Assuming that the baby quilts will be well used I generally wash them before giving them away. I did make a quilt last year that the binding was too tight after it was washed but I didn't prewash the fabric on that one. The recipient didn't care that it didn't lay perfectly flat. I generally add pieced border blocks to my rag quilts instead of using long one-piece borders. It's possible the problem could have been the grain of the fabric or even the type of fabric used. I'm sure the recipient will love the quilt anyway.

Sorry, Ajclapp, I tried but I can't remember how to upload pictures - Yes, I always prewash my fabric. I usually don't wash a quilt before I give it away but I needed to wash this one to make the frayed seams curl up. The other baby quilts I made I did not wash before giving away. I hope if they washed them - they came out ok. Do you wash every quilt you make? Is there any law saying that you have to wash quilts? Thanks, Jimmie

Thanks, Alcapp - I will try to put a picture in my profile, if I remember how. I tried to quilt the same amount in each block where each block would be about the same. I did not quilt an X. I used osnaburg in place of batting. (Which was suggested in a book with frayed edge patterns.) I washed it in cold water and dryed it in the dryer. I had to block the quilt. When it dryed it looked good. I used scraps and I did not pay attention to the grain line. That could be the problem. I quilted each block as I went along and later sewed the blocks together with the seam on the outside. I put a regular two pieced border on and then put a binding on. It looked great before I washed it and then. This is a baby gift and do I tell them not to wash it? Thanks, Jimmie

I've made dozens of these quilts from wall size to full size and have never had a problem with them not laying flat.

Did you prewash the fabric? I almost always prewash as fabric shrinks at different rates and the crosswise grain often shrinks more than the lengthwise grain.

How did you finish the edges of the quilt? I sew a strip of fabric around the edge to help secure it instead of just sewing a seam. Sometimes I add a frayed-edge binding.

Did you use batting? I generally use a light-weight batting or at least a layer of prewashed flannel between the layers.

How much quilting did you use? Just sewing with an X may not work if the blocks are different sizes. Try to keep the amount of quilting uniform in each block.

Hope this helps for future quilts.

I've never heard of this before. How much quilting did you do? Did you secure all the blocks?
eileenkny

I made a baby quilt in different size blocks with the seams on the outside, so they will fray and curl when washed. I washed the quilt and dried it in the dryer. The seams curled up and looked good but the quilt would not lay flat and was not square anymore. I had to block the quilt so it would be square and lay flat. My question is - every time the quilts is washed will it have to be blocked again? How often do you wash your quilts and do you have the same problem? Thanks, Jimmie