Tartan

Musty smell is very hard to get out. I would soak the backing fabric in baking soda water and then wash it to see if it helps. If it does, then try soaking one top and watch out for bleeding fabric as well. If the top smells better, be careful ironing as it can bring up the musty smell again sometimes and it might also go into your ironing board top.
If you can't get the musty smell out, explain this is the reason you cannot quilt them as you have allergies. Also make them aware you cannot quilt tops that come from a smoker. Your health is more important!

sval

I agree it would set a precedent. But unfortunately I don't think others see the problem. Either they don't smell it or it doesn't bother them.
I just feel if I return them and say they smell, I'd be cutting myself off from doing the donation quilts. I've been trying so very hard to get out more and be apart of a group, find new acquaintances, etc.
I feel rather stuck between a rock and a hard place.

joe'smom

Can you talk to someone in the group, ask if the donated quilts always smell so bad. That might create an avenue for discussion, and you might find that returning the tops would not mean you have to leave the group. I'm wondering if the tops are passed along in the knowledge that they smell so bad.

GingerK

Baking soda is a good deodourizer. I think I would do some experimenting. Take one top and lay it wrong side up, sprinkle liberally with baking soda, roll it up and put in a bag overnight. Next morning, shake it out and see if that makes a difference. You also just hang one out in the sunshine for a day and see if that helps. And finally, I thought Febreeze came out with an unscented version.

Whatever you do, I would make certain these quilts were washed after they are completed.

silliness

Try setting them outside in the sun for an hour to kill any mold spores and then letting them sit outside in a more shaded place for the rest of the day. If you can get a fan blowing on them to help circulate the air around them, that would be really helpful. Hanging them on a closeline is ideal but laying them out across patio furniture should work.

sval

I agree it would set a precedent. But unfortunately I don't think others see the problem. Either they don't smell it or it doesn't bother them.
I just feel if I return them and say they smell, I'd be cutting myself off from doing the donation quilts. I've been trying so very hard to get out more and be apart of a group, find new acquaintances, etc.
I feel rather stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Might be a case of "No good deed goes unpunished"

sprice

so sorry for this, sval. Here you are just trying to do something nice for the group and intended recipients. I have run into problems also working on someone else's projects. I've gotten stuff that smelled so badly of cigarette smoke. I just "held my breath" and got thru it but never offered to do anything like that again. I do think most groups have standards about this sort of thing now--esp. cigarettes. Once got a bunch of quilts intended for new babies. Everything went into the washer--and some of those things ended up at the dog shelter! I just wouldn't give a nasty looking thing to anyone's baby. It is hard to wash an unfinished piece. You could try to very gently dunk them, but that's a lot of work for you. Give them back and say they make your allergies act up.

tkhooper

I work with charity quilt kits and here is what I found works baste the sandwich together. fold all raw edges in towards the center and then whip stitch it closed. I use 20 mule team borax with my detergent and soak it in the tub during the morning then gently agitate, and then rinse until I can't smell anything but clean. So far so good.

Onebyone

Honestly I wouldn't be part of a group that thinks this fabric is acceptable to use for QOV.

sval

That's a very good point. It would be good to know if they feel it's acceptable to give a QOV to a soldier that smells.