How To Care For Your Quilt

All textiles are affected by light so it is important that your room creates an atmosphere that will protect your investment while not isolating your textile art to the darkest realm of your house.  If you don’t already have low-e glass, using a low-e easily applied and removed window film permits you to create the visual statement you want and also have the benefit of lowering your energy costs. 

Understanding your environment and necessary maintenance of your textile art should be your next priority. Choosing a textile with a maintenance level that you can easily support is important.  Quilts that have already been cleaned or washed (as I do) are important because you already know how they are going to react to being hand washed.  I also do not use any alternative processes that can’t be cleaned.  Your quilt should not need cleaning other than possibly spot cleaning for many years.  Washing a quilt every year is never necessary and should only be done when needed.  However, if you do have the quilt near a fireplace and you notice it getting soiled from excessive smoke you should then clean it.  Otherwise a very careful light dusting or shaking of the quilt will suffice.

If you do need to address cleaning the quilt, I would suggest a soap that does not leave a soap film or a cleaning agent (soap) specifically used for quilts.  They are generally easily available through the Internet.   I would suggest to hand wash the quilt in cold water; never scrub or agitate the quilt when cleaning.  Rinse the quilt several times to make sure that all of the soap has been removed and line dry the quilt.  Then press it carefully with a white piece of clean cotton fabric between the quilt and the iron taking care not to stretch the quilt out of shape. 

If you have concerns please contact my studio for assistance.