Quilt Care
Quilt Care is an important part of quilting and includes cleaning, storage and display. Generally, contemporary quilts made for everyday use can be laundered. Specialty quilts such as: vintage or antique quilts, or quilts with extensive embroidery, applique or embellishment need special care. Specialty quilts should be spot clean when necesessary and can be vacuumed thru a screen to keep them clean. Washing Specialty Quilts is tricky. First, be sure you know how the quilt was constructed and the materials it may contain as this may determine how it is laundered if at all. You may need to launder the quilt in a bathup using a gentle soap, rinse throroughly and hand press to remove excess water then lie flat to dry. Proper storage of quilts is also important. Stored quilts should be clean, carefully folded and stored in a dry location. When handling vintage quilts, consider wearing gloves to protect the fabrics from the oils on your hands. Large quilts should be periodically refolded to avoid damaging delicate fabrics. If possible, store quilts with Acid Free tissue in the folds. If your quilt has been damaged or showing signs of wear, consider netting or a sheer silk basted over the damaged area to hold the remaining pieces in place. To avoid that "musty" smell, give your quilts an airing. Lay them flat outside and away from direct sunlight or over a bed. Where and how to display your quilts is important to maintain your vintage, heirloom and personal quilts. Quilts should be displayed out of direct sun to limit fading and degradation of materials. Large or heavy quilts will need additional support and should not be just held at the top of the quilt for display. Dust is the enemy of all textiles. Any dust collecting on a quilt should be periodically removed
Benefits of Quilt Care
Proper Quilt Care will extend the life of a quilt for future generations.
Taking care of your quilts will keep them as close to the original colors as possible.
Periodic dusting, refolding and airing will help to preserve your quilt.
Tools and Supplies Quilt Care
Quilt Care includes the tools and supplies needed for Cleaning, Storage and Display
- Cleaning - Gentle soap and plenty of space to wash and dry the quilt and ability to vacuum through a screen and remove surface dust and dirt.
- Storage - Acid Free tissue in the folds and store in a pillow case in a clean and dry area.
- Display - Hanger or Rod in the sleeve for medium to small quilts and proper mounting all around the edge of the quilt for large or heavy quilts.
What I Wish I Knew When I Started Quilt Care
Avoid washing heirloom quilts is a valuable QUILT CARE tip! If the quilt needs to be laundered - proceed carefully. When making a new quilt for someone who isn't familiar with how to take care of them it's a good idea to add a label containing care instructions. A Quilt Label is also important to preserve the history of the quilt.
