When is it better to wash the quilts: before or after binding?
I wash all my quilts, after the quilting is done and before the binding is applied. I thought that all quilters do this but after a little research on Internet I came to the conclusion that this a controversial subject. So I will try to explain why I do this.
First of all, I wash all my quilts, no matter what kind of quilts they are (wall hangings, baby quilts or utilitarian quilts) or what I plan to do with them (I keep them for myself, or they are gifts or if I want to sell them).
Some techniques require you to wash the quilts anyway (like trapunto -you have to wash out the water soluble thread, or appliqué – wash out the marking lines). No matter the technique, I wash all my quilts. I can’t say one of my quilts is finished until it is perfectly clean.
Most of my quilts are heavily machine quilted. Even the hand pieced quilts were machine quilted.
So, why I wash my quilts before binding is applied?
Because the heavy machine quilting can distort the shape of a quilt. And while the distortion might not be visible at all when the quilting is done, you become aware of it when you wash the quilt for the first time.
The first washing can distort the quilt even if it is not heavily quilted.
After the washing is done and the quilt is still wet, it’s time for blocking- returning the quilt to its proper shape and size while laying flat to dry.
This is a very important step, especially for wall hangings. If the quilt has a perfect shape, it will hang nicely and straight on the wall.
Washing the quilt
- If the quilt is small to medium size, I wash it by hand- I just gently agitate it in water with detergent. I rinse it a few times and then I put it in the washing machine for a spinning cycle ( at 400 rotations/minute) to remove the excess water.
- For some quilts a quick hand washing is not enough (for example, applique quilts with pressed marking lines) and then I wash the quilt in the washing machine on gentle cycle.
- I also wash the big quilts in the washing machine, on gentle cycle.
I put the quilt in the washing machine, fill the machine with warm water then let the quilt soak for a few minutes. Only after that I add a little mild detergent, completely dissolved in a lot of water.
Blocking the quilt
- When the washing cycle is done, I gently remove the quilt from the machine (which much care to not distort it) and lay it on the clean (freshly washed) floor. I have a laminated floor (and no carpet).
- Then I gently smooth it into shape, starting from the center toward the edges. If you need help to flatten the quilt, you could gently steam press on the back.
- For my quilts with center design and large background around it, this is all I have to do.
- For other quilts we have to measure the quilt on the center and along the edges, making sure they have the same size and also check the corners for right angles. If the quilt is made out of blocks, then all the blocks must be straight and aligned.
- A foam board is very useful if you need to make adjustments- you just have to pin the quilt to hold it in the desired shape.
Drying the quilt
If I don’t dry the quilt on the board used for blocking, here is what I do:
- Once the quilt is nice and flat, I add a plastic sheet to protect the floor and a clean bed sheet on top of it. Then I lay the quilt on top of them and leave it there until it is completely dry.
- If your floor is covered with carpet, protect it the same way. You will be able to pin through the carpet to hold the quilt in place.
- If the quilt is small, I do all these steps on a table.
- If it is too big for my space, I hang it on a rod (or on a cardboard tube) to dry. This is the way I dried my best quilt ever – it kept the shape really nice (and that’s because most water was removed in the spinning cycle and the additional weight did not distort its shape).
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| wet quilt hanging to dry |
Adding the binding
- Start adding the binding when the quilt is completely dry. It’s a big mistake to work with it sooner, if the quilt is still damp it will develop a lot of creases and you will have to wash it again – don’t ask how I know this!)
- You have to trim the edges according to the desired shape and size. Then it is ready for binding.
- Of course, you have to do this again on a clean floor!
Precautions
- Find a way to stabilize the outside edges of the quilt top
If the quilting does not extend right out to the outer edges, baste along those edges. Or you could use a long zig zag stitch to “finish” the outer raw edges. This keeps the fabric from fraying too. Not anchoring at all the edges of the top to batting and backing and then washing is a mistake. - Washer with agitator? Honestly, I don’t know what is this, I read you have to avoid it!
Other tips
- I usually pre-wash the fabric for quilts and binding so I don’t worry about washing the quilt (I don’t worry about shrinkage and excess dye). If you did not pre-wash fabric, use dye catchers when you wash the quilt for the first time.
- Before washing
I trim the excess batting and backing to about 1″ away from the edge of the quilt top- this speeds up the drying process. - When the quilt is FINISHED, I use a lint roller to clean the entire surface of the quilt.
Conclusion
So, with or without binding, a quilt suffers some grade of distortion when it is washed for the first time. And I think it is better to work out that distortion before adding binding. The binding would limit what you could do to solve the problems.
