Color saver for old quilt
03-06-2015, 11:49 AM
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Lafayette, TN
Posts: 1,204
Color saver for old quilt
Yes, I see that this is supposed to be "non-quilting talk), but I can't figure out a better place to ask my question:
I have recently acquired an OLD patchwork quilt of questionable age (40+ years is my own guess), that is put together by hand; even appears to be paper-pieced in hexagons and strips. My questions concerns the red joining pieces (small, and many of them) seems to be fading into the adjoining squares of all different shades of beige/white, blue, brown; it is (or will be a gorgeous quilt when finished); but what do I do about the fading? And wash it before handling? Or do all the handling, then wash it? Of course it is smelly, ratty, you guess at it????
And, I am not good at hand-work, so should I go ahead and consider machine piecing repairs, and machine quilting to finish it? I know, show us a picture.....but my grandkids live 15 miles away, and their mama won't let them get out on our roads right now.
I have recently acquired an OLD patchwork quilt of questionable age (40+ years is my own guess), that is put together by hand; even appears to be paper-pieced in hexagons and strips. My questions concerns the red joining pieces (small, and many of them) seems to be fading into the adjoining squares of all different shades of beige/white, blue, brown; it is (or will be a gorgeous quilt when finished); but what do I do about the fading? And wash it before handling? Or do all the handling, then wash it? Of course it is smelly, ratty, you guess at it????
And, I am not good at hand-work, so should I go ahead and consider machine piecing repairs, and machine quilting to finish it? I know, show us a picture.....but my grandkids live 15 miles away, and their mama won't let them get out on our roads right now.
03-06-2015, 11:56 AM
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 19,131
This is tough without a picture. Is it a finished quilt or just a top?? I wouldn't wash the top before getting it quilted first otherwise someone previously posted a photo of what happen when she wash a quilt top,. It became a messy rat's nest.
03-06-2015, 12:23 PM
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
By the red "fading into the adjoining squares", do you mean that the red dye is bleeding into the other fabrics? Also, is this a finished quilt -- meaning it has been quilted? How much repair do you need to do?
If the quilt is finished -- meaning quilted and bound, then it is safe to wash it before handling. However, you need to wash it in a certain way. I can explain how I would do it, but I want to be sure that what I am understanding so far is correct.
If the quilt is finished -- meaning quilted and bound, then it is safe to wash it before handling. However, you need to wash it in a certain way. I can explain how I would do it, but I want to be sure that what I am understanding so far is correct.
03-06-2015, 01:19 PM
#5
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Lafayette, TN
Posts: 1,204
Dang, I can't believe I left out so much pertinent information. First of all, I found this pieced quilt top in a box of scraps that came to me from an estate auction that I went to YEARS ago, put the box away and forgot about it until our extended snow vacation from school. It is not quilted, and is a crumpled up mess from having been stuffed into that box for umpteen years. So, I realize the first thing I need to do is press it out enough to take a picture of it; and maybe I can get that done today.
Thanks, Prism, I'll be waiting for your reply. I dread working on this quilt because of the smell; but I do realize that I have to do it this way because washing it before any handling will ruin it. I know too, that the paper has to come off the back before I load it onto the quilting machine--or get it ready for hand-quilting--whichever I decide.
Thanks, Prism, I'll be waiting for your reply. I dread working on this quilt because of the smell; but I do realize that I have to do it this way because washing it before any handling will ruin it. I know too, that the paper has to come off the back before I load it onto the quilting machine--or get it ready for hand-quilting--whichever I decide.
03-06-2015, 04:21 PM
#7
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Corpus Christi, Tx.
Posts: 16,105
http://www.about.com/homegarden This link has information for taking care and laundering vintage quilts.
03-06-2015, 08:49 PM
#9
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
The biggest risk with washing a quilt top is that the different fabrics may shrink at different rates, resulting in wonkiness that you cannot iron out. Once a top is quilted to a batting and backing, the batting controls how much each fabric can shrink; it does not allow any fabric to shrink more than it does!
Another risk is that the red fabric may bleed; however, that is a risk with the first washing of the quilt as well.
Your situation is further complicated by having the paper still intact. This isn't such as bad thing, actually, as paper stabilizes fabric.
Sometimes you just have to risk washing a top. In your situation, this is probably what I would do.
First, I would wipe a dampened swab on one of the red fabric pieces to see if dye transfers that way. If it does, you know you have a bleeder red fabric to deal with. If no dye transfers, the red can still bleed, but at least it won't be a runaway red bleeder.
Second, I would leave the paper in and machine baste (with very long stitches) the top to an old white flat sheet that is larger than the top. You could actually spray baste the top to the sheet first to keep everything flat while you machine baste. I would also turn the edges of the sheet over the raw edges of the top and machine baste that too. The machine basting will stabilize the quilt top so you don't end up with ravelled seams (baste so that the wrong side of the top is next to the sheet). It will also stabilize the fabrics. Different fabrics can shrink in varying amounts when washed and dried, resulting in a wonky top that will not lie flat even when ironed. The sheet will help keep fabrics from shrinking too much but, to do this, the basting needs to be fairly close together (which is why I suggest lines 2" apart).
