Quilt Care Summary [ Back to the top]
The first time you WASH your new handmade quilt, lap quilts and throws, crib quilts and baby quilts wash in cold water with delicate laundry detergent Woolite, Ivory, Palmolive or Dove). Set the machine on delicate/gentle cycle or use a front-loading machine. Wash quilts by themselves with lots of water to minimize stress on quilting, especially if its handquilted.. Add 1 1/2 cups of white vinegar to the wash water. The white vinegar sets the dark colors in the quilt and keeps the colors bright and fresh. Rinse in cold water. Yes, you can still use fabric softener!).
Should you wash a vintage quilt? Not unless it is absolutely necessary. If you must, wash in cold water in a bathtub. Test a small inconspicuous area before wetting the whole quilt. Use delicate laundry detergents without phosphorus or cleaning products especially designed for delicate textiles such as those in Bluebird Gardens exclusive Quilt Cleaning Kit. Wash clean. Lay flat on a sheet to dry. If feasible, get advice from a textile expert before you try. Often handmade quilts are damaged by someone trying to clean a spot with a product that's too strong for the quilt fibers and the attempt leaves worse damage. Weigh the risk - a few spots will add to the quilt's character!
How to DRY a handmade quilt. Lay flat to dry. NEVER line dry, the idea is to minimize stress on quilting; the weight of wet fabric will add stress. If you can't lay it flat, dry your handmade quilt in a dryer by itself. Dry on low heat for the first few minutes and finish air drying. DO NOT WRING.
What's the best place to STORE a handmade quilt? Do NOT store handmade quilts in plastic, cardboard boxes or trunks. One of the best places is ON a bed - have a guest room that's not used frequently? Store quilts on top of each other with a bedspread over the pile to protect them from fading and light exposure damage. You can also wrap stored quilts in cotton such as old pillow cases and sheets do nicely. Roll them like a sleeping bag - very gently - or fold them. When folding, fold loosely to prevent creases. Stuff the creases with acid-free tissue. Every few months, unwrap your handmade quilts, let them air for a couple of days then refold in a different shape to minimize creasing.
How best to display a handmade quilt. The easiest and quickest way is on a bed in a guest bedroom away from direct sunlight. You can also use handmade quilts as unique home decor by installing dowel rods, using velcro to attach them to walls and using various kinds of quilt racks. Bluebird Gardens offers quick to install wood quilt hangars that easily hold handmade quilts in place. Also try floor standing quilt racks for quick handmade quilts display. And if you make your own handmade quilts, this is a reminder don't forget to display the maker's information on the handmade quilts. Label your handmade quilts with name of maker, year and pattern - that'll be important to your relatives and friends who are lucky enough to get your handmade quilts as handmade gifts!
By taking good care of handmade quilts, you too can easily preserve the wonderful memories associated with these textile treasures!
Selecting a Handmade Quilt [ Back to the top]
What is the difference between all-cotton and polyfill handmade quilts?
All-cotton handmade quilts are heavier and take longer to dry.
What quilt can I easily toss in my washer and dryer?
Your best bet is a machine-quilted handmade quilt with polyfill, which is the lightest fill for handmade quilts and will dry the fastest.
What's the difference between USA-made and imported handmade quilts?
Quality of workmanship, time it takes to make the handmade quilt and price. USA-made handmade quilts in general take longer to make, are better quality and the best value for your investment.
What are the price ranges for different kinds of handmade quilts?
To help you make the best choice for your life style, we have developed the following easy guide to reflect how much care the various kinds of handmade quilts require, and what the going prices are in USA midwest:
| Type Of Care | Type Of Quilt | Made in USA | Imported |
Easiest Care
Machine Wash / Dry | Machine Quilted / Polyfill | from $300 | from $30 |
Easy Care
Machine Wash / Dry Flat | Hand Quilted / Polyfill | from $600 | from $75 |
Care In Drying
Front Load Wash / Dry Flat | Hand Quilted / All Cotton Fill | from $750 | from $200 |
Special Care
Washing, Drying, Storage | Polyester Fabric Quilts | from $250 | from $100 |
Special Care
Washing, Drying, Storage | Vintage (Pre-Owned) Crazy Quilts | from $500 | from $100 |
Special Care
Washing, Drying, Storage | Hand Crochet Quilts | from $400 | from $75 |
How to Wash A Handmade Quilt [ Back to the top]
First, to treat a stain on a handmade quilt, mix water and delicate laundry detergent (such as Ivory) in equal parts and "dab" mixture on the spot. Let set for a couple of minutes, then gently rub the fabric together. Apply clean new wet sponge or towel several times to remove detergent and water.
If washing the whole quilt, wash the quilt in cold water and delicate laundry detergent (Woolite, Ivory, Palmolive or Dove). Set the machine on delicate/gentle or use a front-loading machine. Wash the quilt by itself with lots of water to minimize stress on handquilting. Bluebird Gardens also offers Quilt Cleaning Kits that include specialized quilt soap for delicate textiles, all natural fabric spot and stain remover and Quilt Fresh to refresh old handmade quilts without washing in water.
To set fabric colors in a new handmade quilt, add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to wash water. White vinegar sets dark colors and keeps colors bright and fresh. Rinse in cold water. (Yes, you can still use fabric softener!)
