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Every quilt tells a story about its maker, its recipient and its time in history. Quilts are a means of touching our past as well as reaching into the future.
You invest a great deal of effort and money dreaming, planning, shopping for supplies and then executing your designs. You spend your most valuable commodity ... your time ... combining all of these elements into your finished quilt. Let Fairfield help you preserve those memories for a lifetime.
Women quilt for a variety of reasons. Quilters are "nurturers by nature" who turn to quiltmaking as a means of artistic expression. They celebrate; birth, marriage, bon voyage (off to college, changing jobs, moving to a new home, etc.) They commemorate; remembering a life, a struggle with disease, a homage to a parent. They make quilts to thank teachers, raise money for charitable causes or to donate to folks in need. Quilters create an heirloom as a means of reaching out to future generations of their family.
These quilts have been woven into the history of our country, community, and families for hundreds of years. The historical relevance of the Underground Railroad quilts that detailed maps and became indicators of safe housing, Friendship quilts that were made for a friend or family member departing to travel across the country or settle down in a new home, Crazy quilts from the Victorian era that documented political and social changes, and the simple utilitarian bed covers made to keep the family warm, are irreplaceable testaments to the times during which they were created. Thankfully, many of these quilts have survived the ravages of time.
Fairfield appreciates the historical value of quiltmaking as an art form and is dedicated to helping preserve every quilt for future generations.
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Product |
Product Info |
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Quilt Care
Liquid
Wash
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QuiltCare Liquid Wash was specifically and carefully developed to gently clean your treasured quilts. It may also be used to clean fine washables, delicate fabrics and lingerie. QuiltCare, liquid wash is "earth friendly", contains no phosphates, no bleach and is biodegradable.
QuiltCare Liquid Wash is easy-to-use because it comes with its own teaspoon so you get the perfect wash every time. The spoon has a convenient hole so you can hang it in your laundry room for easy access. We recommend that you consult a professional before you wash your antique heirloom quilts. |
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Quilter's
Journal
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The Quilters Journal from Fairfield has room to document sixty quilts, including photographs and sections to list the maker, date and locations that are relevant to each quilt. There is also plenty of room for your thoughts and comments regarding the quilt, recipient, and the times during which the quilt was made.
This is a wonderful way to create a chronological history of your work.
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Gift/Storage
Bags
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Gift /Storage Bags Crib/Twin 18" X 22" or Queen/ King 24" X 30" This is the ideal way to preserve all of your treasured quilts,fiber art, needlework and fabric heirlooms.
Our Gift / Storage Bag is made of 100% soft, breathable white cotton fabric. Each bag has a clear pocket that contains a 5" X 8" preprinted index card that has spaces for all pertinent individualized information regarding the quilt. Quilt care instructions are conveniently printed on the reverse side.
Every bag has a strong drawstring cord with a barrel closure and is finished with a french seam to prevent fraying.
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Acid Free
Tissue
Paper
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Museum quality unbuffered Acid Free Tissue Paper is PH Neutral and safe for all family heirlooms. Ideal to prevent creasing in your quilts, storing wedding gowns and preserve fine and delicate textiles. Acid Free Tissue Paper preserves photography, original artwork and leather. It also prevents silver from tamishing.
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How to |
Instructions |
Presoak
Delicate
Battings |
Fairfield's cotton battings do not require presoaking. Just like most cotton fabrics that have a shrinkage rate of 2-3%, battings with a cotton content will shrink slightly during their first washing. If you desire an antique look, you may want to use the batting right out of the bag. When the quilt is washed it will have a very slightly rumpled or "popcorn" type surface. This shrinkage will occur evenly across the width and length so it will not skew the quilt at all. After the initial washing the batting will not continue to shrink.
You will want to presoak your batting if you desire the look and feel of cotton without the "antique" effect. |
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Fairfield's Cotton Classic®, Quilter's 80/20 and Bamboo Batting
DO NOT USE WASHING MACHINE TO PRESOAK COTTON CLASSIC, QUILTER'S 80/20 OR BAMBOO BATTING
If presoaking is desired, Fairfield recommends putting your batting in a laundry basket for easy removal from the water. Fill your bathtub with enough luke warm water to cover the batting. Lower the laundry basket into the water and let the batting soak for about ten minutes. Empty the water out of the tub and gently push on the batting to remove excess water. Lay the batting flat (outside) on top of a sheet. Please keep in mind that you will need to allow ample time for the batting to dry.
