When and How To Wash A Quilt

Now, is it necessary to pre-wash quilt fabric? It is not unless you plan to use it for apparel or for something like these pillowcases. Some quilters are passionately against pre-washing because quilt fabric is treated with a substance called sizing to stabilize it and make it easier to work with. Washing your fabric before quilting will wash this away making the fabric a little softer. I however, don't have strong feelings on this subject. If you want to pre-wash, your fabric will still be quiltable!

If you have purchased yardage, it's pretty easy to pre-wash it. As most quilt fabric is 100% cotton, you can wash it in your washing machine. I set my temp to the 'Colours' setting because I don't think the dyes need any unnecessary heat. High-heat washes will contribute to the dyes fading over time. That said, one wash in hot water shouldn't damage your fabric as cotton and modern dyes are both quite sturdy. 

Quilting cottons can also be tumble dried. Again, I avoid using the hottest setting because it's just not necessary and I want to preserve the dyes for as long as possible. Once dried, try to take the fabric out of the dryer immediately to avoid letting it cool in a ball. Ironing at this stage is the best option, Folding it is second best. Leaving the fabric to cool in the dryer or in a basket will make the wrinkles all the harder to get out once you go to iron! You can thank me later.

There are a few scenarios where I would recommend that you prewash your fabric. If you are using batiks, they smell kinda funny and for me, that smell causes a headache! If you are sensitive to the chemicals used to treat the fabrics during the dying process, I'd recommend that you give your fabrics a wash for your own comfort. 

If you are using flannel and regular cotton together in the same project, I'd recommend that you prewash both as flannel shrinks a lot more than standard cotton. Some people just go ahead and use them together but this could cause problems in your quilt. It's a risk I'm not willing to take!

If you have purchased pre-cuts, please do not try to wash them! Quilting pre-cuts are designed to be used just as they are. They are so small that if you washed them, you'd lose most of the fabric to fraying and shrinkage! It's best just to use them unwashed! This includes 2½" strips, 2½" squares, 5" squares, 10" squares, and fat eights. I used to prewash fat quarters and you can usually get away with that as they are just a bit bigger, but I don't anymore and I recommend that you don't either unless there's a really good reason for prewashing!

Quilt tops that have not been quilted should never go near a washing machine or dryer! The agitation will cause fraying along all the raw edges. Additionally, the fabrics will shrink and probably the thread too. This will cause distortion and make quilting the quilt incredibly difficult, if not impossible. Please, I beg you, don't make this mistake! It makes me want to cry!😭

Quilts that do not yet have binding on them should not be washed either.

Now, we finally get to the part where you CAN wash your quilt! Once your quilt has been quilted, and the binding securely attached, it's time to wash your quilt for the first time!

But here's where it gets tricky. If you used wool batting, you have to go about it a little differently. It is recommended when using wool to avoid the machine altogether. Wool tends to felt when agitated. It's also not recommended to use detergent on it as it can strip the fibres of all the natural oils which will cause them to deteriorate and break down.

To handwash, fill a clean bathtub or a large bucket with a little bit of warm water. Grate a little of your soap into the warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes to dissolve soap. Now begin filling your wash bucket or tub with cool water. At this point, you can put your quilt in. I would recommend using the dye catchers for this too. 

Let soak for about 30 minutes. If necessary, massage soapy water into any stains or dirty spots. Do not agitate excessively, though I have found gentle agitation doesn't have an effect on the wool. Again, this is how I wash all our wool sweaters, scarves, and hats. Drain your washing tub and fill it with clean water. It usually takes about 2 - 3 rinses with clean water for the item to be soap-free. 

Once washed, roll into a towel (or several towels) to absorb excess water. Hang to dry. Note, it may take several days for the quilt to dry! Maybe wait for summer to wash your wool quilts so you can hang them in the sun to dry!

In reply to Sheila's comment about line drying in a small condo, I thought I'd share my drying setup. I have a fold-up drying rack that I use for all of my delicates and hand-washed items. In the summer, if I really need something to dry in a hurry, I'll move my drying rack onto the back patio for some sun. But most of the time, it's set up inside. My bathroom was demo-ed a while ago and we haven't gotten around to redoing it, so for now I have the drying racks set up in there as it's not being used for anything else!😩

When hanging bigger quilts (like the Memory Wall on the right side of the drying rack) I fold them so that they'll fit onto one half of the drying rack. Then I'll rotate them once or twice to make sure the whole quilt dries out. For smaller quilts, you can hang them across one or two bars, depending on the size. Again, if you've had to fold the quilt to make it fit, turn it over a time or two during the day so that it dries. 

A little tip for indoor drying, this is especially true in the winter, having a fan nearby helps speed up the drying quite a bit. During the summer, I usually just open a window. Unless it's raining and then we're back to the fan!

Did you learn anything new or was this all familiar to you? Let me know in the comments below!