Zhillslady

I have read several times this week how many wash a quilt before gifting it. I will admit I felt foolish the more I read as I have donated and gifted over 50 quilts in the past 6-7 years and never washed it first. In fact I used my own quite a while before I washed them. The main reason is once washed they no longer look new to me, they look used. However after the recent post I started thinking how bad I would feel if someone washed and something happened to it I could have prevented. Right now I am making 2 quilts for our ladies dessert. Our church has the dessert each year and you pay for your seat with a grocery gift card for the benevolence fund. I always donate 2 quilts to raffle off. Should I wash these first? Will they look used instead of new if I do?

amma

Prewashing the fabrics and preshrinking your batting will help keep the quilts looking new, if the crinkle look is what you are trying to avoid :D:D:D

jljack

They look "used" or a little wrinkled because the batting usually shrinks a little in the first wash. I think it makes them look wonderful. Personally I think unwashed quilts tend to look stiff, but when slightly wrinkled from washing look soft and cuddly.

I always wash first. It gets more of the sizing out of the fabrics, and also removes and dust, lint, animal hairs, etc. accumulated during the making process. None of us has a perfectly clean house!! Certainly not me!! :-)

sparkys_mom

Most of the quilts I've made were for Quilts for Kids and they request washing before sending. From that I learned that seams do fray and bindings are not always as secure as one could wish. :P
I did make two as gifts last Christmas and I did not wash them. I gave both with washing instructions, Color Catchers, and the verbal that I would gladly repair any seams that came loose.

I agree that washing makes them look used but I think what you decide to do depends on the circumstances.

SharonTheriault

I love the look of the washed quilt. It does look cuddly and used... but it's softer without the sizing, mistakes can be found (of course I don't make any lmao) and they aren't as intimidating for the giftee. Unwashed they look like they should be displayed, not used.

Zhillslady

I will say I had a crazy curves one I dreaded washing cause sewing all those curves was hard for me. I wanted it to look new as long as possible. The one day I forgot to put back in sewing room where cat is not allowed and she laid on it so I washed it. I really liked the look washed. However since then Itty Bitty has claimed it as her own. She's my 18 year old munchkin cat. She gets what she wants. As you csn see in picture #2 if you try and take her quilt she gets in your face all mad.

ckcowl

washing your quilt does not make it (used) it makes it finished.
i am so ... stern? about this mainly because of a situation that happened between 2 of my very good friends- a mother-in law- & daugter in law-

the mil gave said dil a beautiful quilt for christmas one year--
the dil loved it with all her heart and showed it off-boasted about it to everyone---then the day came it needed to be laundered- she even called mil to ask how to go about it- the reply was- i made it to be used- put it in the washer-cool water/detergent- toss it in the dryer- it will be fine-
dil did just that- even used a gentle cycle- mil did not stipulate.
when the quilt came out of the dryer a whole large section had come undone- it was unsightly-frayed- a mess...she called me just sobbing- i went over & looked at it- it looked as if during construction a whole seam was missed...i told her she needed to call mil & tell her what happened- it could be fixed-
OH NO--she was afraid mil would hate her for ruining the quilt---instead she chose to just hide it away-
after that for months-everytime mil visited she would leave---angry (thinking dil just gave it away or something) neither would speak to each other about it---it caused 2 whole years of strife between them---i finally could not take being in the middle any more---and told mil what happened-

she felt so bad for all the HORRIBLE things she had been thinking -and saying about dil for 2 years---
she went to her very (humbled) apologized- retrieved the
quilt- repaired it and it is now proudly used again---but 2 years of horrible hurt feelings for something that would have been avoided if she had just washed it first...
and where was son during all this? deployed...more stress- since mil was so...nasty toward dil when she was needed most. and what took me so long? i tried to be supportive to both without overstepping ... we all learned some lessons.
but now- unless it's a wall hanging not meant to ever be washed- it does not go anywhere until i've washed?dried it first!

sparkys_mom

Good point! One of the people who received the unwashed quilts promptly announced that she didn't need the color catchers. She would never wash it - in fact she was going to put it in her hope chest (she's 60 for crying out loud) - so all that work will be hidden away. Maybe if I'd washed it she would have thought she could use it.

sparkys_mom

Wow!

Zhillslady

Needless to say I will be washing from now on. Do you think I should wash the raffle ones or leave them new looking? The ladies buying are church members so I could include name/telephone to repair any issue when washed or should I just wash then raffle?