Friday, January 14, 2000

Contents and Care of Quilts

CONTENTS:
My baby quilts are usually backed in 100% cotton or cotton flannel with sashing on the front in 100% cotton and the shadow applique squares are made with 100% cotton templates that are covered with a sheer fabric made of 100% polyester. The batting is 100% polyester fiberfill (high loft) which makes them both durable and "cuddly."

All my quilts are stitched sturdily enough that they may be machine-washed, as well as pulled, chewed, dragged, and any other treatment your baby puts it through in his or her tactile experience of the quilt. The quilt is designed to have different textures to encourage a tactile experience and it is expected your baby will want to play with it not just use it as a blanket, though it does keep baby warm! Surprisingly so if the backer is flannel not just plain cotton.

WASHING:
I recommend a warm/cold or hot/cold wash cycle, using any kind of laundry detergent and/or fabric softener. You don't need fabric softener and in fact, I don't use it on baby quilts, as it leaves a residue on fabric (the coating prevents towels from absorbing moisture and do you want those chemicals going into baby's mouth ?) Also note, I do not prewash your quilt, nor do I smoke, use incense or have any other foreign substances in the air (e.g., pet dander) that will get onto your quilt before you can use it. It is safe to use right out of the box.

DRYING:
No matter how you wash it, the quilt should be machine-dried on low or medium heat to fluff it up but you can give it a 15-20 minute pass through the dryer to fluff and then air dry it the rest of the way to save money if you like (or don't have a dryer). To air dry, just hang it over a shower rod or best of all, outside in the sun on a clothesline if your home actually still has one of those! :) It might take 2-3 hours, depending on ambient temperature and humidity, to get fully dry. Do not fold it or stuff it into a baby bag unless or until it's totally dry or it might get moldy. The 100% Cotton fabric feels great but it is also a breeding ground for mold. Always store the quilt dry, folded flat.