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The Shipping Blues
Packing Tips
By Irene Berry
Careful packing goes a long way toward ensuring a safe arrival.
Do: Read carefully and follow provided shipping instructions. Some show organizers are willing to store and re-use packing materials; some are not. Some require that a quilt fit a certain size container. Others are not able to accommodate special requirements for three-dimensional or embellished pieces.
Do: Protect your quilt with a sturdy cardboard shipping carton. It's OK to re-use a clean, good-quality undamaged box, but buy a new one if you have to; you are protecting a big investment. Make sure the carton is large enough that the quilt can be folded gently, not jammed in tightly. Stuff the folds of the quilt with crumpled tissue paper to prevent hard creases. Some quilters fold their quilts right-side-out; others simply crumple them loosely. Place an extra piece of cardboard on top of the quilt to protect it when the sealing tape is cut. Seal the box with good-quality packing tape.
Do: Consider rolling the quilt if it's fused, contains photo transfers, or might otherwise be marred by folding. Try wrapping your quilt around a tubular pool float ("noodle") before placing it in a shipping tube. The floats are lightweight, pinnable, and make sliding the quilt into the tube easier.
Do: Put some identification inside the box. Place your quilt in a quality transparent plastic bag before enclosing it in the box to protect it from moisture.
Don't: Send a pillowcase, cloth bag, or an elaborate packing system if new shipping materials will be used to return your quilt.
Don't: Use packing "peanuts." They make a mess for the person who opens the package. Don't decide to save weight by doing without a box. If you wrap your quilt in many layers of paper and plastic and seal it well with lots of strong tape, someone is going to have to use a sharp object near your quilt to open the package. And don't overwrap the box with paper. If the paper falls off, your identification will be gone.
Don't: Wrap your quilt in a black plastic garbage bag; it could be mistaken for trash.
Don't: Use a shipping tube that's too tight. Again, remember that someone will have to get the quilt out of the tube, and get it back in again later.
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