cathyvv

What Tartan said...washing a quilt that size after it is quilted would overwhelm most home washers and dryers.

suern3

I used wide backing fabric on the quilt I am currently quilting. I ordered it online and it was a name brand fabric but when I received it, it felt stiff and a little rough. So I did wash it since I thought it might shrink a lot. I had not washed the fabric for the top and it is all done with 2 1/2 inch strips, meant to be a jelly roll pattern. Honestly, I didn't think twice about it. I don' expect the top to shrink much if at all. This was my first wide backing fabric and probably if I could have touched it before I bought it, I would have passed.

Jingle

I buy remnants and large yardages and wash them by themselves and dry just a few pieces at a time. I immediately fold with a ruler and seldom have to press the folds only. Sometimes not even the folds. Wide backings I wash and dry by themselves.

junegerbracht

I don’t usually prewash unless I am concerned about running. That said I do wash wide backings and they always shrink - much more than yardage. They are usually stiff and don’t seem to me to be of the same quality as yardage even from the same manufacturer.

cjr

I pre was all my fabrics. Set washer on gentle or fine cycle. Much less tangling of strips. I have also found laying pieces flat on top of dryer before putting in to get out wrinkles. I keep scissors on dryer to cut string after washing. Also using mesh bag to hold small pieces helps tangling. Pre cuts shrink one direction. charms come out 4.5 x 5. Use color catchers. I do not wash reds & purple with whites on principal. I have also washed pieced tops on gentle cycle.

1screech

I don't wash anything except reds, dark blues. I have used a backing that sounds like the backing you used and it washed fine. I like the crinkly look after washing.

toverly

I would not wash it. A quilt this large probably won't be thrown into a washing machine, it would be too big. At least it would be for mine. It will probably have to be dry cleaned. That's what I do with my king size.

Darcyshannon

This is so true. I made a quilt out of unwashed batiks and used a wool bat. It does not shrink at all when washed.

quiltlady1941

Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions for washing or not washing the backing.. I still don't know what i an going to do.. I am not looking forward to quilting such a large quilt but will get it done.. Funny what we do for family right.. haha

ckcowl

I always launder wide backing fabrics. Doesn’t matter if the top fabrics were laundered or not. Wide backing fabric tends to have serious set in wrinkles from being wrapped on the bolts- only way to get them out without hours of ironing is to wash it, toss it in the dryer, then take it out right away & shake it out- lay it out. I drape it across my longarm frame. I would launder both pieces separately then sew them together to avoid having a puckered seam line from uneven shrinking.