I recently inherited a "well worn"quilt from my great-grandmother.
The edges are slightly frayed, color is good(red & white). Can I hand wash the quilt - can it be hung from a quilt holder or a "towel bar" wall bracket? I don't know the exact age but it is probably 120 years old. The material is cotton and the stitching is almost perfect. Thank you.

Some people handwash quilts in the bathtub. If you do this, place the quilt on a folded sheet first, so you can lift it out of the tub.

My back won't allow the bathtub method. With a top loader, what I have done is place the quilt in the tub, fill with water, and stop the machine so it never agitates. Hand agitate by pushing down on the quilt (after you have put the soap in, of course!). When finished, move the dial to "spin" to spin out the wash water. Refill tub with rinse water, hand agitate again, and spin again. Rinse and spin twice.

I like to use Synthrapol for washing quilts, but Orvus is good too. I think this like Woolite and regular detergent are overly harsh for quilts, so I don't use them.

You really do not to hang a wet quilt. The weight of the water puts enormous strain on the seams and quilting stitches. (This is also why you want to lift your quilt out of the bath tub with a sheet, to reduce stress on the fabrics and seams.)

If you have a yard, you can place a large sheet on the ground, lay out the quilt on the sheet, then cover with another sheet (anchored at corners with rocks) *out of direct sunlight*. The cover sheet is necessary so the quilt is protected from errant bird flights. It's important not to put a quilt in direct sunlight because sunlight fades fabrics faster than just about anything.

You can also lay out a quilt inside the house if you have a floor area large enough. In that case you don't have to cover it with a sheet. To speed drying, you can place a fan to blow over it, and turn it once or twice.

I would not hang it. Wash it in mild soap in the bathtub, very gently. And I would roll it up and get as much water as possible out and then, if you have the space, lie it flat outdoors to dry, on a clean sheet or something similar. With the weight of the water, there's a whole lot of weight hanging on very old fabric. I have some shelving in my garage that I have actually laid on its side on the driveway (2 of them, covered with a sheet and then put a quilt to dry over it, because it supported the quilt, but also let the air move under as well as on top.

If you're thinking of washing it in the machine; I'd put it in a pillow case, or make a cloth bag big enough to hold it, cold cycle gentle, or hand wash it, no agitation; soak it in the tub even with the mildest soap you can find. Lay it flat to dry, depending on what kind of shape it's in, you'd want to maybe drape it over something, instead of hanging it.
Good luck

Great advice. I suggest one more thing- reds can bleed. I would try to get one part of the red and dunk in water (like a little corner if possible) So cool that you inherited it!!!!!!! I have a passion for antique quilts.

Great advice on washing :D:D:D
I would be leery of hanging it for display, it really puts a lot of stress on the fabric and seams. Folding it over a quilt rack, on the back of a couch, laying over a trunk, etc... may help it last longer if you are seeing wear already.

If I got a quilt that old, I'm not sure I would be confident enough to wash it. I would get in touch with a local shop owner and find out if they can tell you of someone who does the kind of cleaning it may need. I have seen them use a sweeper and screen and just pull any dirt or dust out, to keep from getting the quilt wet.
You may want to make a few calls before putting it in water.
Getting it wet and puting it in the sun, may not be the way to get it clean. I hope that you can keep it around for another 120 years.

Welcome to the board from Southern California!!!

Welcome, waving from Indiana, USA

Wow, what a fabulous item to inherit. You are so lucky! I think you have had lots of good advice on washing you new "old" quilt, I would love to see a pic of it if you are able. What a treasured heirloom.