A few years back I found a lovely quilt top at a garage sale for $5. I snapped it up! The design is Grandmother's Flower Garden and it's all hand sewn with beautiful 30s floursack prints. However, it's not put together very well and doesn't lie flat, especially around the outer edges. Should I take the whole thing apart and redo? By hand??? I'm more of a, "machine quilter kinda girl," and frankly, it sounds like too much work. I think that its full size. Words of encouragement please.

~ Cindy

Hi,
Well, I speak from experience...I have several quilt tops that I "inherited", the ones that were so special to me, I tried to keep "as is" and work with them, if possible. I actually have a grandmother's flower garden, parts of it were not as well sewn...I ended up tying it rather than quilting it..and, it actually turned out pretty good...
On the other hand, I have a lone star, there was no way to make it work, there were actually too many diamonds as it got to the center, and it made a huge lump...so, I had to carefully take it out and am trying to make it work...I think it is really just up to you...I know you said you are more of a "machine gal". Do you have a friend or someone you trust that is more a "hand sew" person that maybe they can help you?..Just a thought..
Good luck!
Kif

since you won't be entering this in a SHOW or competition just leave it alone...it is what it is...a fine representation of days gone by!

I'm with you........it was made with love by hand and shouldn't be changed :D

Good advice, I agree.

I agree! It was made with love, so just finish it with love and enjoy it!

:thumbup:

My mother quilts old quilts for people. She does not think we should take them apart, but to get them on batting and a back 1st. Then she works with it in areas. Some of the old one are really fragile and she bastes with large safety pins. If she cannot do it any harm she mends it as best she can. She explains this to whomever, before she works on it.

I am quilting a top that my Grandmother hand sewed. Her eyesight was starting to fail her, so not her best work, but she gave this top to my youngest son for a wedding present. I am hand quilting it just like it is. With lots of love and thinking of her everytime I sit down to quilt. She is 90 years old.

Thanks for all of your comments. This quilt top could not be put on bat and backing as is...it's just too off kilter. I suppose that I could just keep in in the linen closet and look at it from time to time, but that seems like such a waste. Perhaps I can take it apart in large chunks and use the pieces for pillows. That way, at least it would have a chance to be admired, which, I'm sure, would make the creator happy if he, or she knew.

~ Cindy