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Technique: Eva’s way to launder quilts

by

Scarlett Burroughs

Scarlett Burroughs "Mamaw's quilt"

Anyone who owns a quilt will at some point wonder “How do I clean this thing”? Advice runs the gamut, from “only wash a quilt in a bathtub” to “throw ‘em in the washing machine” to “only trust a dry cleaner who specializes in delicate fabrics”.

The method you use to wash a quilt will depend on the age and condition of the quilt, but disregarding this piece of the equation, there are some absolutes that are inarguable. Always use a gentle soap, such as Orvus Quilt Soap which is designed for use on silks, cottons, vintage linens and the like. It’s expensive around $9 USD for an 8 oz bottle, but a little goes a long way.

Personally, I wash all my quilts including the one shown here in Johnson’s baby shampoo (do not buy off brand). My Mamaw (grandmother) made the quilt shown. It’s about 50 years old. It’s held up fine through many washings (delicate cycle) and every day use. If you opt to use a washing machine like me, you must read Eva Colgate’s technique. Eva shared this information during an interview by Jean Rusk of The Alliance for American Quilts’ S.O.S. project. Here are the first few sentences of her answer to the question from Jean, ”What about laundering them?”

 I wash mine all the time, but they say you should do it in a bathtub. But you can’t get water out of them if you do them in a bathtub, so I have a very large wonderful washing machine. I fill it up with cold water. I put my…go here to read the rest. 

There are other options besides Orville Quilt Soap and baby shampoo for washing your quilts. Red Pepper Quilts mentioned a product called Soak. Check out SOAK here. What do you use?

Technorati Tags: quilting, laundering quilts, technique, Orville Quilt Soap, Soak, baby shampoo, bathtubs

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Hanukkah Unit Studies for Kids

Learning about Hanukkah is important for people of all faiths as a reminder that December isn’t just about Christmas and that their are many other important holidays that happen during this time. Hanukkah unit studies can give you ideas for incorporating the holiday into your holiday studies that happen in December, or to use at home for learning about people of different faiths.

Homeschool Superfreak has a lot of basic ideas for how to build a Hanukkah unit study, as well as FAQs about what Hanukkah is and why it is celebrated. This list is a good stargint point but doesn’t include all the details you’ll need. For example it says you can play the dreidel game but doesn’t explain how to do that or why it’s important. (If you need that information, this post from Mama Smiles is a good source.)

Teachers Pay Teachers has lots of great lesson plans and activities if you’re willing to pay a little bit to get some good content. Two I really like are this Hanukkah PowerPoint presentation from Shelia Melton, which provides a good overview of traditions, food and the history of Hanukkah; and a virtual field trip to Jerusalem from MagiCore, which includes lots of videos showing the city and activities like playing dreidel, drawing a menorah and making latkes. It’s a Google Drive folder and also includes writing activities and more for kids in second to fifth grade.

Kids Activities Blog has some simple printables with facts about Hanukkah and things kids can color in like a Star of David, sufganiyots (jelly doughnuts) and a menorah. These are great for learning the basics.

Homeschool Giveaways has a printable ebook about Hanukkah complete with questions kids can answer after they read. This would be a good one for older kids with good reading comprehension.

NurtureStore’s Hanukkah unit study includes a printable mini book, tons of crafts, as well as math and writing activities. I love the dominoes game that’s part of the unit.

And check out our previous posts for more Hanukkah crafts and learning activities!