NOTE
I washed my latest quilts (three or four) for the second time (I took them outside for photography and then I had to wash them again). The quilts kept the perfect shape after the second washing.
So this is how I wash my heavily quilted quilts. I don’t know if it is better or worse than other quilters do. But it works for me- every time!
What do you think? How do you wash your quilts?
Geta
This sounds like a great system. My only issue is that I have two Pugs. ?
I will try the hanging method though.
Thank you!
just came to my mind: however you dry it, don’t let male dogs especially, pee on it 😄
I haven't made that many quilts as I am a beginner. I washed my fabrics before hand as my teacher suggested for the shrinkage and bleeding reasons. My first quilt did not have any markings on it as it was a log cabin quilt and it was tied rather than quilted. I have washed it a couple of times, and it seems fine–does not appear to be distorted. Maybe that is because it was tied and not quilted?
My second quilt has all been hand pieced and I am almost finished with the hand quilting. It is another wall hanging/table topper. It does have some applique, but I don't see the markings for that. I used chalk for the quilting designs, which rubs off, but would want to wash it to make sure all of that was removed. I will have to decide whether to wash it and check for distortion before I bind it or afterwards. I guess this would be a good experiment.
I do have a question though. If a quilt is distorted before or becomes distorted when you wash it, then you block it back into shape, it seems that the next time you wash it, the blocking would resort back to the way it was before. You say this doesn't happen. Can you tell me why it doesn't happen?
Most of the distortion happens when you immerse the quilt in water for the first time, because the fabric and stitching relax. For the next washings, distortion shouldn't be significant.
This is very interesting. I have never heard of washing before binding. I always wash after I bind. I'll have to give you method a try sometime. It's fun to try new things.
I always wash quilts also. I typically do not pre-wash fabrics and I use cotton batting because I WANT the changes that happen with a little shrinkage for the texture. I do use a "color catcher", sometimes 2 if it is a color or fabric that is likely to bleed. I serge the outer edge to keep the batting from falling apart and adding "lint" to the whole thing. I use the regular washing cycle (and yes it has an agitator) on warm/cold – the same way I wash everything. Hot drier. After all that, I re-straighten the outer edges and add the binding. My quilts are for beds so "blocking" is less important to me than having a quilt that withstands any washing treatment the new owner may give it. And hand pieced, hand quilted get the same treatment.
Thank you for your comment, Marjorie. Glad to know the hand pieced, hand quilted quilts survive this treatment. I think in the end it's all about how much attention we give to the piecing and quilting process.
I have never washed after quiltng before binding and some of my quilts could not be really squared. This tip sounds like the solution to my problem.
Thank you Greta, keep up the great sharing!
I always learn from your blog! Thank you, dear Geta! The attention you give to all the steps make the difference! Your quilts looks stunning!
I wash the quilt top in a front loading washing machine with cold water on gentle. I serge the edges prior to washing. (I use cotton batting.). After the quilt has been squared and allowed to dry, i attach piped binding. The reason, i started washing the quilt was that I noticed that the piping crinkled when the bound quilt was washed. The washing first stops the piped binding from crinkling.
Good to know, Thanks
Doesn't your excess batting shred and get all over your quilt?
Not at all! I don’t’ allow too much batting excess anyway, I trim it 1’’ away from the top edge before washing.
And if necessary, I use a lint roller to clean the entire surface of the quilt when the quilt is finished.
I am impressed by your generosity in describing and illustrating your techniques!
Sooo helpful.
Thankyou, Toni
Dear Getta,
Thank you for the sharing of your quilting history and your quilting tips!
About the washing, I like to use bamboo/silk mixture as a batting, but also the cotton ones. I wash the batting (in a big washing bag) before using it, because of the presumed difference in shrinking of the fabrics and the batting. I also wash it after I have finished the quilt using color catcher tissues. But I will use your method on my next project (baby quilt). Including the zigzaging of the brims before washing.
I hang my quilts to dry over a wide cardboard tube (used for storage of carpet in the store).
Untill now I have adjusted my quilts by ironing, because for bed quilts it is less important they are exactly recktangles.
My machine quilting I do with a walkingfoot, but although I had 2 classes for free hand quilting, I still have trouble doing it properly, that is with even stitches. I have discovered that free hand quilting with the sewing teeth’s up (in stead of down) is also possible and is giving better results for me. This is more difficult with a large quilt of course, because I have to turn the quilt a lot during the quilting proces. Good basting or glueing of the layers is necessary.
