How to Properly Store and Organise Your Tapestry

After 10 years of needlepoint, I've finally found the perfect storage system.

Before, my pieces were piled in a cupboard. The bottom of the pile gathered dust. Colours faded. One day, I took out a cushion embroidered three years earlier — DMC 742 (orange) had turned pale yellow. Disaster.

I changed everything. Here's what works.

The Rule of Three Enemies

Tapestry storage comes down to fighting three things:

Light — it fades DMC colours in months
Humidity — above 65 %, mould attacks the wool
Insects — moths love Laine Colbert

A piece stored in an iron chest, away from light, with a sachet of lavender — it can last a century.

Cleaning a Tapestry Before Storage

Never store a dirty piece. Microscopic dirt becomes permanent over time.

Before storage:

Gently brush with a tapestry brush
If needed, use Terre de Sommières (8.90 EUR)
Wait 48 hours after cleaning before storing

I once stored a tapestry without cleaning it. Result: yellow stains appeared three years later on DMC 3865. I could never remove them completely.

For a complete guide, read my article on cleaning a tapestry — the step-by-step protocol.

Storage Supports

Flat (recommended method)

For pieces smaller than 50 x 50 cm:

Slip the tapestry between two sheets of acid-free tissue paper
Place in a drawer or flat box
Don't put anything on top

Flat conservation boxes cost 15.00 to 25.00 EUR from archival supply suppliers.

Rolled (for large formats)

For tapestries larger than 60 cm:

Roll onto a neutral cardboard tube (minimum 8 cm diameter)
Interleave tissue paper between layers
Tie with a cotton ribbon (never an elastic band)
Store horizontally

An 80 cm tube costs 4.50 EUR. Acid-free tissue paper costs 6.50 EUR per 10-metre roll.

Never Fold

Folding is the slow death of tapestry. Stitches deform, the canvas cracks. I lost a 12 cm border due to a fold held in place by a pile of books for two years. Repairing the tapestry required 8 hours of rework.

Identifying Your Pieces

I stick a label on each roll with:

Title of the piece
Start and end dates
Dimensions in cm
DMC threads used (for future touch-ups)
Recipient if a gift

This habit saved me when my aunt asked for a touch-up on a 2018 piece. I found the references in 30 seconds.

Pattern Ideas Worth Preserving Carefully

Some motifs deserve special attention. My favourite pattern ideas for storage:

Advent calendars (used one month a year)
Festive placemats (Easter, Christmas)
Embroidered family portraits
Stitch samples

These seasonal pieces spend 11 months out of 12 in storage. Good storage doubles their lifespan.

Small formats (15 x 15 cm or less) can be stored in individual acid-free plastic sleeves — 1.50 EUR each. I use these for my stitch samples.

Needlepoint vs Print — The Conservation Issue

A recurring debate in our community: needlepoint vs print, which preserves best? The answer is clear: a well-stored DMC wool tapestry lasts for decades. A canvas print, even of good quality, starts yellowing after 5 to 8 years.

UV print pigments are sensitive to oxygen. Laine Colbert DMC, on the other hand, is dyed through and through. The colour runs through the entire thread. Even after 50 years, a well-preserved tapestry retains its vibrancy.

The Needlepoint Benefits include this longevity. Your children will inherit your pieces in near-new condition — if you store them correctly.

Climate Control

Ideally, a storage room with:

Stable temperature between 18 and 22 °C
Relative humidity between 45 and 55 %
Total darkness

In practice, a closed wardrobe in your living room does the job. Avoid attics (too hot) and cellars (too damp).

A hygrometer costs 8.00 EUR. If your level exceeds 65 % for more than a week, invest in a dehumidifier (from 49.00 EUR).

Seasonal Rotation

I've adopted a rotation system: winter tapestries come out in November, summer ones in May. Each piece enjoys the ambient air for a few months a year and returns to rest. This avoids the static humidity of perpetual storage.

My calendar:

January-March: hibernation of summer pieces
April-June: spring pieces come out
July-September: summer-autumn rotation
October-December: room for Christmas pieces

Collection Inventory

I keep a small notebook with the list of all my stored pieces. Each entry contains the title, dimensions, date, DMC threads used, and storage location. This has saved me many searches. When my sister asked if she could borrow the Easter placemat embroidered in 2019, I knew exactly which box it was in.

An Excel file or a paper notebook — both work. I prefer the notebook because it doesn't run out of battery. It lives in my embroidery box and now contains 43 entries.

Recommended Products

Product	Price	Where to Find
Acid-free tissue paper	6.50 EUR / 10 m	La Droguerie
Flat conservation box	19.90 EUR	Cultura
Cardboard tube Ø 10 cm	4.50 EUR	Art supply store
Cotton cover 70 x 70 cm	12.50 EUR	Atelier du Canevas
Digital hygrometer	8.00 EUR	Amazon

In total, an investment of less than 50 EUR to protect hundreds of hours of work.

Sources

Do you have a photo that deserves a place in your collection? Create your personalised tapestry at MonCanevas.com.