Washing the Quilt

[Loonwatcher]

Daily dumb question - When you finish your quilt, do you wash it before giving it away or using it or wait until it needs its first washing?

[meemeecyn]

Re: Washing the Quilt

I usually don't wash after I am finished. A couple of times I washed the top before quilting just to make sure it didn't fall apart. (one of my earlier ones!) Is it soiled or are you wanting to get the 'antique, wrinkly' look? Do you usually wash your fabric before you start to sew? That is something I've heard different opinions on. I would think if you did that, the quilt would not need to be washed before giving away, unless it is soiled. Have a good day, Nancy!

[newbiequilter]

Re: Washing the Quilt

I haven't given away a quilt yet, but when I crochet sweaters for charity, I wash them before donating - first to remove any dirt or dog hair, second to be sure it will survive the wash.

[LynneLeavell]

Re: Washing the Quilt

I don't wash my quilts when I'm finished. Even if I'm going to use it myself. I wait until it needs to be washed. If I give it away I let the recepient wash it with there detergent or the way they want to.

[K. McEuen]

Re: Washing the Quilt

Mine have always gone in the washer and dryer (sometimes more than once) before they are used. I hand quilt and it could have oils on it from my skin, plus animal hair gets on it no matter what you do if you have pets. Also to remove any markings made during the quilting process. They seem to have a bit more fluff after laundering.

[Tslave57]

Re: Washing the Quilt

I always wash my quilts before giving them away for two reasons. First, I smoke so I want to remove any trace of a cigarette smell and, second, I want my quilts to have that soft, homey look and feel to them when they are opened as gifts.

Teresa

[bakermom]

Re: Washing the Quilt

The only ones I wash before giving them away are rag quilts. They usually get washed/dried 2-3 times to get rid of as much lint as possible.

[rebeccas-sewing]

Re: Washing the Quilt

I just washed a quilt with precut Moda fabric and it did the weirdest thing. I put the color catcher in with it and washed on warm water. The red turned the white fabrics pale pink but it didn't turn pink the white squares of inexpensive fabric I used with it. I thought for sure I wouldn't have any bleeding issues with that expensive Moda fabric. WRONG! It isn't really noticeable and it may come out with a second wash. So much for those color catchers. I think Eleanor Burns has some washing tips on her website. I just need to figure out which video. I think it might be the one on scrap quilts. I think she used vinegar. Maybe if I use a color catcher along with the vinegar that might work. I'm really disappointed that Moda would sell fabrics that bleed. In particular, it's the reds from the "A Breath of Avignon" line.

[toggpine]

Re: Washing the Quilt

I am an avid pre-washer. I will use vinegar in the rinse on the reds and other darks. I have had both purples and blues bleed. It helps set the color, works as a fabric softener and it doesn't make your clothes smell like a pickle if you only use a cup in the full sized washer. I think I'll cut that back to a half a cup in the new HE machine as it uses about half the water.
I have sent them washed and unwashed. The small ones yes, the bigger ones, no. That is all about the size of my own washer though.

[quiltingtrish]

Re: Washing the Quilt

I wash every quilt or smaller project I give away. Hadn't heard that about the vinegar - think I will add that to the rinse from now on.

Hugs,

[Mimis-quilts]

Re: Washing the Quilt

I wash my quilts before giving them to others, like K McEuen said, the oils from my hands, the dog hair etc that ends up on it before I get it quilted needs to be washed out, not to mention the pencil markings. I don't prewash my fabrics though before making a quilt though. I too shall add vinegar to the washing to "set" the colors.

Happy sewing!
Pat

[LanaMonteith]

Re: Washing the Quilt

I'm a washer also, I love using the vinegar in the rinse and so far I guess I've been pretty lucky, they go in and come out in one piece and the same color!

[Ange]

Re: Washing the Quilt

Thanks for this information.. I did wonder what happened with the pre cuts.... if I have yardage or fat quarters I always pre wash red fabrics as they seem to be the worse ones for dye running but with pre cuts it sort of defeats the object of making it quick and easy if they need washing first...I'm just using the moda rouenneries by french general charm packs which are mostly reds.... I'll be really disappointed if they run.... I'll definitely try the vinegar.

Thanks again

Angela

[rebeccas-sewing]

Re: Washing the Quilt

I don't know if it really works but I checked out Eleanor Burns video on "Scrap quilts" and she says 1/4 cup of salt or 1/4 of vinegar in the wash water helps avoid bleeding of fabrics. She also said if there is any bleeding, wash it again before drying and it might come out. She says she uses Orvis soap to wash her quilts. It's a mild soap used to bathe horses (purchase at your local feed store). To whiten old lace she washes it with 4 T. of sodium perborate in the wash water. I've never heard of it and she didn't mention where to buy it but I'm sure that'd be easy to find out. In fact, let me check" google." Hold on, please (tick tock, tick tock, tick tock). Wikipedia says it's a bleaching agent. There are places on-line to purchase it. Didn't see any suggestions for purchasing it locally

I wash every quilt or smaller project I give away. Hadn't heard that about the vinegar - think I will add that to the rinse from now on.
Hugs,

[rebeccas-sewing]

Re: Washing the Quilt

The other mistake I made was not testing the fabric. If I had soaked the red in a bowl of wash water I would've seen that the color was going to bleed and I would've washed it before cutting into it. To me, this is a concern with those precuts. It's such a pain in the neck to wash them. I guess washing them by hand instead of throwing them in the machine would be better so they don't get all tangled up. I think most of them are pinked on the edges so they shouldn't fray.

Next large pickle jar is going to be my new tester. I'm going to keep it with my stuff and when it's time to test darks I'll throw in a test piece with some soap and hot water to see if I've got bleeding issues or if the fabric is color fast. What a pain in the patoot!!!