quality control and, symbolically, release the quilt from me. I "wash" my hands of it and "let go" of any expectations, etc.. Most of my quilts are donated, so had some labels made indicating wash in warm water that I sew on the back.

I always wash my quilts after I am done. You need to trim any threads that show up and just an overall look at your work!

I will wash if I have been working on it for some time or if it has pencil marking, otherwise I just give it!

Thanks everyone for the great answers and reasons for doing it, or not

I always wash too for all the reasons above! It just doesn't seem done to me til it gets washed, which I do the minute the last stitch gets put in the binding (my little ritual)...and the recipients always seem to like it, they always comment on how soft & fresh they are.