Advice needed! Quilt top restoration
 

My friend asked me to restore a pieced quilt top made by her grandmother. Each block has hand embroidered state birds with birds name and state on them. The problem is, it is embroidered on a thin bedsheet. While the embroidery is in good condition, the edges of the pieced blocks have started to fray. The entire quilt is made from bedsheets.

My question is, would it be better to unstitch, and stabilize with lightweight stabilizer? (friend and her mother are only interested in saving blocks with embroidery on them.)

I am open to all suggestions. Thank you in advance for your advice!!!!

My opinion - it depends on the goal of your friend & her mother. If there's any chance that the quilt might be valuable as an antique, I would have it appraised and evaluated for professional repair before doing anything. Repairs and restoration can devalue the quilt.

If the goal is to simply preserve the quilt for the family, I would consider fusing the blocks onto muslin, then reassemble them into a quilt.

You might want to consider consulting a quilt restoration/preservation specialist for the best advice.

Might it be possible to cut around each embroidered item - with enough to turn under and then applique them to new blocks ?? Not being able to see the item, it's hard to know if this suggestion would work ... But if the existing fabric is so worn - fixing sounds almost impossible as even if you try to sew new to old -the old just won't stand the strain. Hope you figure it out !!! Good luck.

Here is a few pics of the quilt top. Notice it is made from sheeting, and does not have batting or backing.

So very pretty -- not nearly as bad as i was picturing--- seeing it, i'd say yes - stabilize the blocks - perhaps with a light to medium weight fusible stabilizer - you might even be able to do it without taking the blocks apart - cut the stabilizer squares - slightly smaller then current blocks - iron to back side of each - re-stitch with slightly larger seam allowance to catch the stabilizer - then quilt. Anyway - -just a thought -- you'd know best if that's doable or not. Again - GOOD LUCK !!!

You could also sew narrow "sashing" (faux sashing?) over top of the existing seam lines. That would enclose the frayed seams, without reducing the size of the blocks. I would back the entire top, with a lightweight fabric, first. The new backing would take any stress, to the top, protecting the delicate fabric from pulling apart.

Oooh, that's a good idea!