Re: Question about rolling quilts for storage

[Deborah Bede <stillwaterstudio@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Another point to mention is that it's important to roll the quilt with the face of the quilt on the outside of the roll, in other words, put the quilt face down on the table and then roll.  Then if creasing does occur, it's the backing that is affected.  I would say that for me a minimum tube diameter is 4" for most quilts.

 

The reason I object to boxed storage is that no matter how carefully you pad the folds, creases will form.  I have wet-cleaned quilts and dried them flat so that they have no creases, then stored them well-padded in a box for only a short period.  On removal from the box the quilts were creased in lines corresponding to the padded folds, not previous folds.  To remove the creases would require interventive treatment - wet cleaning again.  And one purpose of storage is to prevent the need for remedial treatment.

 

Deborah Bede

Stillwater textile Conservation Studio, LLC