How to Wash an Old Quilt [ Back to the top]
Don't unless it is absolutely necessary. Often handmade quilts are damaged by someone trying to clean a spot with a product that's too strong for the quilt fibers. Make sure to use only special products made to treat delicate textiles such as Bluebird Gardens exclusive Quilt Clean Kit. Weigh the risk - a few spots will add to the handmade quilts' character!
If you still need to wash an old or vintage quilt: first test a small area in a corner or inconspicuous place to determine fabric texture and how well fabric holds its color. Use a few drops of mild detergent like Ivory mixed in a cup of cold water. Soak the spot in the mixture. Rinse in cold water. Towel dry by pressing the quilt between absorbent towel layers. Dry flat.
If fabric texture and colors appear unaffected, immerse entire quilt in cold water in a bathtub and add Ivory soap. Allow to soak a few minutes. Rinse until soap is removed. Do NOT wring. Dry flat on absorbent fabric towels. May take a couple of days to dry. Keep out of direct sun. Do NOT line dry. Do NOT dry in a dryer. Dryer heat may destroy or further weaken fibers and handquilting.
When To Dry Clean A Handmade Quilt [ Back to the top]
Not very often. The chemicals used in dry cleaning can damage your handmade quilt by breaking down fabric fibers.
If your handmade quilts are made of sturdy wool or silk, dry cleaning may be appropriate. Check with your local dry cleaning service to see if your cleaner is willing to do it by hand. Ask in advance to make sure the cleaner understands what you expect.
Mark the stained or difficult areas with a safety pin.
Dry cleaning is best for some all-white handmade quilts to preserve fabric and original color.
Gently shake handmade quilts out a window or door to remove pet hair. (Be careful who is standing below or down-wind!) Use a lint rollerls, pet hair mittens or sticky tape to remove hair deposits.
Soft wet sponge wrung dry and wiped gently over the surface of denim, dark cottons and polyester handmade quilts also works well.
You can always toss the quilt in dryer on cool heat for a very few minutes (with fabric softener) to remove the majority of the collection. (Make sure no pets are included...!?)
After a handmade quilt is cleaned, consider draping a sheet or more utilitarian quilt over the quilts to minimize further hair deposits.
Taking Care Of Stains [ Back to the top]
Be gentle! Cleaning one area may result in a lighter ring around the stain.
If you insist, start with a solution of mild laundry detergent and water: apply a few drops on the spot, then rub gently with a sponge. Spray or sprinkle water on the spot several times to rinse and blot each time with a towel until all soap is removed. Let air dry.
Use an all natural fabric spot and stain remover that's part of our Bluebird Gardens exclusive Quilt Clean Kit.
If stain is permanent, and you are handy with a needle, applique something appropriate over the spot. If the stain is small, applique a matching or contrasting pattern that fits the handmade quilt's patchwork and stain. You can also applique or attach fabric with someone's name and a date embroidered on it. Or, embroider a flower or some other shape in the same color thread to distract the eye from the spot.
How To Store A Handmade Quilt [ Back to the top]
Do NOT store handmade quilts in plastic, cardboard boxes or trunks.
One of the best places to store handmade quilts is ON a bed. Have a guest room that's not used frequently? Store handmade quilts on top of each other with a bedspread over the pile to protect them from fading and light exposure. Rotate handmade quilts periodically to air them out - it also gives you an easy way to change your home decor!
Wrap your stored handmade quilts in cotton - old sheets and pillow cases do nicely. You can roll handmade quilts like a sleeping bag - very gently - or fold them. When folding, fold loosely to prevent creases. Stuff the creases with acid-free tissue. Every few months, unwrap handmade quilts and let it air for a couple of days, then refold in a different shape to minimize creasing.
Moth balls? Only if handmade quilts are made out of wool or silk . And don't let moth balls touch the handmade quilts! Store the moth balls in a coffee filter or cotton bag tied with a ribbon to keep them away from touching the fabrics.
How to Display A Quilt [ Back to the top]
The easiest way is on a bed in a guest bedroom away from direct sunlight or odors to preserve fabric colors and textile integrity. Yes, handmade quilts can be damaged by the odors they absorb so keep them away from kitchens and bathrooms, too.
Handmade quilts make unique home decor as quilted wallhangings and accent pieces. To hang handmade quilts, tack a 3" strip of fabric by hand onto the back top side. There are a variety of dowels available on the market so guestimate the weight of the handmade quilts before deciding what rod to purchase. Make sure the rods are installed on studs (located 16" apart) for structural stability. Don't hang handmade quilts by corners - puts too much stress on the handwork.
Another option to hang handmade quilts is to hand tack a strip of velcro onto the back careful not to let the stitches show on the front. Then glue the other side of the velcro onto a 2" wide piece of wood and attach wood to the wall where the quilt is to hang. Glue and reinforce with screws, particularly if the quilt is heavy. Then attach the quilt to the velcro.
Hanging quilt racks are also a convenient and easy way to display handmade quilts. They are available in a variety of woods and sizes. Bluebird Gardens offers easy to install wood quilt hangers that can be used as is, painted or stained. Also consider floor-display quilt racks such as metal quilt racks on which you quickly drape handmade quilts. These quilt racks are also available in wood and sometimes can be picked up at auctions, garage sales and used furniture stores. Another quick home decor idea; toss handmade quilts over onto the back of sofas, divans or chairs for a quick splash of color!
Feel Free to Contact Us With Your Questions
Bluebird Gardens is glad to work directly with you answering your questions.
Give Charlotte a call at 877-598-1908 or email us at info@bluebirdgardens.com with your questions for free, no obligation information.
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