Home > Learning Center > Antique quilts
Antique quilts
Antique quilts require special care and maintenance to keep them in good condition. The deterioration of old fabrics can often be prevented in appropriate measures are taken to properly store and handle them. Consider the following when caring for old quilts:
• Wash your hands each time you handle antique quilts; better yet, wear white cotton clothes to touch these precious artifacts.
• Store quilts in dry areas between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. The preferable relative humidity is forty-five to fifty-five percent. Attics and basements are not good places to store quilts, due to dampness, extreme temperatures and/or lack of ventilation.
• If you must clean a quilt, use a vacuum and place a nylon or fiberglass screen on it. Do not dry clean it or iron it. If it needs further cleaning, you may wash it very gently with a gentle soap purchased from a quilt shop or vendor. It is best not to wash a quilt if it’s not absolutely necessary because the fabrics become even more fragile when wet.
• Put quilts in boxes or containers that are acid-free. It is preferable to fold a quilt in white muslin to protect it. Avoid plastics at all costs as they are harmful to fabrics. You will need to fold and refold your quilt every few months to avoid permanent creasing.
• Use extreme care when hanging a quilt. Never use metal clips. You may sew a sleeve onto the quilt to slide a wooden dowel into or you may use Velcro to fasten loops for threading wooden dowels through for hanging purposes.If you use care and caution when handling, storing and cleaning your antique quilts, you will be able to enjoy them for years to come. The only way to preserve the artifacts of quilters from previous generations is by preserving their quilted works of art for future generations to enjoy and admire.
Quilts for Change | Necktie quilt | Learning Center | Site Map | Links | Contact | Home
Copyright © 2007