Tips to maintain Handmade Clothing and Blankets

Any handmade item needs care to maintain its quality and last for a long period of time.

With proper care, handmade items can become heirlooms and vintage items for families. Appropriate care must be given to retain its color and quality.

These are tips to guide you in maintaining handmade items:

1. Read the label if the item was bought from a departmental store. If purchased from a local artist, ask them for maintenance tips.

2. Try not to wash your hand made items as frequent as other items unless it is frequently used. For example, a quilt used on a bed not be washed more than twice a year but if it has to be washed, the handmade cycle on the washing machine and air dry is recommended.

Better recommendation is to hand wash handmade items manually. Try not to

dry handmade items in the dryer. Ensure that you lay the item down flat to air dry.

3. As the winter season is drawing to an end and you may need to store your handmade items, lay tout items flat and store in a storage container. If you have to fold it, wrap the item first in acid free tissue paper and store in the tube container.

Try not to keep these containers in the attic or basement because of the heat and humidity.

If you need to store the items for a long period of time, periodically check for bugs and mildew and air the items out and return back to the storage container.

I love handmade items and try to keep them as long as I can so I can enjoy and cherish them and hopefully be able to pass it on as a family treasure. Enjoy!

Stay Tuned

Neki Naturals handmade items can be found at www.nekinaturals.com or http://neki.etsy.com