Pudge

Yesterday, I read an article about refolding stored quilts every three months to avoid permanent creases. Too lazy to do that, so I tore an old sheet into wide strips and then rolled each quilt in my inventory onto a strip and folded down the end of the strip.

Has anybody here tried this? Am I wasting my time? Will I still get creases?

I will say it was nice to unearth a OBW and put it out to use. And, to entertain thoughts about who to gift the quilts to. Silly to store, just silly IMHO.

rryder

I roll mine around pool noodles. First I make a cover for the noodle from muslin--I make it long enough that there's about 4" extra which I use as a tag to write the name of the quilt, its size and year it was completed. Second, I roll my quilt around it leaving a couple of inches of noodle extending out one end (for longer quilts you can put 2 pool noodles together by inserting a piece of PVC pipe into the holes in the noodles to join them) and the muslin tag extending out the other. Next I make a cover/bag for the quilt wrapped noodle from muslin- this is just slightly longer than the quilt. I use selvages to tie the cover tightly around the noodle just below the quilt so the quilt won't slip down when I stand the noodles on end. I also tie the cover to the noodle at the other end, leaving the tag hanging out.

Some folks who do this then lay the quilt-wrapped noodles flat, but I don't have room to do that, so I stand mine in a box in a corner of my studio. Have been doing this for a while and by tying the bag just below the quilt where the noodle sticks out the quilt stays in place around the noodle and the ends of the quilt don't get creased since they don't touch the ground.

Rob

Shoofly1

I read an article in an old magazine that said the ideal storage place for a quilt is on an unused bed. Lay it out flat over the mattress pad, layering the quilts if you have several. Cover with a clean sheet to prevent dust and exposure to light.

The second best method of storing a quilt is to roll it on a cardboard tube or plastic pipe. Be sure to cover the plastic or cardboard with layers of clean muslin or acid-free paper. Cover the quilt again with another sheet or more acid-free tissue.

From another old article I saved: Roll the quilt around the tube, right side out. This prevents wrinkles on the right side. If your quilt has a dowel in a sleeve, it can be left in place while rolling the quilt. This person made a storage bag for the quilt, 4" longer than the rolled quilt and 2" wider than the diameter of the rolled quilt. She stitched along the bottom of the tube and put a drawstring cord in a folded edge along top.

It looks like you hit the mark with your brilliant idea!

Pudge

Glad for this feedback. I'll get some pool noodles and refold them. Thanks.

osewme

Here's a recent thread that speaks about folding/storing quilts that you might like:

Storing quilts

Pudge

Thanks, osewme. Good read.

Mkotch

I use the pool noodle-covered-with-muslin method, too, and just want to add that our state historical society stores all of its quilts on acid-free cardboard tubes. They cover all the quilts with acid free paper and use paper tags at the ends so they know what's inside. They have special hangers for the rolled tubes. I asked the registrar about using pool noodles, and she said they should be just fine for the average quilter. She didn't think the foam they're made of would be harmful to the quilts but did suggest covering with muslin just in case.

Pudge

Rob - no can find pool noodles in New England in October. Sigh. So, I'm going to leave the quilts I rolled up (gently) on my closet floor where I put them and in the Spring I'm sure I can find pool noodles and I plan to store them in the manner you laid out. Unless......I give them away first before Spring!

magicmoonmusings

I prefer to fold them on the bias, as recommended by Alex Anderson:

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

frannella

Brilliant!