Need advice for vintage quilt top repair
I was recently given two vintage quilt tops, probably from the 1930's era. I would like to repair them, replacing fabrics where necessary, and then quilt them on the longarm. Both tops have a mixture of hand and machine stitching, and they may have been washed at some point. They are clean and don't smell. Some of the fabrics are deteriorating, but most are okay. The main problem is that they are coming apart at the seams in many places. Either the seam allowances are very narrow, or the fabrics have frayed. I'm not sure whether to just sew these seams together as best I can and trust to the quilting to hold them together longterm, or whether I should use some type of stabilizer. Any suggestions?
Along with these lovely tops, I received a whole slew of vintage blocks, but that is a story for another time.