Creating the Quilt You've Always Wanted
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Creating the Quilt You've Always Wanted |
Home | About Whimzie Quiltz | Custom Quilt Gallery | Contact Me |
Things to Know After You Order a Custom QuiltCare Instructions | Quilt Restorers | Quilt Appraisers | Lost Quilt Recovery |
Care InstructionsFollowing these care instructions for your Whimzie quilt will leave you with a fabric keepsake to cherish for years to come. Washing Use cold water and mild detergent in the gentle cycle for the minimum time. Never use hot water or bleach and never dry clean your quilt. After washing your quilt for the first time, you may notice the quilt appears slightly rumpled - this is "antiquing", a normal characteristic of quilts due to shrinkage of the batting. Drying The perfect way to dry your quilt is to lay it flat; never hang it on a clothesline. You may also use a dryer on low heat to tumble the quilt dry. If possible, tumble until near dry and lay the quilt out until completely dry. Storing Fold your quilt and wrap it in acid free tissue paper or store it in a cloth bag or pillowcase. About twice a year open the quilt and refold it differently than before; this prevents creases caused by folding in the same place each time. Never store your quilt in a wood chest, drawer or box - oil from the wood can be absorbed by the fabric, creating permanent stains. Displaying When hanging the quilt, be sure that it is supported along the entire top edge; hanging by a few spots along the top causes sagging. Repairing If you happen to find a tear in your quilt, fix it immediately. Use tiny stitches when repairing any damage. Professional quilt restorers may offer further advice. Most importantly - cuddle up and enjoy your quilt! Quilt RestorersOrganizations Quilt Professionals.com - A searchable directory listing detailed information on over 50 quilt restorers. Individuals Lisa Erlandson - Gainesville, TX Ann Wasserman - Chicago, IL DVD Instruction Quilt Restoration Workshop - Nancy Kirk's comprehensive 8 DVD set with over 12 hours of instruction The Fine Print Whimzie Quiltz offers this list of quilt restorers for informational purposes only; no endorsement is implied. Quilt AppraisersIs Your Quilt Worth More than a Blanket? Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Quilt Appraisal Before It's Too Late to Ask! Article by Deborah Roberts Organizations American Quilters Society - AQS provides contact information on over 95 quilt appraisers; they also offer an educational program about quilt appraising and a certification process. Quilt Professionals.com - A searchable directory listing detailed information on over 30 quilt appraisers. Professional Association of Appraisers · Quilted Textiles - The PAAQT is a professional organization for quilt appraisers, currently listing over 70 individual appraisers in the United States and Canada. Individuals Dee A. Dadik and Molly A. Butler - Columbus, OH Kathy Kansier - Ozark, MO Marcia Kaylakie - Austin, TX Caryl Schuetz - Indianapolis, IN Phyllis Twigg and Judy Gunter - Annapolis, MD and Severna Park, MD The Fine Print Whimzie Quiltz offers this list of quilt appraisers for informational purposes only; no endorsement is implied. Stolen Quilts No Longer a 'Lost' CauseYou’ll never see a missing quilt on the side of milk carton; no one staples “Have You Seen this Quilt?” flyers to telephone poles. And if your quilt is stolen, there’s been nowhere to turn – until now. If your quilt is already missing, Lost Quilt Come Home is the place to contact; if you are looking for a way to make recovery easier, Chipped Quilts has the answer. Losing a quilt is more common than you might think, according to Lost Quilt Come Home, a website that posts photos of missing quilts. While most often a quilt vanishes from a vehicle (car, van, U-Haul, etc), storing a quilt in a off-site storage facility can also be risky and a surprising number of family quilts turn up missing after a relative’s nursing home stay. Over the past eight years, the free Lost Quilt service has helped reunite many quilt owners with missing or stolen keepsakes. Since 2005, ChippedQuilts.com’s simple, but high tech, microchip registry service has also helped ensure that you and your quilt will stay together. Their $50 system injects a rice-sized microchip into the quilt; if stolen and recovered the identification number on the chip can be read by nearly any scanner and the information cross-linked to the original owner. The injected chip requires no care and will withstand 30 years of washing; it can be done to a finished quilt without harming the fabric or leaving a permanent hole. The Fine Print Whimzie Quiltz offers this list of quilt recovery services for informational purposes only; no endorsement is implied. Display MethodsCuddling up with a quilt isn’t your only option - if you choose to make a Whimzie quilt a part of your home’s decor, there are a variety of ways to attractively display it. Rod and Sleeve Systems The best way to exhibit your quilt is with a rod and sleeve system. A sleeve, or long pocket, is sewn to the top edge of your quilt and a rod or dowel is passed through it. The rod then rests on brackets attached to the wall, like the way curtains are hung. This system provides the most support for large or heavy quilts (no sagging!) and you can even add a decorative touch with finials on the ends of the rod. Frames Framing is an attractive way to display small quilts, contrasting the softness of the fabric with the hardness of the surrounding wood or metal. Glass can be used when framing quilts, but a shadowbox-type frame or a thick mat to act as a spacer between the fabric and the glass provides the best results. Hook & Loop Fasteners Small, light-weight quilts can be temporarily displayed with hook and loop fasteners – Velcro® makes a special product fors just this purpose. Continuous Hangers One of the most popular ways to display your quilt is to place its top edge between two pieces of wood, each slightly longer than the quilt. The wood pieces are then clamped together (often with decorative screws) and attached to the wall. A continuous hanger system like this firmly grips the quilt along its entire width, with no sagging. Modular Hangers Wall-mounted modular hangers are designed to pinch the fabric between two small blocks of wood – like clothespins, only sturdier. When spaced 12”-15” across the top of the quilt, these wooden hangers cleverly display small or medium quilts (large quilts tend to droop when using modular hangers, so choose a rod and sleeve or continuous hanger for them). Invisible Hangers If you’d like your displayed quilt to look like it floats on the wall, invisible hangers are the solution. By attaching brackets to the wall and slipping a slotted rod (similar to those old telescoping curtain rods) through a hanging sleeve, a medium-weight quilt can be hung without any noticeable support system – your quilt is all that shows! Display Stands A display stand is the best choice if you want an ‘off-the-wall’ way to flaunt your quilt – for instance, as a room divider or if the front and back of the quilt need to be seen. Stands adjust to hold nearly any size quilt and can be used for either temporarily or permanently. Their industrial look complements contemporary art quilts nicely. The Fine Print Overall, it is a good idea to rotate displayed quilts, especially large ones. This reduces stretching and fading (never hang your quilt in direct sunlight!) and limits exposure to plastics, wood oils and other chemicals that may damage heirloom fabrics. Quilt Hanger ProductsSOFTouch® - Classic continuous clamping quilt hangers made of solid oak Hang-Ups® - Wooden modular hangers for use without a sleeve No See Ums® - Invisible quilt hanging system The Fine Print Whimzie Quiltz offers this list of quilt display products for informational purposes only; no endorsement is implied. |
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Deidre McLeod | Whimzie Quiltz and More | PO Box 500147 | San Diego CA 92150 | deidre@whimziequiltz.com Copyright (c) 2004-2010; Updated January 2010 |
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