How to Care for Quilts

Textiles can be compromised by folding, exposure to sun, and other environmental conditions which cause wear and tear.

By their very nature, many quilts are made up of pieces of fabric that were already compromised and worn, even before they were used to make a potential heirloom. Some fabrics are more fragile or brittle by nature than others.

Knowing how to care for textiles will help preserve fabric stashes, family keepsakes, and heirlooms for the next generations.

The International Quilt Study Center & Museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln houses more than 5,500 quilts, dating from the 1600's to the present. They are experts at textile conservation.

They have written a guide on best practices for preserving quilts, which they offer as a free download. This 20 page ebook, To Protect & Preserve, outlines steps they take to preserve quilts in their collection.

You can take these same steps to take the best care of your quilts.

To Protect & Preserve covers conditions to consider:

• Bugs and pests
• Lighting
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Cleaning
• Must and dust
• Rot
• Proper storage

The Smithsonian Institute’s video Quilt Care shows how they care for quilts on display and in their storage.

Explore More About Quilts

You can explore 274 of the American quilts which are available for online study in the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American History's National Quilt Collection. Scroll down to see thumbnail photos, and a box on the right hand side that lets you do a filtered search.

Clicking on a thumbnail photo lets you zoom in and search individual quilts, allowing you close-up views of fabric designs, needlework techniques, and overall quilt patterns and styles.

Below is another video from The Smithsonian's National Quilt Collection, showcasing several quilts in their collection.