Quilt Care for the Twenty-First Century Page 3     So how do you clean your fragile quilt? One way is to spread an old sheet out on your carpet. Put your quilt on top of it and weight in down. Get out your vacuum and connect the upholstery attachment. Put some netting (such as bridal netting) on the brush and secure it with a rubber band. Vacuum one-quarter of the quilt at a time. When you have completed the top, turn it over an do the back the same way. This will get the dust out and freshen up your quilt, If the quilt is less fragile, it can be put in the dryer, on air only, for about fifteen minutes to remove dust and refresh the quilt.     You may have a quilt, however, that just has to be washed or wet cleaned. When in doubt, leave cleaning to a professional. Wet cleaning is a slow process and should be attempted only on quilts that are strong and colorfast. Quilt Conservators recommend non-ironic detergents such as Orvus Paste, Ivory Liquid, or Ensure.     To wet clean your quilt, dye test all fabrics before doing anything else. Use a soft, clean cloth and room-temperature water. Wet the cloth and press it against the fabric to determine if the dye is fast. If not, stop. Next, test using a detergent solution. If any fabric bleeds, stop. If the colors are fast, fill the washing machine with lukewarm water (80-85°F) and detergent and mix. Put the quilt in the solution. Do not agitate, but move the quilt around with your hands. After 20 minutes, drain water, spin, and rinse. Again, do not agitate during the rinse cycle. Spin and repeat rinse cycle. Dry the quilt flat on a sheet indoors, or on the lawn with a sheet over and under it. Never hang a quilt on a line. Do not store or fold the quilt until it is completely dry. Again, this cleaning process is recommended only for strong, colorfast quilts. My quilt is in tatters, but won't I hurt its  value by repairing it? As for repairing your quilt, no matter what controversy is raging over whether to repair or not, consider the following: 1. Who owns the quilt? 2. What is your untimate intent for the quilt—family heirloom, display, sale, etc.? 3. How much do you value an expensive item of clothing that needs repair and doesn't get it? Will your quilt still be around 100 years from now without repair?     As appraisers, we know that very few quilts have much, if any, monetary value when they are in poor condition. If you love it, take care of it. The key issues in doing repairs are fairly simple. The things we are talking about are all reversible. 4. For silks or fragile fabrics that you don't want to cover over, use washed nylon tulle. It is available from most fabric stores, is inexpensive, and is easy to work with. You simply cut the shape or a piece big enough to cover the bad spot, and use a running stitch to tack it down. You don't need to turn the edges under since the tulle won't ravel. 5. For colored cotton or wool, you can use some of the great reproduction fabrics that are available, or you can get vintage fabrics. Simply cut the shape of the piece to be replaced, including 1/4" to turn under all the way around. Appliqué it over the top of the original piece, and then re-quilt on the original lines. 6. New bindings also can be put on over old. Use a color that matches the existing fabric—not one that is bright and new. 7. If the top of the quilt, or one edge, is heavily damaged, you might consider cutting this part away and rebinding, making a smaller but better-looking quilt. 8. Be sure to note your repair on the back of the quilt so that it is an honest repair.