Amazing applique'd blocks from the estate of a 95-year-old friend of mine
 

This wonderful friend of mine just passed away recently. She was 95 and had lived a very full life with lots of travels across the world. Throughout much of the 1980's she lived in Panama with her husband while her husband tended the animals as a veterinarian on the military base in the Panama Canal area. During this time, she collected tons of "molas" or "molitas." Molas are made by reverse applique, with some more complex molas having 7 or more different fabrics layered on there.

Additionally, there were some rectangles of "crazy quilting" I believe. Those will make a quilt of their own.

Anyway, I wanted to share with you guys and get your opinions on how to clean them and prepare them for one big quilt. They're quite wrinkly and kind of have an "old house" smell. Not musty or moldy, but just old house that hasn't been tended in a bit. She lived in a retirement home and hadn't spent the last few years in her house.

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She made that last one herself while she was there. :)
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Crazy quilting?

Wow!!!! What a great gift you have! I real treasure. I'll be looking to see how you do put them all together.

they are wonderful. wow can't wait to see what you come up with

I would put a shashing around then. I think it would be random placement. They are beautiful fabrics.

I think I would do a random placement also with sashing. I would also make the quilt have it quilted and then wash it with a whole bunch of color catchers.

Those are just beautiful! The color is so vibrant. It would be fun trying to arrange them into a quilt. I wouldn't wash them before assembling, since you may lose some seam allowance doing that. Always quilted with love had a good suggestion about using a lot of Color Catchers. You could try using Retayne to help set the colors, too.

Leslie

As long as they aren't actually dirty or moldy or cat smelly, I'd probably just iron them and work with them as they are. Then, after I get the quilt together, I'd (maybe, unless I had a moment of unbelievable madness) take it to the dry cleaner and have it cleaned.

Are they cotton? The Same kind we quilt with? Can you just spray it with fabreeze? I would be afraid to wash them , not knowing the origin of the fabric ..maybe if you have an extra one you could try that..it would be a shame to ruin them ..just my thoughts..

Have fun with your new stash.

They are a wonderful collection! They really just need to be aired out in fresh air if possible. A closed up house gives a musty smell.

What a collection. Will be waiting to see what you come up with for the quilt, wall hanging or whatever. They are beautiful, sure that what ever you come up with will only enhance the blocks. BrendaK

Ohhhh wow you are so lucky!!! I love love molas!!!! Enjoy!!!!

I would not iron them as it will iron the odor right into the beautiful mola. I would air them after spraying with something like fabreeze....good luck.....wonderful collection

What an amazing collection of wonderful blocks. You know someone spent many hours stitching these together. And I know you are sad that your friend passed.... while excited that you were chosen to give these beautiful artworks a new life.

I wouldn't wash them before sewing them together.... please post pictures when it's complete.

Awesome! Thanks for introducing me to this unique culture. My only suggestion would be to make a color photocopy of each and play around with designs. If you decrease the size it might be easier. What might be nice is a quilt, matching pillows and maybe some detail added to curtains.

Fabulous!! you could even put a few into a long wall hanging. great decoration.

WOW they are wonderful!

Those are fabulous! I would be tempted to use groups of them as wall hangings rather than put the lot together in a large quilt. I would experiment with a few to see if airing out will do the job, or rinsing out by hand and drying flat.

What a treasure trove!! These will make several quilts I would think. I don't know how to prepare them but they are absolutely fabulous, so colorful and interesting!!!!!!

If you spray them with Fabreze use the unscented and see how it goes. What I would do it is combine Woolite and baking soda into a large container and just mush them up and down gently or just let them soak. Then I would rinse really well and lay them on a towel and roll up. Then unroll shape and let them dry.

