Originally Posted by
Tartan
What is it's intended purpose? Do you want it in good enough shape to use or just display? The trouble with cutting a section off is that you will have to secure the ends of the quilting threads so they don't unravel. If you do that then you could use the damaged part to repair the rest of the quilt. ....It's not a really practical time of year to attempt this if you live where it is cold and it might be better to wait until spring/summer when you can lay it out outside.
I would like to use it on a guest bed or the sofa. Thank you so much for the tips on how to approach repair. I was kind of scared to take part of it off, but its big enough that you would't really be able to miss that extra length. As for the washing, yes the weather here is terrible for it right now. Probably by the time I'm done fixing it and ready to wash, it will be 100 degrees again out here in Texas
I anticipate starting another thread around that time on how to approach washing this massively HEAVY old quilt. I can't even imagine it waterlogged
Originally Posted by
Vicki W
Definitely feedsack for backing, very nice find. I am always so glad to see people rescue quilts. The plum seems to be in the worst shape. Are the names complete enough that you might find descendants of the makers?
The names on it are : Clara Harvill, Mrs. Louisa Ratcliff, Eva Swearingen (reminded me of the show Deadwood!), and initials EMB. I might could find descendants, but it seems like a needle in a haystack..
Originally Posted by
Daylesewblessed
Are there any town or county names? Any dates?
Here in our community (West Texas), friendship/autograph quilts seem to have been popular right around 1930.
I would definitely recommend gently washing it, and then you will have a better idea of what you have. It is odd that there is so much wear on the quilt top, but the batting doesn't show signs of shifting. Perhaps it hasn't been laundered much over these years. It will be quite a project to repair this quilt --
One of the feedsacks reads "Shreveport, LA". The brands are "armour's" and LION. One is actually fertilizer not feed. I would love to wash it since it looks kind of dingy. It does not smell as of yet so I am thankful for that. I wonder if the reason it has not shifted is the material of the feedsacks. Its not that kind of thin cotton like for floursacks its really thick, almost like canvas (but not quite). That thicker material makes up the entire backing, the binding, the brown stripe in the middle, and parts of the blocks. When I examine a block, the printed cotton is very thin in places, but this thicker material is not even threadbare! It shows tendency toward holes and a rip or two, but not like falling apart. It looks like it was going to be utilitarian as opposed to something "pretty".