Quilt Care

Avoid displaying your quilt in a room with poor ventilation, high humidity or other temperature extremes. Chose a method of display that distributes the weight of the quilt over the entire quilt such as an unused bed. This assumes you don't have any cats. Cats are notorious for finding the only antique quilt in the house on which to sleep.  Spread a length of muslin or a sheet on top of the quilt to keep off dust when it is not being viewed. Rotate your displayed quilts.

If you don't have a spare bed, you could fold it and place it over a quilt rack or even the back of an unused chair. If possible, pad the folds with acid free tissue paper. Don't fold it over a sharp surface like a chair rung or table edge. This just invites damage. Every month or so, refold the quilt along different lines.

To display a quilt on a wall, sew a hanging sleeve to the top of the quilt and hang it on a non-wood rod. Suspend this rod from the ceiling using wire or attach brackets to the wall. A hanging sleeve is a four-inch wide tube of fabric sewn along the top back edge with stitches every inch or so through all layers of the quilt. It looks a bit the casing of kitchen curtains. Make sure the hanging sleeve is sewn securely. Watch for signs of stress. Never use nails, pins or staples to hold a quilt on the wall.  Display quilts in areas where light levels are low. Light damage to textiles is irreversible. Both sunlight and artificial light will cause fading.

Start by lightly vacuuming your quilt on low power using a brush attachment through a screen, if this is appropriate for your quilt. Damaged quilts, samplers, painted and embroidered pictures (as on a crazy quilt), and beaded work should not be vacuumed, damage can be caused when by the suction of even a low power vacuum.

If you quilt is just smelly, try airing it by draping it over a railing (on a sheet or large towel) on a breezy day. Do not put it on a clothesline. The stress of hanging over a small piece of rope may cause damage. You could also lay it out on your lawn on a clean sheet, with a clean sheet on top of course, to protect from the sun. Do not wet wash your quilt unless absolutely necessary. Never, under any circumstances, dry clean it. If your quilt is truly in need of intensive case, consult a professional quilt conservator for assistance. Click here for a list of restorers in your area.  The American Institute for Conservation, 1717 K St. NW, Suite 200, Washington DC 20006 can also give you a list of professional conservators in your area. 

If you plan to store your quilt for more than six months, lay it out fully on a white cotton sheet. Lay the same type of sheet on top and fold the quilt in an accordion pleated fashion. Avoid folding on any existing fold lines, and pad the folds with acid free tissue paper if possible. . Do not store your quilt in a plastic bag, cardboard boxes or wooden trunks. Store your quilts individually in a large cardboard tube, a sturdy plastic container or an acid free box. Don't pack it too firmly. There should be air circulation around the quilt. Take care to ensure nothing heavy is placed on the quilt. If possible, store it in a temperature controlled area protected against insects.

Acid-free tissue paper, boxes, and rolling tubes; archival quality batting

Quiltbus Restoration and Conservation Supplies

University Products, Inc., P.O. Box 101, Holyoke, MA 01041; (800) 628-1912

Light Impressions, PO Box 22708, Rochester, NY 14692-2708,  (800) 828-6216, FAX (800) 828-5539

Archivart, 7 Caesar Pl., Moonachie, NJ 07074; (201) 804-8986

TALAS, 568 Broadway, New York, NY 10012; (212) 219-0770

The Hollinger Corp., P.O. Box 8360, Fredericksburg, VA 22404; (800) 634-0491

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