WARNING: Pre-soaking Cotton Classic, Quilter's 80/20 and Bamboo batting in the washing machine will compromise the product's integrity.
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Fill the tub of the washing machine with luke warm water. Take the batting out of the bag, unfold it completely and give it a gentle shake. Gently submerge the batting in the water. DO NOT close the top of the machine! You do not want the machine to "agitate" at all. Presoaking is just that--soaking! Leave the washing machine open with the batting soaking for about ten minutes. Turn the cycle indicator to "Spin" and then close the top of the machine. When the cycle is finished, gently lift the batting from the machine and lay it FLAT to dry. (We put our's outside on a clean sheet for an hour on one side and an hour on the other. We tossed it in the dryer to remove the last of the dampness.) |
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Wash Your
Fabrics
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| There has always been a debate about the need for pre-washing fabrics for quilting. Here are three reasons to pre wash your fabrics. 1. You want to remove the sizing, which makes the fabric look pressed and pretty on the bolt but can resist the needle for hand quilting. 2. Most fabrics shrink 2-3% Some will shrink more and some less. The bottom line is--do you really want all of your pieced or appliqued fabrics shrinking at different rates the first time your finished quilt is washed? 3. Dyes running is not as big a problem as it used to be, but it still happens on occasion. Any excess dye on the fabric is removed with the first wash. The new batiks and some of the imported fabrics may have this problem and you want to find out before you spend a lot of time working with them (Here's a tip--if you get color on your hands (called "crocking") as you are working with a fabric ... definitely prewash it.) |
| Wash like colors together in cold water with a small amount of the soap that you plan to use to wash the finished quilt. (We strongly recommend QuiltCare, liquid wash) Remove the washed fabric from the machine, give it a gentle shake and place it in the dryer with a dry hand towel. (We have found that this is the perfect size towel. It absorbs the water quickly from the fabric, decreases the drying time significantly, and it prevents the fabric from tying itself into a knot.) |
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Wash Your
Finished Quilt
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| Fill the washing machine with tepid water. Dissolve a teaspoon of QuiltCare Liquid Wash in the water flow as it fills the tub of the machine. Usually a teaspoon is sufficient. This is a case where "less is more". You only want to be aggressive enough to remove the dirt from the quilt. Submerge the quilt in the water and let the machine go through the gentle cycle. We love to hang our quilts outside in the shade to dry. Hang a clean sheet over the line or the deck rail, lay the quilt on the sheet for an hour on each side. Toss the quilt in the dryer to remove the last of the dampness and to "soften" it up again. It is recommended that older, or more fragile quilts be laid flat to dry. Do not dry clean your quilts. Dry cleaning chemicals may affect the intergity of color and fabric quality. |
| Antique quilts are another story altogether. You may not know if the fabrics were pre washed or if any of the dyes will run when the quilt gets wet. It is always best to seek the advice of a professional before you do anything to a family antique! |
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Make
A
Label |
It is very important to label all of your quilting projects. There are a number of ways to label your quilts. Here is one of our favorites |
Cut a rectangle of freezer paper the exact size that you want your finished label to be. Type your quilt information (makers name, year completed, and recipient) on a computer to fit that size label, highlight the text and use the "align center" feature. Print out the label and place the paper on a light source. Iron the waxy side of the freezer paper to the wrong side of your label fabric. Center it over the lettering from the computer printout and trace onto the fabric using a permanent pen designed for fabric. Cut the fabric leaving a 1/4" seam allowance on all four sides of the freezer paper. Fold the edges over this 1/4" and press. Remove the freezer paper and whip stitch the label to the back of the quilt. This can be done prior to layering and basting so that the label is "quilted into" the quilt or applied as the very last step. |
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Keep
A
Journal
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Use Fairfields Quilters Journal to keep a record of all the quilts that you've made. Our journal has room to document the history of sixty quilts. It holds 4" X 6" photos and has a spot to list the dates, recipient and your thoughts about each quilt. |
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Display
Your Quilt
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The best way to hang your quilt is with a rod-pocket. The rod-pocket is added when the quilt is completely finished. This "sleeve" is attached to the back of the quilt, just under the binding. When a quilt is hung in this manner its weight is evenly distributed across the width of the quilt and no one area is unduly "stressed." |
Cut a length of fabric 4½" wide by the width of the quilt. Turn all edges under ¼" and press. Turn under ¼" again and top stitch. Your sleeve should finish approximately 1" from either edge of the quilt. Hand sew this sleeve (top and bottom) on the back of the quilt just under the edge of the finished binding. Be careful not to "needle through" to the front of the quilt. Be sure that the sleeve has a little "play" so that the quilt doesn't stretch to accommodate the curtain rod. |
