Background: My maternal grandmother died in May 2005--just before her 95 birthday. She loved to talk quilting, but never made a quilt herself. I visited her once a week for years and years, and would often take new fabrics and tops to show her. It gave us something to talk about and she'd give me ideas on how to quilt things. Because she's gone is why I need all of you.

My mother died in 1997 at the age of 61. She was the youngest of three sisters. None of them quilted. The middle sister, Lorna (75 years), is moving for the first time in over 40 years, so the oldest sister, Barbara (80 years), came up from NC to see her before she moved. Lorna called me a few days ago to ask if I wanted some old quilts she had, made by my great grandmother. She always meant to do something with them, but never did. I said sure. She would give them to Barbara to give to me. Well, Aunt Barbara and Uncle George just left and here is what they brought.

There are some rough spots. Any advice/suggestions anyone can give me would be appreciated.

I'm a bit teary right now... just missing my mom and grandma. Sigh...

The quilts are beautiful. Do you think it would be possible to patch the worn spots by making pieces the same size and appliqueing them on? I don't know any other way of fixing the worn areas. Cherish them, such wonderful memories

Nice quilts....Love that they are old and loved and from family.

These are the three my dad gave me after Gram died. He said grandma was storing them in his attic. We assume her mother made them--the same person who made the others. These are in much better shape. I keep them covered and hidden. Kind of sad--but I'm scared to do anything with them.

What a lovely memory for you to cherish.

What treasures!

What gorgeous quilts!!! :D:D:D I would be tearing up too (((HUGS)))

I wonder if appliquing new fabric onto the old would stress the older fabrics more, if you were planning on using rather than displaying them... Other wise, that is what I would do, matching fabric as best as I could.

Such beautiful heirlooms :D:D:D

they are nice though they even look like they were hand quilted i wonder if it was hand piecing too

oh how blessed and hand stitched.

Beautiful! Be very gentle with them. Reaearch restoring quilts, and then decide which way you want to proceed.

what a charished memory

Fix them up, that way you will not be afraid to take them out and hug them from time to time. One way to do it is to cover the areas with the bad fabric with top quality bridal veil netting, it will never be noticed, unless you point it out, it is soft and just blends into the fabric.

The reason that one fabric is so bad is that in some of the old dyes, it made the fabric weak, so it was actually hurting itself.

I am glad that you have these.

These are just exquisite...I can understand how important these are to you. Maybe you could applique some fine muslin over the damaged areas just to stabilise and prevent further tearing....don't know if I would try and replace/match. Before tackling it, perhaps you could seek advice from a conservator.

Thanks for sharing your family treasures.

Karla, I know just how you feel. Gosh, if she had just not worn that dress for the last year before she made the quilt, that fabric might still be intact!! Have the same problem here with quilts that have been passed down to me. I have given some consideration to just doing an applique over the "bad" spots, but just cannot bring myself to change the original. For now I have mine folded in bunches of acid free tissue to keep the folds to a minimum and stored in a walk-in closet. BTW I also have the frames these were probably quilted on hanging overhead in the attic, original tack strips included! I guess someday my children are going to have some decisions to make??

Oh absolutely--all done by hand.

We're at that stage in life where bedrooms are opening up--so I think I'm going to get a quilt rack and display them in a place out of the sun. There's not one place for a quilt rack downstairs (I've checked so many times!--older home that has very little wall space) but I bet it'd work upstairs. I don't want to use them.

You are so lucky to get these beautiful quilts. She put lots and lots of work into these and maybe used some worn clothing that was maybe a lighter weight than the others.
If it were me, I certainly would try to display them and not try to patch them, nor wash them. Good luck. Good for you to get these.

Wow!

Karla these are true treasures! Gosh I am so so happy that you have these quilts! Such history there. I wouldn't use them but would have them out somewhere that you could gently pet them and see them. A great idea was given to research how to restore them. Thank You for sharing these with us. I just love older quilts like these. If only these tired fabrics could talk.

Magic. You are so lucky to have such treasures. Sorry I can't help with restoration, but they are real jewels..

Those are so wonderful. So much family history in each of them. I have one quilt that is over 100 years old that belonged to my husband's grandmother. It's in terrible shape, or at least 1/3 of it is very bad. I feel helpless to fix it or even know what to do about it. I almost feel guilty for just leaving it in the trunk.
Cherish those, at least they are all in one piece.

Wow... those quilts are so filled with history. What wonderful stitching! I would either applique the worn spots or treasure them as they are. Either way you are very lucky to cuddle under one of those!

They are still beautiful. I have some of my grandmothers. One is in really bad shape with top fabric missing on some of the star points. But I cherish it all the more.

