Robyn's Rules On Quilt Care

I give a copy of this to anyone who receives one of my larger quilts:

Robyn’s Rules on Quilt Care

This is the quilt I made just for you. I tried to pick colors and/or a theme that I thought you might enjoy. Sorry if I guessed wrong and you don’t like it, because this is probably the only quilt you will get from me.

If you want to help your quilt last more than a few years, please keep the following guidelines in mind. Most are common sense, but it’s surprising how often people are careless and only realize after something is ruined that it could have been prevented with just a little effort. I learned that from experience after I allowed a favorite quilt of mine to fade and rot due to sun exposure. As my mother was fond of often reminding me, if you don’t take care of the things you have, you won’t ever have anything nice for long.

1.       Never leave your quilt in the sunlight, especially sun coming through a window. The fabric is cotton and sunlight will fade and rot it.

2.       Do not use the quilt for a dog bed or something for a dog to shake and chew on—no tug-of-war.

3.       Do not allow cats to sharpen their claws on it.

4.       Do not allow babies to be changed on it without a changing pad between the baby and the quilt.

5.       Avoid spilling food and drink on it.

6.       Do not allow children to jump on a bed or a couch covered with the quilt.

7.       Wash rarely, and when you do, use cool water and gentle detergent with a gentle spin cycle. It is best to lay the quilt flat to dry. If you use a dryer, set it on low heat.

8.       Do not store in a cardboard box or in particle board furniture. The chemicals will eventually discolor and rot the fabric.

9.       Do not store long-term in a plastic bag. Quilts are best stored in a cool, dark, dry place wrapped in fabric (pillowcase or sheet).