minibarn

I know a lot of you have either cat or dog quilting helpers and I was wondering how you deal with the hair from these animals on your quilts? I have to longish haired dogs and while we sweep, vacuum etc. there is still always pet hair somewhere. Some fabrics seem more prone to picking it up than others, and sometimes even after washing there is pet hair on my quilts. For me personally it's not a big deal because they are my dogs and that is the price I pay for having them. But, it got me thinking about charity quilts or gift quilts...what if the person is allergic to cats/dogs. Should I just not do charity quilts? Or is there something I could put in the washer or dryer that might help pull a bit more of that hair off?

rryder

I use those tape rollers (lint rollers) to remove hair from bedding. They pick up a lot. For people with allergies, it's not so much the hair as the proteins in saliva and or dander. Washing the quilt should help with that.

Rob

Cactus Stitchin

Same as same as Rob, I use a lint roller on finished products and keep rolling until it picks nothing up. Over the years I have also learned that fabric softener sheets in the dryer help to remove hair. I have been known to put something in the dryer with 3 or 4 softener sheets and just run air to remove hair.

zozee

I would completely finish it, label and all, then wash and dry the quilt in with fragrance-free detergent and no dryer sheet, then immediately put it into a sealed bag (like the zippered kind that new sheets come in) until ready to deliver. Some patients are allergic to (or bothered by) fragrances and some charities will discard the quilts rather than risk harm to a patient. The main thing they don't want is smoky smells, but the hair and odor from pets is the next worst. The best thing is to check the charity's regulations and requirements before donating a quilt you've worked on.

Jane Quilter

Cats, their hair/dander can put me in the hospital if I don't know. If I know I can take antihistamines and steroids

osewme

I use a lint roller on quilts just before I package them to give away.

notmorecraft

It's not so much the hair that causes the reaction, as the saliva on the hair and the skin dander. I am really allergic to cats, but not dogs, so much that if a co worker has cats, it's enough to set me off. I keep my dogs out of my sewing room as much as I can.

Annaquilts

I have a hypo allergenic type of doggie (7lbs). It has long hair if I let it grow but the only way it comes off is if we cut it. I do keep her away from quilt fabric, items and my studio. I keep my studio locked. She may come on the couch with me if I invite her and else she is in her cat bed. I do donation quilts. I would recommend keeping your dogs off of the quilts and fabric. When you are ready to donate lint roll the whole quilt very well and then wash and dry the quilt, then immediately put it in a clear plastic bag. I hate black trash bags because I know of too many horror stories of quilts being accidentally disposed of.

roguequilter

even knowing that you have to go to such drug extremes to enjoy a beautiful quilt makes me shudder.
my wip's are covered w clean sheet while i work on binding, or hand quilt. while machine quilting no critters allowed near. when piecing i protect my work & area as much as i can ..sometimes even moving fave felines beds from my table so i can work on large quilt. they are upset ..but oh well, it's only temperary. then as others say about wash & dry, that should remove all pet dander and hair.

popover

Yep, this. I have Chow and a cat