Similarly, at home you also want to minimize handling and risk of soiling of quilts. While we all love cuddling up with a cozy quilt, particularly during these unprecedented times, the best way to preserve your quilts is to minimize their handling and do so only with clean hands. Newer or more stable quilts can be draped safely along the back of a couch.
You should also follow museum guidelines and limit the direct light exposure your quilts receive. This may be difficult for textiles that are actively used, such as a bedspread displayed in a sunny room. However, if you can rotate a bedspread throughout the year, you will extend the lifespan of your piece. If you wish to display your quilt, a hanging alternative to the museum Velcro system would be to use a sleeve and rod. Stitch a cotton muslin sleeve to the back of your quilt along the top. This can then be used to hang the quilt on a dowel. This is less complicated than the Velcro system but still allows for even weight distribution.
Cleaning
In museums, regular maintenance of quilts and bedspreads includes cleaning, often done before storage or display. This may include surface cleaning with soft brushes to lift dirt or dust and remove insects and their waste, gentle vacuuming, and if absolutely necessary, wet cleaning. Wet cleaning methods such as bathing may cause damage, and because quilts in museum collections may be extremely fragile, this method is used less frequently than surface cleaning or vacuuming.
Unlike in the museum environment, where cleaning is only done if absolutely necessary, along with careful and deliberate testing beforehand, we are used to cleaning textiles in our home. However, quilts are complex, layered objects, and it can be difficult to predict how the fabric, dyes, and interior batting will react when washed. If you have washed your quilt before and feel comfortable doing so again, there is no reason you shouldn’t. However, if you are washing a quilt for the first time, understand that there are risks associated. For example, dyes can bleed, causing irreversible damage. Never use bleaches on your quilts, as they will weaken the textiles, and if you have an heirloom quilt that you believe requires cleaning or mending, contact a conservator or high end dry cleaner for further guidance.
We hope you are enjoying these entries in our series focused on caring for your family heirlooms. This series will continue throughout the summer and cover a variety of items and materials. If you have any comments on the series thus far, including materials you’d like to see covered in future posts, please email us at art-conservation@udel.edu.
You are in our hearts and minds as collectively we focus on saving lives. We hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. When we emerge from this global crisis we must and will rely on art and culture, preserved for today and for future generations, to foster joy, well-being and hope. We encourage you to visit our web site for regular updates on our department of art conservation and news coverage of our treasured students and alumni at home and abroad.