About the washable markers, I have found a so called ‘friction pen’ (coming in several colors). They disappear when you iron them. I use my small quilting iron to remove errors and this is working very well. I use the lines as guidelines only, my quilting is often not precisely on those marking lines. After ironing the quilt they are gone.
Nelleke
Greta, I’m sure your advice is headed.
As for me, I wash my fabric as soon as I bring it home. You didn’t mention whether or not you do.
I wash all fabric, square off the quilt, sew on the bias binding. Then I quilt. The binding holds the quilting in shape.
Each year, I learn more & some day I’ll try your method. Oops! I’m downsizing to a condo; there won’t be a clothes line anymore or a large space on the floor.
Most quilters may not have luxurious space.
Stay calm and
We quilt on.
Hugs to all the Quilters
Marion
Geta, this is very useful information. I’ve always waited until I finished the binding before washing. I will definitely use your method on my next quilt. It is a quilt top that I did a couple of years ago and has very bright colors. I don’t remember if I prewashed the fabric. Is there any reason to wash the top before quilting?
Also I live in a small apartment in NYC. I don’t have room to spread the quilt out except on my bed. However in our laundry room are two long tables that I can put together and put about half the quilt on at a time. I can’t leave it there to dry though because others use the tables for folding clothes. I could smooth it out there and then dry in a dryer. Then I would press it on my 18” wide ironing board as needed. Would that be ok?
Trudy, it is not a great idea to wash the top only, before quilting. The washing will distort your hard work! Wash the quilt only after the quilting is done.
With my bed quilts, I follow the steps you described and it works fine.
If you are afraid of color bleeding, use Color Catcher sheets in the washer – it helps absorbing the excess dye.
Also, when I lived in a small apartment, I used a cardboard tube placed on top of two pieces of furniture on opposite walls. It worked wonderfully for me!
I hope this helps, Trudy.
We have a new “Fancy” NOT washer and you can’t fill it then put your items to be washed in. GRRR, I really hate it. I wonder what a work around for that is. Right now the machine isn’t working at all and since we live in a very small town we will have waited nearly 2 weeks to get it fixed, that is if they have the parts. I’m kind of hoping they will just say they have to replace it. Then I will say, Great but not with the same type of washer, LOL!!
I guess I just needed to vent, sorry.
Hi Susan! In this case, just dissolve the detergent in lots of water, add the quilt in the washer, pour the detergent dissolved and start washing!
Hello Geta, I found your article very useful indeed, especially for show quilts. I’ve never washed before binding, and a few of my quilts are a bit wonky around the edge. Unfortunately I just don’t have a flat clean space to dry a bed sized quilt so have to hang them, and that always leaves a mark on the quilt. It’s a dilemma for sure. I’ll try to find a large cardboard tube to hang them on though; sounds like a plan. Thanks again.
Yes, Julie, I love the cardboard tube; you can find big ones in stores that sell carpets.
Ahh I wondered where you get the tubes. I will look for one.
I have always washed my quilts bound and haven’t noticed them being wonky, but I have primarily done twin or full size quilts, placemats or mug rugs. I was thinking that for those who do not have a lot of area to air dry their quilts, perhaps a tension rod over the bath tub would work. They could add the cardboard roll before mounting it between the walls. Just a thought.
I was taught to hand wash quilts in the bathtub, but they get very heavy, this way there isn’t any damage done to a quilt. After rinsing, Squeeze water out & I let them drain a long time, You could roll them in towels to get excess moisture out. Then get a laundry basket with a good bottom in it an take outside. It can get heavy. ( i’m lucky enough to live where we have a lawn.) I lay down a queen or king size sheet on the grass, then lay down the quilt on top of it an then lay another sheet on top of the quilt to protect it from Birds flying over! And harmful sunshine rays . Let it dry that way all day long. Of course on a nice warm sunshiny day. I do this because I was taught that a washing machine is harmful to a quilt . I’m not sure if a dryer is harmful or not. but this seems to be the old fashioned way of taking good care of a quilt. I’m wondering if anyone else has washed a quilt in this manner.
I hand sew everything, and had no idea some people wash the quilt before binding. I’ve never had any distortion, I think that’s more of a high-density machine quilting thing, so I can’t see why I’d need to do it, and I wouldn’t want to put the quilt under that much stress before the binding was on. I’ve also never needed to square up anything, as you get nice accuracy with hand piecing. I just trim off the excess backing and batting and bind it, then wash it once it’s all done, to get rid of the washable marker pen I’ve used for marking the quilting. I do prefer battings which don’t shrink, or shrink very minimally, which may make a difference, and I always prewash my fabrics. Though I’ve used a jelly roll in three quilts, and they’ve been fine too.