bearisgray

This is sort of in response to another recent thread - but I did not want to hijack it -

Questions I would ask myself before attempting a Repair/Redo/Replace -

What would need to be done? Why?

A smallish rip or tear or hole in fabric that is still "good" - in an item that was well-constructed to start with - and had sentimental or financial value - I would consider.

If the fabric is worn out or rotten - no. If the item has been "used to shreds" - no. Simply not worthy my effort.
If someone feels the need to keep it for sentimental reasons - frame it or something.

A lot of tops have been abandoned because of "issues" - poor construction, unattractive fabric choices, inappropriate fabric choices. If the fabric is not worth a scavenging effort - why bother? There might be a few exceptions made for sentimental reasons - an effort made by a child or parent that died, for example.

It can be challenging enough to make something nice "from scratch". I find redoing my own stuff to be challenging enough - and I use decent fabrics and my things (usually) lay flat with intersections where and how they should be.

So why try to use/salvage/remake someone else's "garbage"?

Disclaimer: I am old(er) and maybe don't have "forever" to work on things - and I do have "enough" supplies to start from scratch to make almost anything I would want to.

lindaschipper

I have my mothers green and white brick quilt that was made back in the 1960 that I would love to take apart , redo the batting and quilt again. She used it everyday and it does show. Then I have a blue and white brick that I made that is in good shape but it's from 1993 and the binding needs to be redone... but I'll never to able to match the material so I haven't done it. Maybe an old white sheet would match, I'll have to check that out.

bearisgray

I have heard of people just making a wider binding than the original and just rebinding it - no removal of first binding.

WMUTeach

One of my cousin's daughters has taken on the mantle of family archivist. While at a family reunion a few years ago she brought a quilt to show me that was made by my grandmother with the hope I could repair it. I am estimating that it was made in the 1920's from dresses and shirts that had seen better days and were recycled into a quilt. Maybe some feed sacking too. It had been patched/repaired by my grandmother with odd bits of kitchen toweling that looked to be from the 1950's. Most of the fabric was seriously faded, thin, full of weak spots and had many spots where the batting had broken through. I would call it fragile. My recommendation was to cherish it but to leave it as it is. The piece is precious because it is part of family history, but sadly there was or is so little solid fabric. A repair would mean the destruction of what was the work of a college educated, depression era, farm woman who made due with what was at hand. But take it and repair it? I would not even consider deconstructing it or even patching it. Any changes would be glaringly obvious. I count it a privilege to have held it in my hands and to gently explain to this dear young woman why her yearning to restore the quilt was not wise or possible.

When asked about repairing a quilt, I will only do so if the repair will extend the life of the quilt whether it be for longer use or to preserve the beauty of the quilt for posterity.

juliasb

I have a stack of quilts sitting in my back bedroom that is almost 4' high! All of them need repairs. I am not sure if I am lazy or if they just overwhelm me. A couple of them should not be difficult to fix while others may not be worth the effort. I will go in every once in a while to look them over then leave them stacked where I found them and leave the room. I totally agree with your line of thinking. That could me my next way to evaluate all these quilts next time I go in and check them out. Thanks for the thoughts.

Watson

My sister asked me to repair a quilt made by her husband's great grandmother. It was in pretty rough shape, but all she uses it for is to take pictures of new babies on, so I said I would give it a go. (She's a professional photographer)
It turned out better than I had thought it would, so I'm glad I tried.

Watson

Jingle

A very good job Watson.

I had a quilt I had made for my late Son. Mice had chewed some holes in several places. I made it from some 70s fabrics and none were left. I cut it up and use in my dogs' kennels they sleep in at night. I stil have most of the quilt less the bad spots. I can still see the quilt and it is still useable.

bearisgray

Great repairs! Can't even see/find them!

MicheleC

Something that a friend of mine did for her son’s quilt is make a new top and stitch it to the old quilt without removing the original top. The backing and batting were fine but the old top was worn. I thought it was a nice way for him to keep as much of the original quilt as possible without having to fuss with repairing it.

Tartan

I only have repaired one quilt with sentimental value. That taught me to just say no!