quilting cat

100% cotton pillowcases, washed in fragrance-free detergent, double rinsed, and line dried, are my storage preference.
Congrats on your find!

MargeD

What treasures for $7, it's amazing how some people don't know the value of older quilts. The bow tie quilt looks in great condition and should be manageable on your DSM. Congratulations on your amazing bargain.

ptquilts

The Flying Geese looks to be the oldest of the tops. If it was mine, I would hand quilt it. That is what they would have done at the time it was made. The others are about 50 years newer and I don't think it matters how you quilt them. I would definitely double check all the seams though. I see at least one that has come apart.

Prism99

I don't think ironing will make any of the stains or yellowing worse. I would probably apply several light layers of spray starch before ironing, allowing the starch to dry between layers (a fan speeds drying). You want light layers so there is no risk of moisture causing some fabrics to shrink disproportionately. Starch will provide a slight barrier between the fabrics and the iron and will also give the fabrics a little body and stabilization. (You need to use a steam iron when the starch is dry; steam re-activates the dried starch.)

You might also be able to block the top to get it flat and square. For this you would need a large flat surface, such as a carpeted floor or large table. My concern with this is that, if the fabrics in the top were not pre-washed, you might get some uneven shrinkage or colors running from the amount of moisture you would need to use.

For batting, I agree with not using the old batting that requires stitching lines 1/2" apart. I would use either a cotton or wool batting. Your choice depends largely on the look you want. Quilter's Dream has cotton batting that is needlepunched, making it very stable. This gives a fairly flat look to the quilt which is consistent with vintage quilts. If you want more loft than that, Hobbs wool batting would be my first choice and Hobbs 80/20 my second choice. I would avoid polyester and bamboo.

Once the quilt is bound, I would probably do the first washing with Synthrapol and a lot of water just in case any of the fabrics are going to bleed. Once sure the fabrics are not going to bleed, I would use Retro Clean to soak the yellowing and stains out.

Jane Quilter

old batting is not as stable as the new batting...hence the requirement to stitch 1/2 inch apart. If you are not planning to meet this requirement, then use a different batting

K-Roll

Re: odors.
I don't know if you have a chest freezer, or big enough space in your freezer, but this is something I do with old books if they have a musty or old smell or I'm not sure they were kept properly: I wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them, leaving them in the freezer for at least 3 days. Takes away odors and kills any mites that might be in the old book. When I take them out of the freezer, I let them sit for 15-30 minutes before I unwrap them.

I imagine this technique would work with fabric, too.
(I don't have a chest freezer, just a not very large refrigerator freezer which I use.)
At any rate, congrats on your find!

quiltingshorttimer

When I worked years ago at a history museum we would put vintage clothing (often wedding dresses, etc) into cloth bags and put into the freezer for a few days to destroy any mites or other vermin in them. Worked well and would also stop any mildew growth until it was exposed to moisture again--allowed us time to get to it and do restoration cleaning.

AlvaStitcher

What a great find! Awesomeness!

Claire123

I have heard of using either Orvus or Ivory liquid for cleaning. You could also try contacting a local historical society or museum. When you store them, try folding them with some type of bolster and refolding differently each time. What a wonderful find!