Patchwork quilts have been around for many years. They're one of the oldest styles of quilt and have been popular for many generations.
Because they have been around such a long time, it is not uncommon that you may come across an antique patchwork quilt.
If you would like to hold on to one of these quilts and preserve its condition, there are one or two easy things you have to do.
Your general objective in this endeavor is to wash it carefully and store it safely.
When cleaning an old patchwork quilt, you should not put it in the washer. This will essentially cause more damage to the quilt.
You'll need to hand wash the quilt in warm water. Carefully rub and scrub the quilt with a bush and once washed, put it out to drip dry.
Don't wring out the quilt to get rid of excess water as this may stretch or tear the material or stitching and all you will be doing is saving a few hours of drying time.
Once it has been cleaned, begin to fold it up. While folding, get some acid-free tissue paper and stuff it into the folds. When its entirely folded, place it inside an acid-free storage box.
Don't place the box in a location that's subject to shifting temperatures. If at all possible, find a place where the temperature is the same and ideally around twenty degrees Celsius.
If you are going to put it into a cupboard, ensure that there aren't any hot water systems or heating channels nearby as this will also raise the internal temperature of the storage location.
Also avoid storing the box in bright sunlight. Sunlight can naturally warm and trap the heat inside the box, taking it well above ideal storage temperatures.
Sunlight also has the unpleasant habit of removing colour from fabrics over a period of time.
If you follow these tips, you may notice that your quilt will remain preserved for many decades to come. So save that quilt for generations to come and store it correctly!
Because they have been around such a long time, it is not uncommon that you may come across an antique patchwork quilt.
If you would like to hold on to one of these quilts and preserve its condition, there are one or two easy things you have to do.
Your general objective in this endeavor is to wash it carefully and store it safely.
When cleaning an old patchwork quilt, you should not put it in the washer. This will essentially cause more damage to the quilt.
You'll need to hand wash the quilt in warm water. Carefully rub and scrub the quilt with a bush and once washed, put it out to drip dry.
Don't wring out the quilt to get rid of excess water as this may stretch or tear the material or stitching and all you will be doing is saving a few hours of drying time.
Once it has been cleaned, begin to fold it up. While folding, get some acid-free tissue paper and stuff it into the folds. When its entirely folded, place it inside an acid-free storage box.
Don't place the box in a location that's subject to shifting temperatures. If at all possible, find a place where the temperature is the same and ideally around twenty degrees Celsius.
If you are going to put it into a cupboard, ensure that there aren't any hot water systems or heating channels nearby as this will also raise the internal temperature of the storage location.
Also avoid storing the box in bright sunlight. Sunlight can naturally warm and trap the heat inside the box, taking it well above ideal storage temperatures.
Sunlight also has the unpleasant habit of removing colour from fabrics over a period of time.
If you follow these tips, you may notice that your quilt will remain preserved for many decades to come. So save that quilt for generations to come and store it correctly!
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To get more great tips about how to make a patchwork quilt, check out Jane Green's how to make a patchwork quilt website now!
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