Quilts Refolded:

by Carol Jenkner

August2, 2022

 

Collecting and protecting quilts can be a big responsibility. Museums and private collections rarely have the space needed to store large quilts flat in places that are climate and humidity controlled and guaranteed bug-free. Textiles are fragile commodities subject to fading and deterioration from UV light, tearing, exposure to wood and chemicals, and destruction by vermin. While storage in a cedar chest was once considered the ideal for textile conservation, we now know that exposure to the wood can damage fabrics. Rolling a quilt on a carpet roll or plastic pipe prevents damage along fold lines, but who has room for that? Most of us fold our quilts placing them in boxes, plastic bins and cupboards. Not ideal. How can we minimize damage?

Even a collector with limited space can control a lot of factors. If hanging quilts for display, stitch on a sleeve and hang from a sturdy rod to allow even weight distribution. Do not allow quilts to hang for more than six months. If laying them out on beds, keep the sunlight off of the quilts. If folding and storing, rotate and refold them using soft padded folds and change the fold lines every six months to two years. Control exposure to the acid in wood, cardboard and like materials by wrapping quilts in soft cotton sheets or pillowcases before placing in cupboards. Acid-free storage boxes and tissue paper for wrapping are easier to find than they used to be and go a long way toward preserving your quilts for many years.