Why not to wash top before quilting.
 

I read in message asking if they should wash a quilt top before quilting because of stains, etc. Thought I would show why you shouldn't do that.
My aunt gave me this top that my mother had made back in the 50's or 60's. I could tell it had been was wash because there edges were frayed. Anyway, I bought some pretty blue, lavender and white fabric for a backing and was going to quilt this to give away to one of my family members in a drawing.
When I washed the backing I decide to wash the quilt top because it had been laying around for so many years.
Lots of strings matted in with the triangle point making pretty good size knots that would surely break a needle.


Spent a little while cleaning up the seams before ironing the top and getting it ready to quilt.

Thanks for posting. We do have a lot of new members who are new to quilting and as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

OOO, that's bad. A picture is worth a thousand words. I think this one says it all! Thanks. (lol, I guess I was thinking along the same lines as ManiacQuilter2.)

I got a crib size quilt top at an estate sale couple years back. I stitched around the outside edge before washing. It had not been pre washed before but was glad I did. It bled a little. Some fraying but not like if I had washed on normal cycle. Threw into the dryer. Trimmed away the small amount of fraying pressed and looks good. It's all preference. Like I said it was crib size.

I've washed them - but I also use the "hand wash" cycle which is a very slow agitation.

I only do this if there are "issues" and I figure it needs it. Since I inherited a bunch of my Mom's UFO's - and some have rodent stains - I want to make sure they will clean up before putting the effort into quilting them.

But then I also prewash ALL my fabric purchases - which has included about 7 bags of scraps and small yardages. They smelled smoky - and if I'd not got that out, I wouldn't have used them (BTW - I bought one bag and washed it, and when it "worked" I went back and bought the rest). Also went through a gallon of vinegar.

I did trim off all the loose threads between the washer and dryer. And I would get a quite a handful with each load.

That really did not look too bad. It looks like it held together okay.

Thanks for sharing the pics! Great reminder.

I think women in America, in my experience, are overly zealous about cleaning in general and I think, imho, think about the thing being clean before anything else that may be relevant to the situation. We should take our time and think it through. Clean may not be the most important or first thing to be done to any project. Hope your quilt finishes up well. A pretty blue and white.

Thanks for posting this great visual lesson for everyone.
peace

I agree. Although rodent stains would get a good washing in my book. I'd probably sew up a large lingerie-type mesh bag to put the quilt top in for washing.

Much as I'm a clean freak sometimes a spot clean (for anything really awful) or a good shake and airing is the go. Then finish it up and then wash.