Older Quilts--Quilting and Backing options?
 

Hey all,

A family member asked if I could finish some older quilts for them (seven in all). I won't be able to start on them until after the new year but thought ya'll might have some opinions on how to quilt a couple of these and what color backings I could use just to give me some ideas until then. Hope ya'll don't mind me using you.:o Also wanted to say that I will most likely hand quilt them or tie the ones that would look ok tied. I haven't got to iron them yet, sorry bout that.

Here we go:
The first one is 87"L by 72" wide. Hand-pieced, no border.
Second is 89" Length by 73 " wide. Hand pieced, no border.
Third is 84" Length by 75" wide. Hand pieced, no border.

I'm assuming you want to maintain the look and style of the quilt tops? If so, muslin would work on any of the 3 for backing, especially the appliquéd cats one. While I appreciate the charm of tied quilts I've only done one, but if it were me I would definitely use red on the Sunbonnet Sue quilt, at each cornerstone and incorporate it into the bonnet tie area on the Sb Sue figures. I'm sure others will have wonderful ideas for you. It's great of you to complete these. Are they a part of your family heritage? If so, don't forget a label with your family's information. Can't wait to see how you finish them!

First...i have said before that i am not a Sunbonnet Sue fan...but that quilt with the one "odd" Sue is just too precious. I really like it.
I can only say that if it were me - and i'm not sure the size of your appliqued squares - i would use a batting that allows you to quilt up to 10" apart. That way, you could SITD around each block and in the corner blocks - not a lot of quilting, but more than tying. And i'd definitely use muslin for the backing.
Someone put a lot of work into these quilt tops....it's great that they are finally going to be finished. Good luck...don't forget to post as you finish them - i'll look forward to seeing what you decide.

Quilters Dream makes a cotton batting specifically for hand quilting. It's called Request. Go to this link to read about it. There are several places online that carry it. If you can't get it online PM me and I can order from the company and ship it to you. http://www.quiltersdreambatting.com/dream-cotton.htm. You could echo quilt around the appliqué then do a design in the sashings and cornerstones.

I like the idea of echo quilting the applique and then doing a design in each of the cornerstones and then something twining/curved in the sashing areas. I do like tied quilts, but these would just work beautifully if quilted. I think they are just gorgeous and quilted would really 'shine'. As for backing....I'm hopeless at that...go with your heart is the only useful thing I have to offer.

this was my first thought on it also. they are treasures. anxious to see the others

Chalk up another vote for muslin backing a and Echo quilting. What a wonderful set of quilts!

Are you going to machine quilt them or hand quilt?? Muslin is always a preference with when you hand quilt because the stitching will show up beautifully.

Thanks for all your ideas! Does anyone have experience with the muslins from fat quarter shop? I need to keep cost down as much as I can, but I also don't want to use something cheaply made for these quilts. Do you think the Hobbs 80/20 would be fine to use as the batting?

Here are the last of the quilts. The red and blue quilt is the only one with a border, it is a pink color.

I will be hand quilting them.

The older quilts that I have (from my mother-in-law) ALL HAD WHITE BACKS - mostly feedsacks or muslin. I don't think my MIL ever used anything but white. Everything that she quilted was by hand. She did piece on her machine while I knew her.

I vote muslin and they are precious quilts....love them.

I love backing quilts with muslin! I buy mine at Joann's on sale. I've bought it at $2.50/yard! Love love love how the echo quilting would look, too.

Good luck!

That scrappy lantern is just beautiful.....oh please handquilt these....It will take ages but they are so worth it.

Someone did an awful lot of beautiful piecing. I can hardly wait to see then quilted. Good luck. I know you'll be having a lot of fun doing it.

Priceless tops! I agree with other's here that muslin and hand quilting will continue with the older style patterns. I think I would batt them according to where they will be used and "if" they will be used. I think I would probably lean toward the 80/20 blends. I like a thinner look for the older type quilts.....

Those should be backed with muslin. I agree with the others. You can get it in the natural color or bleached. I love them all. You have a big job ahead of you, but you can do it. They will be heirlooms.

I am especially in love with the lantern top! Just wonderful!! What treasures you have.

I guess it depends on what area your family comes from, because my ancestors never used plain muslin on the backs of their quilts. They used feed sacks for sure, but they were the print ones, and usually the ugliest ones they had went on the backs. I guess before the print sacks came out they might have used plain ones but I haven't seen any of those.

Also, my people almost exclusively tied their quilts. I guess getting them done and in use was more important than creating something very fancy. We are talking Oklahoma/Arkansas farmers with lots of kids here, and I'm sure that makes a big difference than someone with more leisure on their hands. Smiles and hugs.

I tend to agree with everyone on the plain muslin backing. I do want to say one thing though. Wash that at least two times and dry it on a very hot dryer to make sure the shrinkage occurs before you start all that hand work to quilt. I have seen the crosshatch background in the blocks and a loopy bead in the border that looks good on these. Or the echo quilting around the images and the quarter inch away from the edges straight lines around the blocks. It might be productive to visit a vintage quilt show or site on line to examine what they had done.

I hope that your family realizes how much work you are in for. Maybe teach one or two of them to hand quilt and make it an old fashioned quilting bee! How cool that would be to have the newer family members stitches finishing them together.

Definitely agree. The quilts are truly amazing and someone put lots of love into creating them. Muslin was my first thought for the backing. You'll be fine and please do post the pictures of the finished works of art.

Muslin would be the perfect backing for quilts made in that era. Can't wait to see how you finish them and what a lovely treasure they will be.

Wow! Thanks for all the replies! I will definitely use the muslin for backing. Does anyone know which of the premium muslins would be more cost-effective for me? Considering I have 7 of these to finish I need to keep cost down, but I also don't want to skimp on them, ya know? Most of the quilts are between full and queen sized. What about the color of the quilting thread?

I wish these were actually my family's quilts. But they belong to the fiancé of one of my cousins. I believe she said one of them was over 60 years old. I know 2 of them are at least 36 years old. She is also not in any hurry to get them back, which I'm glad of. She said she has waited this long and she'll wait longer for them, LOL.

I think white or ecru colored thread would be good. Don't remember any of the quilts from my family having anything but white thread and they were hand quilted.