I don't know if I'd use Fabreze on these. I'm worried that we really don't know if or how this product might affect the fabric. I'd just air them out for a while and see if they aren't so musty. If you have the patience and a vacuum that won't eat them, I'd go over each one and vacuum off any dust that might be settled on them. I certainly wouldn't wash them in a washing machine until they are stitched together so that the edges are stabilized.

put them in the dryer on air only for a while with maybe a softener sheet with a mild scent. This will air them out, blow out any dust on them and maybe make them more pleasant to work with. I did this with an old quilt top I had to work on and it worked well.

I would set them outside (in a screened porch or garage) and let them air-out for a week or two. Wouldn't wash or dry clean them. They are beautiful and wonderful!! Please show us when you have them together.

wow what a GReat friend!!!!

I don't have any advice for you, but that will be an amazing quilt when done.

Check out Sew Fresh by Bear Thread Designs. All natural, no chemical spray for removing musty smells from fabric. Not sure that i would use Febreeze though. Read the label on the Febreeze.

beautiful molas!!
sandy

Molas are usually made of cotton. So my suggestion would be to gently hand wash each block. I would put one color catcher in with the block. Cold water. Then I'd dry it by rolling in a towel and lay flat to dry. I'd probably go for a black border around each block and randomly place them into a quilt. I might try to keep a few out to place into a frame too. They are so very beautiful. What a wonderful memory treasure from your friend.

The thing is, if these are traditional Panamanian/Guatemalan(?sp)molas the fabrics have probably been made using natural plant dyes. If they were mine, I'd check online for someone (probably at a museum or a place like Winterthur), who can tell you what you have and what to do with them. Of all the suggestions I've seen above, I think the only one I "might" try is using the clothes dryer on air for a few minutes but I'm not even sure about that. Talk with someone; given their age you won't really know what you have until you do. It's a beautiful collection and almost overwhelming in it's size. Joyce in DE

Those are just fabulous! I have no clue how to put them together but whatever you do will be wonderful!

Really a wonderful treasure. Spray lightly with white vinigar, not directly but spray the vinigar in the air around them and fresh air.

Wow what stunning work. The molas would make a brilliant giant wall hanging or bed cover. I would not use Febreeze or any other chemical on them. Bung them in a bag with bicarbonate of soda (I think in America it is called Baking Soda) then shake out and they should be fresh as a daisy. Thanks for sharing such beautiful treasure.

I have no ideas for you, except to say that you have an unbelievable treasure!

A real great collection. You are blessed. Sorry for the loss of your friend.

How wonderful! Those blocks are colorful and interesting. I bet they'll make a gorgeous quilt.

Oh, my, what gorgeous stuff. Happy piecing:)

We had a women come and talk to our group about Molas and she had them for sale. Her husband had been a missionary for the people and she now goes back and gets them to sale over here in the USA so that she can help the people. She had a darling quilt that had been made for her. It was sashed with fabric that had the wild beautiful colors in it. I wish I
had gotten a picture so I could share it with you. I have searched for fabric like it but never have found it. I purchased a
few from her and I love them. Have no clue what I will ever do with them. The lady lived somewhere in Fla. Maybe
there is a way to find her if you are computer smart. Oh my, I just had a brain flash. I found some info on her and here it is:: Jane Gruver The Mola Lady P. O. Box 1039 Penny Farms, Fl. 32079 904(284 0041) [email protected]

Hope this info helps. Maybe she can send a picture of her darling quilt. God Bless,

What spectacular pieces. You are so lucky. I would suggest putting outside to air as soon as it warms up. Not in the sun, just in nice air. It will work wonders.

What a tremendous amount of work went into these blocks. They are gorgeous and will make the most outstanding quilt. I'm sure if you quietly ask for her help she might whisper in your ear how to put these together. You will feel her around you as you work on what she worked so hard doing. Good Luck.

This collection is absolutely wonderful. You might be able to take away the 'old house' odor by putting them in the dryer with dryer sheets and one or two damp hand towels. I have a dress with a mola on it and it goes through the wash very nicely. However, I would consult an expert before considering washing your project after you make it. You can find a qualified person by contacting a quilt museum such as the one in Lincoln, Nebraska. They have a lot of helpful information.

what an amazing collection.