Quiltingboard Forums - FYI Space bags/shipping quilts

I just shipped a queen size quilt (photo of quilt below) in a large space bag, to my friend, across country in a large USPS Priority flat rate box. I didn't think it would fit, but after 3 tries it did.

I didn't take photos, but here's how we (my husband helped me pack it) did it:

1.Left the large flat rate box untaped, but pushed it open so we could see thru the bottom.
2.Laid the quilt out on our bed.
3.Folded the quilt top to bottom.
4.Then folded each side to the center, letting about 2 inches in the center for fold.
5.Folded over once more...now you have one long piece.
6.Pinned a address To/From label on it. I stuck it in the center, but let it stick out the side, so it could be seen. I didn't want the safety pin to pop open & put a hole in the space bag.
7.Then from one end accordian folded the quilt & set the box down over top of it to make sure it just fit inside the bottom of the box.
8.Placed the quilt inside a pillowcase & pushed the pillowcase ends inside the center of the quilt & to each side, so the center has opening. This allows air to be removed easier.
9.Placed it in the space bag & slid the zipper 2-3 times to close.
10.Picked up the end of the space bag to move the whole quilt towards the zipper end. This is where the disk is on my space bag.
11.Then you put the end of your vaccum cleaner hose on the disk & suck as much air out as you can. You'll be surprized how small it gets! Only took about a minute. Dang look how small it got!!!!
12.Set the box over it to make sure it fit. Had to open the space bag & try until it fit. Took us 3 times to get it.
13.Placed the quilt, a ziploc bag of left over extra fabric/thread/2 color catcher sheets in a ziploc bag/care & cleaning instructions inside the box. I sent her a FSL Angel ornament too.
14.Placed a piece of cardboard on top, so nothing got cut when the box was opened.
15.Then taped the top flaps shut.
16.I taped all corners, seams, etc with heavy packing tape & then taped all sides all the way around 3 places on each side. I figured if the bag leaked the tape would hold the whole thing together.
17.I went on line to print a shipping label. Added extra insurance. Tracking is free, but you need to add your e-mail addy so they can send you updates. Paid for it via credit card/paypal. Printed it out, trimmed off the extra paper & stuck it on the box. Taped the entired shipping label (postal lady said I did good, cause most don't cover the whole label with tape). No where on USPS site did it ask what I was shipping. Nor did the post office ask me when I dropped it off.
18. Took it to the Post Office, got it scanned, got my recipet (it shows your tracking number) & was out the door in under a minute.

Priority Flate Rate comes with free tracking, so I could watch every step it made until it reached my friend. The box was free. Shipping with signature required & extra insurance was under $20.00.

I never thought we'd get it all in that small box, but we did & even had room for extras. I told my friend not to be surprised by the size of the box, cause it was all shrunk to fit. Due to them living on a ranch in the middle of Nebraska it took 6 days for a 3 day priority box to reach her. They only get mail delivered 3 days a week there.

So those wanting to ship a quilt...a queen fits in a large bag & box. A full size quilt should fit in a medium bag/box. I bet we could have even got a king in the large bag/box without extras.

Feather3