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Store
Your Quilt
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Store your quilts in Fairfields 100% cotton Gift/ Storage Bags. Exposure to direct sunlight is a quilt's biggest enemy. The colors begin to fade or loose their "light and color fastness" after a period of time in direct sunlight. This is one of the reasons that rotating your quilts is always a good idea. The Storage bag will help preserve the life of your quilts. Use crumpled acid free tissue paper in the folds to help prevent creases from forming in the quilt over time. Try not to stack too many quilts on top of each other because the weight will sometimes form a crease as well. Periodically refolding your quilts is also a good idea. Do not store quilts in plastic bags. Storing a quilt in plastic not only exposes it to light, it traps dampness and increases the chances of mildew forming. Mildew is extremely difficult to remove from quilts. Do not keep your quilts in the attic or in the basement to avoid temperature and dampness extremes. Always store quilts in a cool dry spot. This is the ideal way to preserve all of your treasured quilts,fiber art, needlework and fabrics heirlooms. |
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Product Info |
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Knit Wash
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KnitCare pearlized white liquid wash is very mild. It is aggressive enough to remove the oil and dust from the garment without harming its color fastness or the quality of the way the yarn feels. Knit Wash is "earth friendly", contains no phosphates, no bleach and it's biodegradable .
One container holds enough concentrated product to complete 48 washes in the machine or in a large sink. Knit Wash comes with its own teaspoon so you get the perfect measure every time. |
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Knitter's
Journal
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The Knitter's Journal has enough room for 60 photographs. You can keep track of the projects you have completed by listing the recipient, date the item was made, the measurements, needle size, yarn type and gauge. You can preserve the belly bands of the yarn and a small clipping of the yarn in place of one of the photos.
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KnitCare
Large & Small
Needle Case
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Our Needle Cases come in two sizes and have a firm shell to hold your needles in place and prevent them from breaking or stressing in a soft project carry bag. The cases open with a revolving closure that makes it possible for them to remain open when placed on the table. A full needle may be clamped into the case to prevent the stitches from slipping off. Magnetic strips hold the needles in place and our closure system makes it possible to move the magnetic sides of the strip toward the outside of the case for storing needles with WIP's (Work In Progress).
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How to |
Instructions |
How To Use
Your
Needle Cases |
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Wash Sweaters
and
Knitted Items |
The care of knits depends on the construction of the fiber. Save the belly bands from your yarn to keep a record of recommended cleaning techniques. You can cut out this information and save it in your journal with a clip of the yarn. Repair any pulls or snags prior to washing. Before laundering any garment , fasten buttons and close zippers. If the garment has buttons or fasteners that may catch in the knit remove them prior to washing. You may also want to turn garments inside-out before washing to help prevent snagging. Wash one garment at a time. Delicate or very fine articles may be placed inside a mesh bag for washing.
Dissolve a teaspoon of Knit Wash in the water flow as it enters the basin. Use lukewarm water. Knit Wash will dissolve quickly and the tepid water helps to activate the soap. Gently agitate the item with your hands. Soak for up to 15 minutes. Drain the water and press the item against the side of the basin. Rinse until the water runs clear. Knit Wash will rinse out completely, leaving no soapy residue. Do not twist or wring. Roll the garment in a terry towel to help absorb excess water. Lay the item flat on a screen dryer to help maintain it shape. This is the time to gently shape, or "block" it to its original size. You can draw a schematic of the item on butcher paper before washing so you have a "blueprint" to shape the item to. You want the item to dry as quickly as possible without putting it in direct sunlight. When the item is dry, a quick toss in the dryer can help fluff it back to its original softness. |
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Be sure that all of your sweaters and knitted items are washed and completely dry before you put them away for storage. Moths are attracted to the scent of body oils and dust in the garment more than they are attracted to the fiber itself. Fold garments for storage. Fold one sleeve and then the other towards the back of the garment. The garment will be in thirds. Fold it in half so that the collar area is visible. If you have dry cleaned clothes, remove the plastic bag before storing. Do not place items directly on wooden shelves because they can absorb the oils from the wood and this will stain the garment over time. |
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