Tartan

I would machine quilt it quite well because hand sewn tops can have weak seams. As for the colour fastness of the fabric, I would machine wash it in cold water with colour catchers but on a short cycle. I would use a backing with green leaves and pink flowers or similar so any colour transfer would not be noticeable. If I had some colour bleeds anyway, I would wash again before drying. Make your friend aware of the possibly of colour bleeds before quilting and washing and she may decide to leave it as a top.

Kassaundra

I agree I would machine quilt to give "strength" to the stitching and b/c you have such large quilting fields to work with. The color question has been answered extremely well there is nothing to add to that.

cajunowl

Thank you for your reply. I think this is a vintage quilt, but I will contact the person who gave it to me to ask questions.

quiltingshorttimer

Several of given the solutions to the color issue. I'd machine quilt it--have done that after seeing a whole collection at a show where they machine quilted vintage tops. Really dressed up the tops and stablized the stitching.

ckcowl

Finish it. I would machine quilt it since it's a donation quilt ( but, that's me- your method of finishing is up to you) bind it, then launder it, with color catchers. Gently, in cool water, small amount gentle detergent. It is a nice quilt.

117becca

That's a beautiful quilt. Interesting info on the crocking, I've never heard of that and appreciate the new knowledge.

I am going to take issue w/ the line of thought that indicates that hand-quilting isn't as strong as machine quilting. But, we do become comfortable in the method that we finish our quilts. Those of us who hand-quilt do it because we love it and probably more importantly, we love the process and peacefulness of completing a quilt.

We have many beautiful quilts that have lasted hundreds of years and they were hand-pieced and hand quilted. I see that quilt top and can see the variety of ways that I would hand-quilt this beauty.

Finishing something faster doesn't make it better.

illinois

I agree with 117becca! No way would I encourage machine quilting on a vintage quilt, especially one that has been hand pieced. Look at quilts of that era--they weren't machine quilted. To me, it's about being consistent. If it's been given the time and care of the original quilter to be hand-pieced, it deserves hand quilting. I shudder when I see beautifully embroidered quilts that have taken hours and hours then turned over to machine quilting. Not that machine quilting isn't a style of its own, it's about being consistent in your work. This would be a real beauty with hand quilting, even something simply done. As to the crocking, the color catchers do work. Because of the age of the quilt, the one receiving it should be aware that it might be best to not use it on a consistent basis, more as a display quilt. Maybe the crocking won't be an issue for them.

Kassaundra

It was my understanding the options were machine quilting or tying the quilt, that hand quilting wasn't even an option.

Geri B

I agree with #16 & 17. The notion that hand pieced quilts are weak seamed is nonsense.....better make quilt museums aware of that, or people who own and/or use those.......my thinking is all the pre washing, constant regular" washing is more of a culprit....I have a few Amish pieced and quilted quilts and I can assure you they have yet to be washed.....
that top you have is too unique to just be tied.......perhaps you or a bee could tackle it for hand quilting, even if done with a primitive (large) stitch. I know you were not given that option, but it could be suggested JMHO

Wanabee Quiltin

I have bought many of these old vintage quilt tops at flea markets and have always had them machine quilted and then washed in the machine with a color catcher. Occasionally the color will come out, nothing can stop it. But more often than not, the colors hold true. I'm a lover of these vintage quilts and have about 50 of them at least, I stopped counting a long time ago.