lsb142

Do you always wash your quilts after finishing the quilting and binding?

amma

Yes I do. Not only do I use starch, but I do not always prewash the fabric. I also like the quilt nice and soft when I give them away :D:D:D

VickyS

I do, especially if it is a charity quilt. This way if I missed something, the threads on the quilting will pop out, or the area where the binding didn't cover the block will become easy to see.

I like to try out the quilt first before I give it away so I know the recipient will be happy.

VickyS

I do, especially if it is a charity quilt. This way if I missed something, the threads on the quilting will pop out, or the area where the binding didn't cover the block will become easy to see.

I like to try out the quilt first before I give it away so I know the recipient will be happy.

cowpie2

I do. I have a dog that sheds horribly. So washing after it is completed and wrapping immediately helps eliminate the gift of dog hair.

Mo_Chride

I do but all of my quilts have been meant to be used (all seven of them so far). Five of them have been baby quilts and two of them have been twin sized for children's beds.

I have ended up marking many of them with the blue wash away pen for my quilting since I am still learning. Also, five of them I have used the spray basting since they had minke for a backing and washing them washed that away and made them "softer".

I wash in cold with light detergent and vinegar to really ensure that the colours are set (I prewash the fabric with vinegar too and over dry the fabric to try to get as much shrinkage out as possible). Then I air dry the quilt.

What happens once the quilt is out of my hands, I can't control but I like that flatter finish rather than the more vintage wrinkled look so I try to get as much shrinkage out before I sew and try to minimize shrinkage once I am finished.

Washing also gets rid of the stray loose threads so I don't have to go over it as carefully picking away loose threads. Any left after washing need to be clipped carefully but at least I know which ones need to be clipped versus gentle tugging pulling them right out.

Tara

NJ Quilter

I always wash as well for a variety of reasons - dog hair; marking lines; starch; hanging around for a period as I hand quilt and it usually takes a while, especially on a bed quilt. Plus I get that crinkly look that I love.

Lori S

Not always!

AgnesGrey

I always pre-wash my fabric but never pre-wash the cotton batting, so when I was the quilt when it's all done the batting shrinks a wee bit and gives the quilt a nice puckered and antique look that I like.

ckcowl

YES!!! I want to be the first one to wash and dry it---it would be HORRIBLE for me to give a quilt and the recipient wash it and have something come apart---they would be so very upset and i can easily avoid causing anyone that trauma by taking care of that final step myself- i figure it is the final step of completion- i would never allow anyone to take a quilt i had not washed first.
with the exception of wallhangings that won't be washed ever.