Storing quilts
 

My daughter is 18 and has career plans but maybe someday she will have her own children. I would like to store her childhood quilts for her children. What is the best way to store quilts for the long-term? Looking forward to your comments and suggestions.

I use pool noodles. I make a sleeve for the pool noodle. Roll the quilt around it and then make a 2nd sleeve to go over the whole thing. You can lay these flat on a closet shelf, or you can stand them on end.

Rob

long ago I bought large fabric bags with zippers. I think i got them from Nancy's Notions. I have four.

You can use those acid free boxes, but understand acid free paper and cardboard isn't "acid free" forever. The most important thing is to keep them away from light and extremes of hot and cold. Cotton likes the same living temperatures as we do. Attic storage is the worst! Also, do not store them wrapped in plastic or touching the sides of a plastic bin, etc. because if the plastic gets damp from condensation, you'll end up with mildew on the quilts in that spot. If they are folded, unfold and refold a different way at least once a year so they don't get permanent fold lines. Don't let them come in contact with unvarnished wood because they will get brown stains from the wood over time.

Fold them on the diagonal.

Here's Alex Anderson showing how:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-waYZSCyOA

ha, ha. my brain doesn't do diagonal!

I keep my house about the same temperature year around. Most all are in plastic trash bags or rubbermaid tubs. All look the same, been in there for years.

Mine are folded in a closet. Sometimes I take them out to show to an interested party. Or if I want to look at them. they all seem fine. They are not heirloom quality. I don't expect them to last forever. But some of them are about 10 years old. So far, so good. Once I have passed, they will be donated.

i have a quilt i made in 1991 that is fine. been used and washed many times.

I have mine in pillowcases in the closet with the names pined on them. I take them out a few times a year either to show them to somebody to give some away.

Peckish-Thanks for Alex's tute.

My sincere thanks to all of you. Lots of helpful suggestions. I will store them in plastic tubs for the time being. I will take them out a few times per year, unfold them and air them out and refold differently to protect from creasing too much. I am hoping she has kids before too long as I would like to be a grandmother but I won't push her.(yet!)

If you go down to the Home Depot, and get a plastic tube, you can roll them on that. This way there will be no creases from long term storage.

Mine are folded and in pillowcases on a shelf. I like the idea of the pool noodle but that will take extra space and I wouldn't stand them on end. I have some fabric on a tube and find that, over time, gravity takes over and it tends to slide down.

If you put a tie around the outer covering below the quilt and snug it to the pool noodle then the quilt won’t slip down and you can stand the noodle on end without having to worry about the edges of the quilt getting creased. That’s how I do all of mine.

Rob

HI All! I am so glad you asked this question, you beat me to it. My son has a large quilt he does not want to use right now. So we have been pondering how to store it-queen/king size. I was thinking about folding it per Alex Anderson's tute then wrapping in white all-cotton sheet then either putting it into underbed plastic storage bag. OR doing the same folding, wrapping but putting it in my cedar chest (maybe double wrapping in 2 sheets). What do you think????
I do like the pool noodle idea and placing it up on closet shelf (might be just right thing to do).