Thanks for the help. I think I will quilt first. It may still be yellowed in places but that will be part of its history. Thanks for any advice.

Hi Susan welcome from NE Ohio. Good luck I'm sure someone on here will be able to help you.

I did the same thing. I just ignored the need to wash and went ahead and finished cross-stitching and quilted it very, very pretty and then washed it, carefully. It belonged to a sister-in-law and she was still alive and really, really loved it. She wasn't healthy enough to finish it, so I did.

Welcome from NY!

Hi..and welcome from S. California....What a treasure you will have when completed. Something you worked on together...I love this... I'm of like mind with those who recommend completing it first before washing....and washing is really a soak method...NOT machine. Even I if it never returns to the original brightness, it will be clean and vintage looking, which to me, is gorgeous.