They are fabulous, even with the damaged areas. What a treasure you have been given. While you can, gather as much information as you can about each and write it down, along with a picture of the quilt.

It may be possible to re-attach some of the borders and re-bind some of the areas. If the edges are frayed, just re-binding may be enough.

For the ones that have holes or missing fabric, try looking for some old flour/sugar/feed sack fabric at yard sales and flea markets (or possible some old quilts you can cut up) to get fabric to repair the holes. I would carefully wash them if they need it, then air dry. Use the fabric and applique over the damaged areas where possible.

There are people who specialize in re-storing, but I understand they are expensive. It may be necessary to just love them as they are. And they are beautiful.

Wow, these quilts take my breath away. All that beautiful hand quilting--your ancestors must have had the patience of a saint! I have no idea how you could fix these, but I think I'd try to get some professional advice.

I loved your choice of your favorite--I think you have triangles on the brain right now!

Oh Karla, what a wonderful reasure you have there. I believe Eddie on this board is involved in a historical quilt society of some sort perhaps he will have some suggestions on ho or what to do with the tattered spaces in your treasures. Just a thought! :thumbup:
Thanks so much for sharing those beauties with all of us. What a huge blessing for them to be given to you! :-D

Such beautiful work in all of them. They are indeed treasures. I'm glad they passed them on to you, whatever you decide to do on the repair work.

What beautiful treasure you have been given!!!!

Wonderful treasures! I'm so glad they came to you..someone who knows and appreciates quilts!

How wonderful your quilts are. I just started attending a quilt class with some ladies that restore old quilts, I happened to see one that was fixed and she said not to try to put new fabric on old, it wouldn't last long. I can't remember what she did ( I didn't have a reason to listen to closely, at the time) I will try to get some information for you if you would like me to. It will be a couple of weeks before I go back to the class, though. I have no quilters in my heritage, so no old family quilts either, but my sister found some appliqued and embroidered blocks that my grandmother had made, looks to be '30's fabrics, and she gave them to me. I will have to finish some of them. Even those mean so much to me. So happy for you.

Hi Karla,
They are wonderful quilts. I restore quilts and have a passion for old quilts and old fabrics, however, some of yours look like they just need to be left alone and cherished as is.
I would display them so I could enjoy them! If you ever decide to try to restore them be sure to get fabrics from the period in which they were made, otherwise you would spoil their beauty. I agree that that the wear reveals a unique character to them. And yes, some dyes years ago were harsh and ruined certain fabrics, also some fabrics were stronger than others.
So glad they were given to you :D

They are all beautiful!
I don't know if I could do anything to fix them, I too would be scared.

How special! I am glad that your family thought enough of you to pass on things that mean a good deal to you, though they may not understand most of it.
I can hardly wait to see what you decide <wave>

Gee karla .. You made me cry. I miss my mom and grandma too. I only have a few pieces of my mom's embroidery, but, sometimes I get them out and hug them. Silly, I know. My grandma quilted, but I didn't get any of hers. But, I take great store in the fact that (god willing) I will see them again some day.

I love all the quilts your great grandma made. She was one industrious woman to make so many. Such a treasure.

Wonderful treasure . Show us how u will fix all that turn ones, shame not to do :oops:

Karla, I just got a book on ebay: The Illustrated Guide to Vintage Quilting by Sandra Hatch that tells all about how to restore old quilts. Here's a brand new copy for $5.95. I would get this and see what you can do.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Illustrated-Guid...item4f616c50e2

Also, here's a article about restoring old quilts. There are lots more out there too.
http://www.quilthistory.com/repair.htm

Good luck!!

I think the first thing I would I do is, wrap myself up in the quilts and just remember these very special woman in your life. Repairing can wait a few more days :) I don't know how you would go about repairing them - but I think it would be worth the effort.

What beautiful treasures, even to display one at a time would be wonderful, I saw in a quilting mag once where the old quilts were repaired with a fine layer of soft bridal 'Tulle' appliqued over the worn piecing, ( not the scratchy nylon net type) You could hardly see it at all as it comes in ivory and white and they had used the ivory. This method would be saving the quilt in it's original state, no fabrics to match, no unpicking and no added weight to the quilt as the Tulle is extra light. This is if you were wanting to use them of course to help strenghten them, if you are thinking of displaying them only, then I would leave as is.

Gal

I like Gal's idea of using tulle and I'd try to find a way to display them. I'd consider putting the oldest and most worn out in he brighter months and the ones least damaged by time and wear out in the winter months, I think that would help the best ones last longest.

Too many girl cousins in my family to get such a wealth of treasure but since you've got them, enjoy!
Jois

I love the flying geese one - it is beautiful!