I have mixed feelings about gifting quilts. On the one hand, it’s natural to want to give something of ourselves to our loved ones. On the other, people can be so damn entitled about what they should receive. Wherever you stand on the issue, quilters give away a lot of quilts. And there are four things you should be doing every single time.
Tip 1: Wash the Quilt Before You Give It
I know this seems like a strange thing to put at the top of the list. But I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from a loved one who thought she ruined a quilt after one trip through the washer.
Here’s what’s happening. After the first wash, cotton batting shrinks just a little around the quilting stitches. That’s what creates the wrinkled, crinkly look quilters love. If you’re a quilter, you know it’s coming. If you’re not, watching your brand new quilt suddenly look wrinkled is alarming. You can see the difference in my Holland quilt, before and after washing.
Pre-washing takes that surprise out of the equation. Here’s the routine I use the first time I wash a quilt before gifting it.
- Cold water on the gentle cycle
- Mild detergent, the same one I use for regular laundry
- One or two color catchers in the load to grab any stray dye
- Low heat in the dryer, or hang to dry
That’s it. The recipient gets a quilt that already looks like a quilt, and you skip the panicked phone call.
Tip 2: Send Care Instructions with the Quilt
Most people don’t know how to care for a quilt. Or how easy it really is.
A family member once came to me embarrassed because she’d had a quilt of mine for a long time and didn’t know how to wash it. She’d been afraid to try. That conversation is the entire reason I started including care cards with every quilt I gift.
Honestly, quilts are tougher than most people give them credit for. The washer and dryer are usually just fine. This is the routine I share with anyone receiving one of my quilts.
- Wash in cold water on a gentle cycle
- Use a mild detergent
- Skip the bleach
- Tumble dry on low or lay flat to dry
- Spot clean small spills with a damp cloth before washing the whole quilt
- Store folded in a breathable cotton bag, never in plastic
I keep a stack of care cards I can sign and tuck into the gift bag. You can download your own care card for free and start sending one with every quilt you give.
Tip 3: Let the Quilt Go
Don't be like Jane Smith. She seems to be mad that her niece is actually using the quilt she gave her. I see quilters venting on social media because the family she gave a quilt to let the dog sleep on it, or hung it on the back porch, or used it as a picnic blanket. The story is always the same. Someone gave a beautiful gift and is now upset about what’s being done with it.
I get the feeling, I really do. But there are two realities being ignored here.
First, when you give a gift, it’s no longer yours. Whatever someone decides to do with any gift they receive ceases to be your business once it’s in their hands. Yeah, some people can be really ungrateful when they receive a quilt. (See my opening paragraph.) But seriously, let it go.
Second, don’t we want people to love and use our quilts? A friend once told me she’d put a baby quilt I’d made for her in the closet because she didn’t want to ruin it.
She was protecting it.
I wanted it loved on a kitchen floor with a sippy cup spilled across the corner.
That’s what broke my heart.
If you can wear out a quilt I made for you, I’ll happily make you another. That means it was loved, and being loved is the whole point.
Tip 4: Label Your Quilt
This one’s small but it matters. Add a label somewhere on the back of the quilt with your name, the date, and the pattern name. I will sometimes use a Micron pen to write that information directly on the quilt backing. Don't forget to set the ink with heat before you wash it.
Years from now, when the quilt is still in the family, the label is what tells the story. Who made it. When. Which pattern they used. It turns the quilt into an heirloom instead of just a really pretty blanket.
A Favorite to Gift
Nothing says this quilt was made for you quite like making one in their school colors. Not only will it be personal, it will be cherished for years to come. If you love making half-square triangles and quarter-square triangles, take a look at my School Spirit quilt pattern. This three-color quilt can be customized with their school or team's colors and is designed to fit a Twin XL mattress, which is usually what you'll find in dorm rooms in the U.S.