To handle possible bleeding, especially of the red fabric, you would need to use Synthrapol and *lots* of *hot* water. Synthrapol suspends loose dye particles in water so they do not settle into other fabrics, but it needs *hot* water to work. You also need *lots* of water to dilute any bleeds that occur. The best way to do this is to use a top-loading washing machine. Fill with hot water, add Synthrapol, then turn the machine off so that there is no machine agitation. Add your top and have a long stick handy (broom handle would work) so you can push down on the top to hand agitate the top. If there is bleeding, you will need to drain out the water and add more hot water and more Synthrapol. Repeat this process until the water stays fairly clear. After draining the soapy water out, fill with rinse water and again stop the machine and hand agitate; repeat until water runs clear. It is very important to never allow machine agitation of the quilt top; this is very hard on the top! However, the spin cycle is fine. Use the spin cycle as needed between agitations and rinses.
Once you are done washing the top, *immediately* take it out of the machine (you do not want the damp fabrics touching each other) and spread it out flat on top of another large flat sheet on the floor. It is ideal if you can do this on top of carpeting, as you can pin the top through the sheet into the carpeting to "block" the quilt so it lies flat while it dries. A couple of fans will speed drying. You do not want to run the top through a dryer because this would greatly increase the possibility of the different fabrics shrinking at different rates.
I realize that the paper is still inside the quilt top. After the top is dry, remove the basting stitches and then remove the paper. The paper may be a bit of a mess but at least it will be contained on the wrong side of the quilt top.
Edit: I was assuming a top-loading washer that has a central agitator. You may be able to machine agitate if you use one of the newer top-loading washers that does not have a central agitator. I'm not sure, as I've never had one of those machines.
Also, if you lay the top out to dry on top of carpeting, it's probably a good idea to place an old blanket underneath the flat sheet -- just in case some dye transfers. Better to have it transfer to an old blanket than to your wall-to-wall carpeting!
Another risk is that the red fabric may bleed; however, that is a risk with the first washing of the quilt as well.
Your situation is further complicated by having the paper still intact. This isn't such as bad thing, actually, as paper stabilizes fabric.
Sometimes you just have to risk washing a top. In your situation, this is probably what I would do.
First, I would wipe a dampened swab on one of the red fabric pieces to see if dye transfers that way. If it does, you know you have a bleeder red fabric to deal with. If no dye transfers, the red can still bleed, but at least it won't be a runaway red bleeder.
Second, I would leave the paper in and machine baste (with very long stitches) the top to an old white flat sheet that is larger than the top. You could actually spray baste the top to the sheet first to keep everything flat while you machine baste. I would also turn the edges of the sheet over the raw edges of the top and machine baste that too. The machine basting will stabilize the quilt top so you don't end up with ravelled seams (baste so that the wrong side of the top is next to the sheet). It will also stabilize the fabrics. Different fabrics can shrink in varying amounts when washed and dried, resulting in a wonky top that will not lie flat even when ironed. The sheet will help keep fabrics from shrinking too much but, to do this, the basting needs to be fairly close together (which is why I suggest lines 2" apart).
To handle possible bleeding, especially of the red fabric, you would need to use Synthrapol and *lots* of *hot* water. Synthrapol suspends loose dye particles in water so they do not settle into other fabrics, but it needs *hot* water to work. You also need *lots* of water to dilute any bleeds that occur. The best way to do this is to use a top-loading washing machine. Fill with hot water, add Synthrapol, then turn the machine off so that there is no machine agitation. Add your top and have a long stick handy (broom handle would work) so you can push down on the top to hand agitate the top. If there is bleeding, you will need to drain out the water and add more hot water and more Synthrapol. Repeat this process until the water stays fairly clear. After draining the soapy water out, fill with rinse water and again stop the machine and hand agitate; repeat until water runs clear. It is very important to never allow machine agitation of the quilt top; this is very hard on the top! However, the spin cycle is fine. Use the spin cycle as needed between agitations and rinses.
Once you are done washing the top, *immediately* take it out of the machine (you do not want the damp fabrics touching each other) and spread it out flat on top of another large flat sheet on the floor. It is ideal if you can do this on top of carpeting, as you can pin the top through the sheet into the carpeting to "block" the quilt so it lies flat while it dries. A couple of fans will speed drying. You do not want to run the top through a dryer because this would greatly increase the possibility of the different fabrics shrinking at different rates.
I realize that the paper is still inside the quilt top. After the top is dry, remove the basting stitches and then remove the paper. The paper may be a bit of a mess but at least it will be contained on the wrong side of the quilt top.
Edit: I was assuming a top-loading washer that has a central agitator. You may be able to machine agitate if you use one of the newer top-loading washers that does not have a central agitator. I'm not sure, as I've never had one of those machines.
Also, if you lay the top out to dry on top of carpeting, it's probably a good idea to place an old blanket underneath the flat sheet -- just in case some dye transfers. Better to have it transfer to an old blanket than to your wall-to-wall carpeting!
Last edited by Prism99; 03-06-2015 at 09:01 PM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
