I have a friend who has some blocks that were from her husbands great great grandmother,they have had them for a awhile.She wants to give them to me to make a quilt out of,she wanted to wash the blocks first,on a gentle cycle of course,
what do you all think Yes or no?
I suggested waiting till it was a quilt
your thoughts please

If she wants to wash them, I would do it by hand and lay flat to dry. Too much agitation will fray the seam allowances. Otherwise, just wait until it's quilted.

I don.t think I would risk washing them!

Since the fabric has already been cut, I would suggest waiting to wash til top is complete and use a color catcher. Have fun making it.

Personally, I would wait until the quilt is finished. If she wants to wash them though, I would put them in a lingerie bag to wash on gentle.

You're making them for her or you? If you get to keep it, then gently swishing it through warm water and just a little Orvis, which is what I use a lot of, and then shake it and put it in warm clear water, then lay flat to dry. Starch and iron.

Sounds like some of the other quilts that have been discussed and shown here on this forum, you might want to look back at some of them. The old fabrics have a wide range of where they've been stored, from closets to attics to boxes in barns and garages to some in dog houses and under cars to catch oil drips. Some will last many years more, some will grow older fast. Some should have muslin backing on each block and some will be okay on their own.

If you can contact a museum that handles old quilts or clothing, that might be a good way to find out. Some of the Grands you mention puts that fabric into a real old age.

Washing the blocks will cause trouble. It is so much easier to wash the quilt after it is finished and NOTHING can ravel, distort, or get otherwise messed up.

I wouldn't wash until after the quilt is finished.

Like you, I'm with waiting til the top is done

Wait till you have the quilt finished to wash it. Then wash it by hand in the bathtub. Do a search on this site for washing antique quilts to find out how. good luck.

I also would suggest waiting.. even if they are stained or aged looking, I wouldn't want to risk distortion or fraying and then not be able to use them.
IMHO stains wouldn't matter, they would just add to the over all look. I might even tea splotch some fabric to match :D:D:D

Wait until it's a quilt....don't wash!

Unless they were truly disgusting, i wouldn't wash them.

I wouldn't wash them either. at least until they are quilted. I would very nicely tell her that it could ruin them more than help them. post pics when you get the blocks or the quilt done. can't wait to see them.

I would wait till its quilted , but if it necessary I would just hand wash gently and lay out flat on a towel to dry.

I would wait until the quilt is complete.

Pics please when it's finished!

thanks everyone thats what i decided too.I will post pictures of it when im done,and this is for her(someone asked),she asked me if i would make it after I shoud her some quilts i finished

You have received good advice. I' have not experience with old blocks or quilts. Good luck.

I would soak them in a flat pan with some synthropal in the water, work up and down with my hands, then rinse several times and lay flat to dry. If you absolutely must wash in a machine, put them in a mesh bag or the edges will fray terribly. Another idea would be to stay stitch all around the edge.

When we cleaned out my Grannie's house and found the Sunbonnet Sue blocks she had made they were disgusting. Mice had been around them. I brought them home and hand washed them in the sink. Rolled them up in a towel to get excess water out and dried them flat.

I would definitely wait to wash them. They are really old, and material at that time frayed even worse that today.

I wouldn't wash them either, especially not by machine. They are very fragile and will not make it thru a washer. I would do it by hand if at all.

I would wait for the quilt to be done before washing.

The saying experience talks is true... well here it goes..........DO NOT WASH THOSE BLOCKS UNTIL AFTER THE QUILT IS COMPLETED....I had some really neat hand sewn blocks (Churn Dash) that were very old given to me by a very dear friend. I decided to have a block party and sash them together with the help of my mother (who is now gone) and my three aunts. We had a blast sewing the sashing together and just making memories. I can still see us doing this and laughing and carrying on. Anyhow when it was all sashed I could not stand the smell of the old fabric so I decided to wash the top in delicate cycle. The rest is history all I have left of the quilt top is nothing but one big ravel of thread and memories. The day we put the blocks together is so dear to my heart I can't even bear to throw the top away so it is in a bag in one big heap of pieces and ravels. When someone finds the bag in my box and ask I always tell them that is a lesson in How not to wash the quilt until it is complete and making memories that last forever. My advise to you is finish the quilt then wash it. If the smell is bad take a nice day and lay them outside in the sunshine/air for a bit then complete the quilt. Have fun.

Trif, I have to ask about your avatar.
:-) What kind of dog? He's huge!

These sound old so there is danger that the fabric may not withstand washing. If really dirty, hand wash and lay to dry, otherwise make the quilt including the quilting and if necessary hand wash in the tub and lay to dry.

I would NOT wash the blocks either before or after. Since they are from your husband's " great great grandmother" they are very old and probably very fragile depending on the fabric.

I agree with Ramona Byrd--the owner should contact a museum that handles old quilts or clothing or a quilt appraiser in your area to find out the best way to deal with the blocks.

I have a quilt top from 1870 and was advised by an appraiser that due to the fabrics used and how fragile they were, she recommended that the top not be quilted because of the added stress put on the brown fabric.

While it would be nice to have a textile from your husband's family to pass down as a quilt, sometimes it does more damage because it accelerates the decaying process.

I was given a chenille bedspread that I was going to cut up and use for something or other it was old and for some reason I decided to wash it, it completely fell apart. What if I had made something w/the spread and it fell apart afterwards. A lot of work gone for naught. I now wash any fabric given to me before I put any work into it.

WAIT.

looks like a newfoundland

Assuming the quilt blocks are cotton... Use only the gentlest detergent, like Woolite in lukewarm or cool water in a basin. Divide all into color piles. Wash only the white/lightest at first, by just squishing the suds through, using your hands, patting them instead of wringing, and letting them soak. Rinse, and dry flat and evaluate your results: Press gently, and examine the seams. Then do some slightly darker blocks, only blues; only greens; only pinks, etc. How much color is coming off into the water? Do the darkest ones last. If you are satisfied that your blocks are washable and the seams are worthy, then go ahead and make a quilt. Best of luck to you.

Would this quilt end up being for you or for your friend?

Have you seen the blocks yet? Have you smelled them yet?

Definitely DO NOT wash them by machine.

Even hand washing can be stressful to a block -

On the other hand, I would not want to work on something that would fall apart in my hands.

I have to agree with the "wait till its quilted" crowd. Too risky to do before that. Shrinkage, ravelling, etc.

Do not wash them before you use them. Judging by the age, they will severely fray. Wash after you make into a quilt.

I also vote for waiting til the quilt is finished..

Don't wash them. They are old and they could fall apart. I have several friends who have done this and regretted it. Put them in a quilt and then hand wash it in a tub carefully.

Is the quilt for her or yourself? If it is for herself she could was them first and if there are any mishaps, she can decide what to do after that. I would be inclined to give them a gentle soak and hand wash.

I would wait. I'ld be affraid of any fraying.

The little dog(haha) in my avatar is a Newfoundland, her name is Maggie and she weighs 136 pounds. She is very sweet!