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Displaying
Heirloom Quilts
From Trail End Notes, November 2002
 Over
the past several months, Trail End’s curatorial staff has been busy reorganizing the
collections storage areas. As previously reported, we have installed new storage cabinets
to accommodate the many artifacts not currently on exhibit. When complete, the
reorganization, which includes preparation of a detailed inventory and location list, will
facilitate staff access to stored collections. This not only will aid us in properly
caring for and documenting the artifacts, but will also make it easy to rotate them out of
storage and into exhibit areas so that visitors can see more of the treasures Trail End
houses.
While reboxing a quilt during the reorganization, we were reminded
of the beauty and workmanship that goes into these handcrafted textiles.
It seems that many families have quilts in their possession, likely handed down by a
grandparent. Such heirlooms need proper care to last the generations, but also should be
shared as the works of art they are. We thought some tips on displaying quilts –
while
also looking out for their preservation –
might interest our readers.
Before displaying a quilt, its condition should always be
carefully assessed. A quilt with fabric in good condition, that has intact stitching both
in the piecing and in the quilting, can safely be displayed with a few precautions. Some
things to think about as you plan where and how to display your heirloom quilt include:
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LIGHTING
Light is very damaging to textiles. When planning the location for
your display, make sure that the quilt will not be hit with direct sunlight or flooded with
artificial light (especially fluorescent) for long periods each day. Chose a room away
from the main living areas and the highest traffic.
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CLEANING
Soiling, including everyday dust, is also damaging to textiles, but
don’t overcompensate with vigorous cleaning. Although stable quilts can be wet-cleaned
carefully with a small amount of mild soap, multiple rinsings, and air-drying flat, you
probably can get by with simple vacuuming to rid the quilt of dust. Lay it flat, use low
suction, and vacuum through a sheet of fiberglass screen with the edges of the screen
carefully taped to prevent snagging. The screen assures that any loose pieces will not
vanish into the vacuum cleaner.
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DRAPING
While the simplest method of display for a quilt is simply to
drape it over a bed, it may not be practical, unless you chose a bed in a guest room that
is seldom used. A quilt on a bed in a family member’s room, where the bed is slept in and
remade every day, will suffer stress to fabric and stitching by frequent handling –
not
to mention wear and tear caused by pets or toys on the bed.
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HANGING
An appealing alternative for display is to hang the quilt on a
wall. This can only be done with quilts in good condition. Attach a fabric sleeve to the
back upper part of the quilt by first doubling the fabric to form the sleeve, then
stitching the sleeve to the quilt’s backing with a double row of quarter-inch stitches.
Thread a wooden dowel through the sleeve and hang the quilt by attaching the ends of the
dowel, or a cord strung between them, to the wall. Your quilt will hang out of harm’s way
and add a piece of history to the room.
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HISTORY
Remember to record the history of the quilt and why it is
important to you. The quilt and its story will delight anyone you chose to share them
with.
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RESTING
Finally, any historic textile should be rested from display
periodically, so only allow any one quilt to hang for a few weeks a year. If you have more
than one quilt in good condition, it’s a great opportunity to rotate them, displaying each
for a time before bringing out the next one.
If you have a quilt that is torn and threadbare, it's not a good
candidate for display. Such a quilt, saved for sentimental reasons, can be stored
according to museum standards (wrapped inside acid-free paper and rolled onto an acid-free
core or placed into an acid-free box) to stave off further deterioration. While fewer
people will see it, you will know that you are caring for it and can pass it on to the
next generation.
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Curatorial Articles or continue to
Preserving Family Photos
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