If I make you a completed quilt these are the care & washing instructions to follow.   If you piece your own these instructions likely hold true as well.

• This quilt & it’s fabrics have not been pre-washed or pre-shrunk.   For your first wash/dry be prepared for it to shrink & “pucker” up. This is what a quilt should do and it will help it be soft & cuddly for you.
• For your FIRST WASH – use 1-3 Shout! Color Catchers (I have included several or you can purchase at more at http://amzn.to/2cf3fRm or a big-box store). These sheets will catch any loose dye in the fabrics.
• Wash in cold water, dryer is acceptable.  For less shrinking air-dry.
• Limit washes – this quilt does not need to be laundered weekly. Excessive washing will thin fabrics & stress stitching.
• Ok – limit the washes but USE IT! Don’t be afraid to get it dirty – it CAN be washed!

Here are some more FAQ & answers

• Why is my backing seam off center?    This is recommended by quilt conservationists and also looked for by many quilt judges.   Even if you don’t want your quilt entered into a quilt show for judging you DO want it to stand up to use.    By centering a backing seam it will take stress every time your quilt is folded.   By allowing that seam to fall off of center you keep it from landing on that stress point.  If you are creating a pieced backing with a pattern this is something to keep in mind if you have just several pieces of cloth you are color blocking or similar.    If you are wanting me to long-arm your quilt & have specific ideas about backing orientation or placement please make sure we discuss before quilting.
• I asked for a quilt a specific size & it shrunk!   Quilts will do this after you wash them.  If you need it a specific size to drape over a specific bed, add extra borders to squares to your quilt design to account for shrinkage.  A little too big is usually better than a little too small for bed quilts.
• How often should I wash my quilt?    I only wash mine when they are soiled.   I use my quilts so they do get washed, but I also don’t have a weekly wash plan for them as washing is one of the biggest stresses on quilting fabrics.  It’s a balancing act – but never be afraid to use a quilt.  I use a washing machine without a center agitator arm.  If you don’t have one consider having yours professionally cleaned or using a laundromat.   For large quilts this will likely be the only option as most home washers are not large enough for a king size quilt.