Safe Storage

[Linda Claudette]

Hi All,

I have a question. What is the best way to store quilts and fabrics. I also need to safely pack away my wedding dress. I live in an old house so I like to put things in plastic totes to keep them dust free. But I know that is probably not a good idea for quilts and good fabric.

I have a cedar chest but I have read that they are not a good idea either because of the oil in the wood.

Any suggestions??

Thanks, Linda

[K. McEuen]

I've always stored my older quilts in an old pillowcase inside my blanket chest. I know my grandmother kept hers in the cedar chest, but I don't remember it smelling much like cedar at that point. I think by then all the oils were out of the wood.

[Txgrandma]

You here all the time now to store things like that in acid free paper and acid free boxes. Most paper and cardboard boxes have an acid in it that can actually eat at the fabric or badly discolor it. That's what the bridal shop told my DIL when she asked about storing her wedding dress. You might do some research on the net and see what you find. If I want to find things like that I go to www.ask.com when the box comes up ask a question such as "How do you store a wedding dress? Hope this helps, you might also check with a quilt shop on storage.

[Bubby]

Linda, Whenever I make a quilt I make a pillow case from matching fabric for storing my quilt. In additiion to putting my quilt in the pillowcase, I also put in a few scraps from the quilt top in case repairs are needed somewhere along the line. You need to avoid storing your quilts in an attic (extreme heat) or basement (dampness) or in plastic containers (no air circulation) or direct light (fading). Quilts need to breathe. Every few months take your quilts out and air them for a day and refold using different folds that the previous folds so you don't stress the fabrics in your quilt.

About your wedding gown, I would invest in acid free tissue and a bridal gown box and also follow the cautions above...no basement, attic, plastic, etc. Your wedding gown and quilts are family heirlooms and deserve to be carefully preserved. Contact your local bridal shop or do a search online to order through the mail..... Barb

[meemeecyn]

Great suggestions. I had heard that fabric and quilts should not be stored in plastic containers as they can't breathe, but didn't have any ideas of how to store. (I keep my fabric in baskets on shelves). Most of the quilts I've made have been given away but will keep these recommendations for when I make one and keep it!

[Katherine Vickery Ringo]

I paid someone else to have my wedding dress cleaned and packed into an acid-free box about a year after my wedding. It still sits in there to this day!

I don't have many quilts yet but the ones I do have I store either in a pillow case or folded up on a quilt rack.

[Linda Claudette]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I really appreciate the help. The matching pillow case idea is especially neat. So basically, until I can get my wedding dress cleaned and packed in an archival box should I store IT in a pillow case? I could do that for a while. It is hanging on the hanger with the bottom caught up in a plastic bag tied to the top of the hanger so that it won't stress out the shoulders from the weight.

I just called the Cleaners here in town. To clean and box my gown would cost $135! THAT is NOT going to happen!!! I guess I will put in one of my extra pretty embroidered pillow cases. That is the best I can do for now and I never would have thought of it.

So thanks everybody! God Bless.

Linda Claudette

[K. McEuen]

I store my long coat in a garment bag that is plastic on the front, I guess so you can see what is in there, but the rest of the bag is a different kind of fabric, almost feels like an interfacing and it "breathes" but keeps the dust and bugs off the coat. I live in the desert, not real sure why I bought a wool coat, but I have it for that one day every 3 or 4 years that it's cold enough to wear one.

I think I got that garment bag at Walmart for less than $20.00. I think that would work for your dress.