Question for Quilters

[LaraW]

You may remember that I posted a thread about a baby quilt that I'm making for a friend who had a little baby boy in September. Her shower is in November, and I'm making the quilt for the shower.

Anyway, I've got the whole thing put together now and the quilting is done. I still need to do the binding on it, and then I'll be done.

I have a question about washing, however, that I was hoping someone could help me with.

I'm planning to wash the quilt before giving it to my friend.

When I first bought the fabric, the lady at the quilt store told me to wash it in warm but to line dry it. So, that's what I did. It seems like the reason that she told me to do that was to prevent "pilling" on the fabric, I don't specifically recall her saying anything about shrinking.

I did put the backing in the dryer when I washed it. When I wash the quilt, now that its all put together, do I need to line dry it again, or can I put it in the dryer? I would put it on "low" but am I going to risk shrinking the fabric and ruining the quilt by putting it in the dryer? If so, I don't want to do it, but if its OK, I'd like to be able to tell her that she can machine dry it.

Thanks! :)

[swquilts]

Hi Lara! (Be sure to post a pic for us!)

Whenever I make a baby quilt I always wash all of the fabric involved which you have done. I've never heard of "pilling" on cotton fabric, but it does shrink.

I would wash it in warm or cold water and then line dry. You could also dry it on low, but watch it so that the batting doesn't shrink the whole thing up.

After the first couple of washing it won't be a problem.

Hope this helps!

[LaraW]

Thanks, Susan.

So, should I maybe wash it a couple of times before giving it to her? I want it to be "unruinable" if that makes sense, at least from a laundering perspective. I really want them to use it, and don't want to have a big barrier of washing instructions keeping them from using it.