What is the best way to get fold lines out of quilts?
 

I am getting ready to enter a few quilts in a quilt show, quilts that I have stored simply folded. What is the best way to get those fold lines out?

I keep reading about putting them in the dryer with a wet wash cloth. Really? How wet a wet wash cloth? What about ironing? My batting is Warm and Natural.

The quilt show isn't for a month. Could I just leave them lying flat on a bed and hope they don't get too many cat hairs that needed to be removed by then? Would they flatten out naturally?

Could I fold them differently and hang them on a hangar for a month?

Anyone have any experience with this problem. In the last quit show, I felt slightly embarrassed that some of my quilts looked more winkled than other quilts in the show....though I still got a few ribbons, so I guess mine were not as wrinkled as I think they may have been. (I had ironed the fold marks, but some "came back.")

I know I should have folded the quilts differently, diagonally, but I honestly didn't plan to enter any quilts any more. Then our guild advertised that our show would have over 200 quilts, and we were each encouraged to enter several quilts...

Thanks for any suggestions that might work.

Dina

I'd say wet as in the same wetness that would come out of the washing machine.

I've always ironed the creases out with a bit of steam and it seems to work most of the time. Keeping quilts stored rolled around a tube helps prevent the creases as well for the future.

I would also hang your quilt directly out of the dryer. This will help with the lines, wrinkles and maybe some of the cat hair.

I would do a load of laundry and wash a standard towel. Put the towel in with the quilt and fluff for a bit, probably at least 15 minutes. This sounds basic but when you put the quilt in the dryer it should be sort of jammed in there and then the towel should be "snapped" out of the washer and put in loosely, not a big lump.

I haven't tried my woolen drier balls yet, I might throw them in too but like I said -- I haven't tried it yet.

As far as laying the quilts out on a bed - if you put a bed sheet (or two) over them - maybe pin the sheets to the edges of the quilt(s) so kitties can't dislodge the sheets - that might minimize the cat hair.

You might even consider putting a sheet on the bed, then the quilts, and then another sheet. Hair (even human hair) has an amazing ability to be almost anywhere.

I have to laugh about this, because my first answer is to wash the quilt and the fold lines will be totally gone. I wash every quilt as soon as the last stitch of binding is finished, and whenever it needs it after that. However I realize some people prefer the flatter, unwashed look, especially for quilts they're putting in a show. I do quilt fairly densely, and I think that keeps fold lines from being so noticeable.

Cotton batting will hold a fold crease more than any other fiber. The only way to completely eliminate the fold lines is to saturate the quilt and block it or steam it but blocking will do a better job and also get the quilt nice and flat and straight for hanging in the show. You will then have to leave it flat until the show as any folds will create crease marks and new fold lines. This will leave the appearance of an unwashed quilt.

The other option is to steam the quilt with a clothing steamer. As you have to hold the steam head to the surface for several seconds, it is not advisable to do this with an iron as you will quickly fatigue given the small surface area you are hitting with the iron's steam function. And the fact you need to get the steam through all 3 layers of the quilt, but especially the batting because that is what is causing the fold line to be so obvious.

Only moisture, in the form of wetting the quilt or steaming the quilt will get rid of the fold lines entirely.

Fold lines are a real problem for show quilters who ship their quilts to the big shows. Because the cotton holds on to those creases just from shipping. Have talked to so many frustrated show quilters when they see their quilt hanging in the show with massive fold creases from the shipping or even from show handling. Have chatted with quilters who rolled their quilt around a core to avoid the creases and the quilt still gets them from the show folding them between judging and hanging.

Everyone has given you good advice.

Cotton will eventually form permanent creases that no hack will fix. To avoid permanent creases, fold your quilt on the diagonal.

https://quiltnotes.com/learning-cent...store-a-quilt/

Another way to avoid this is to use wool batting. Wool gives great definition to quilting, and won't hold on to creases like cotton does. This is why so many show quilters use wool batting on top.

Thanks, everyone, for your help. I have a month to figure this out, if it is figure-out-able. :) . I just did the dryer thing with a wet wash cloth, but it was only with wrinkled batting, not with a finished quilt. It did, however, get rid of the wrinkles. I think I will try that next, but with a quilt that is not going to the quilt show. Then I will try other things...

Dina

I usually use a wet towel in dryer or my handheld steamer, unless I really need to block a quilt. If I know I'm going to enter into a show, I use either wool or poly bat as they don't hold crease as well. I try to remember to roll the quilt initially on a covered pool noodle.