Our quilts are made to be used. Seriously! With that said, here are some guidelines for keeping your quilt in the best possible shape.
How to care for your quilt
Your Two Accordions Quilt is constructed of either all cotton or a combination of cotton and wool. These fibers like to breath and are very receptive to touch, and like a cat (!), hates to be washed and pulled and crumpled! However, it's also forgiving, in time, and with the right care will last for a long long time, only becoming softer to the touch.
Do:
Don't:
All of our fabric is pre-washed/shrunk. The fabric used is of quilting-quality and will hold it's color, yet still should not be subjected to high heat.
Do:
- Spot clean when needed. Use a dampened sponge with liquid detergent and address areas only where there is obvious dirt or grime.
- Use Lint Roller(s) if you have pets. Do this before washing and as often as you like. We don't have pets, but are obsessive with our Lint Rollers and pretty much carry them with us, wherever our quilts go! We like the 3M brand.
- Wash seasonally, if used everyday (spring cleaning is best time for this), in a washing machine that will fit your quilt, on gentle cycle in cold water with gentle detergent, no bleach. For very large quilts, take to a professional cleaners.
- After washing, hang dry outside during a sunny day. Or lay flat. On a warm day it will probably only take 20 minutes on each side to dry out. As you hang the quilt, smooth it out with your hands. When wet, cotton is very receptive to touch and you can dictate the appearance of your quilt just by the touch of your hand. Important: DO NOT TUMBLE DRY.
- More info on hanging your quilt to dry: your quilt will most likely be heavy, in general, and even heavier when wet. When you 'hang' it to dry, don't clip it to a wash line, as you would towels or clothes. This will cause pulling and will misshapen your quilt. Evenly distribute the weight. An example is in the picture to the side. The quilt has been folded over a bar (not wire or clothes line) to hang. If you have a porch/balcony/outdoor staircase, those railings would work out great.
- Hang outside on your porch, on appropriate days to freshen up and air out. Cotton and wool breathe and this does well for your quilt.
Don't:
- DO NOT TUMBLE DRY. Subjecting the quilt repeatedly to high heat will deteriorate the fibers.
- Do not treat your quilt like you do your everyday clothing. It should not be washed often.
- Do not wash when quilt has lots of pet hair on it. First, lint roll the quilt and remove as much hair as you can before washing.
All of our fabric is pre-washed/shrunk. The fabric used is of quilting-quality and will hold it's color, yet still should not be subjected to high heat.
