Antique quilt repair
 

A friend’s mom has asked me to “fix” the binding on this gorgeous quilt. It is at least 100years old, but look at those teals! It is a lovely piece, and overall, in good shape. The edges are badly worn, and there is a large hole in one corner. I think I can angle cut the corners so they all match, and just apply a new binding over the old. Color suggestions? I am thinking maybe a soft teal, but I don’t want it to look modern. Maybe I should purchase fabric and wash it several times before using? It would be great to find a buttery yellow that matches, but doubt that will happen.....

Looking at Hancock of Paducah they have a Moda baby yellow that may work. One thing I wish I thought to do when I tried repairs was to press the work area first. I think this would have given me a cleaner work area rather than to work with the puckers from washing. Good luck

Great idea Tartan! Thank you for the pressing tip, cjsews.

I try to avoid this sort of thing, but especially back when I was collecting vintage fabrics I often got asked for help.

Of course I'd check my stash first to see what I had. Typically I would use a modern fabric that I distress first. Many ways to do this. I'd probably start this project with a medium gold fabric and heavy bleach and hot wash followed by a complete hot dry to start, and figure on at least one more wash after that (required after the hot dry anyway).

I've done salt distressing (soak in salt water for a few days). I've bleached, dyed, coffee dyed, all sorts of things. It can be fun just working with fabric, dying and and other treatments. A lot of things can be done in small batches in your microwave! Some things are best done outside...

To cover the tear you can take a piece of illusion veil type stuff or organza from the fancy side of the fabric store. You cover the area and simply stabilize stitch down the illusion net with an appropriate color thread, I suppose you could even get fancy and do decorative stitches. I usually try to hide it within the block shape, or just do basic non-intrusive zig zag applique around the edges and across to stabilize.

Sometimes there is a naughty dog repair where there is just no disguising the issue. In those sorts of cases I usually recommend a big heart shaped applique patch, or sometimes maybe even entirely new borders.

Unlike the beauty you have there, some times the best you can do is have the well loved remains be the inside of a new quilt.

If the fabric is still "sound" - maybe put a fusible behind the tear to bring the edges together.

It seems to be in remarkably good condition.

Oh I had some buttery yellow i loved. Used it a lot and found it sort of messed up and got fuzzy. a bit, but enough to never use for tops again. Backing maybe.
Love that quilt!!

great idea!

I have put the tape that irons binding together under tears and pull the material as close as you can then Iron it. That might help. Then you can do a smaller zig zag stitch in matching colours to close the gap.