Saving an Antique
 

My sister brought me this quilt after trying numerous places to have it fixed in her hometown. They all said they wouldn't touch it.

It was made by her grandmother-in-law many years ago and is an antique. It has some blocks that have frayed and she'd like me to repair them enough so that she doesn't lose the entire quilt.

She isn't a quilter herself, but she has seen my quilting was thinking that I could just do meandering over the frayed edges to tack them down, but I think I can do better than that.....I suggested that I use bias tape to sew the edges down that are loose, where there isn't enough material to just sew them by hand.

What ideas do you ladies have? Any input appreciated.

Watson

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Wow, that is some major damage. There is a really good book I have in my library:
https://www.amazon.com/Quilt-Restora.../dp/0939009838
If you are serious with this commitment, I suggest you get this book. She has excellent instructions. Mostly what you can do is applique over the damaged area. This is not going to be an easy task. I can tell that some of the damage has been done by mice. That star block is going to be very hard. Good Luck!

To buy that book here in Canada is $38.00 and only $4.00 in the US. Crazy.
Watson

What if you covered the entire quilt with a very sheer, see-through fabric & then quilt it all over to hold it in place.
You would be able to see the block designs but keep the quilt together without too much work.

My sister-in-law had a quilt that looks like a lot like yours except it was made with octagonal 2 1/2" pieces and triangles. I, first went looking for feedsack fabrics and small flowers/dots/circles, etc. Then I gently took out each piece that was frayed, broken, holey, etc. Then, I used the "sick" pieces and made paper patterns and then found the fabric that was the closest that I could find in my fabrics plus the ones I purchased. Yes, it took me a good 6 weeks to repair this valued quilt for n 81 year old and she was thrilled. Here are a 3 pictures for you.

You are in for a major task. If you had not given some background I would have said it is not worth repairing. Do you know why others have declined doing the work. Do you know her expectations for the repair. Are you able to meet those expectations. I urge you do some heavy research on repairing old quilts before making a commitment. Emotions can develop if the owner expects a "like new" repaired quilt and it doesn't happen. Personally I would not take on the work it appears to require.

I agree that it will be a lot of work, and the key question is -- to what end? Is the desire to make it usable again? If so, I think it's not realistic. Even if you applique new fabrics over the most frayed, other portions of the quilt will start to fall apart.

If it's to just stabilize what is, and accept that it's heavily damaged, then i think the bridal tulle technique is the best option. If the hope is to have a keepsake of this relative, I think what I would do would be to photograph the quilt, individual blocks and the entire thing. Then I would stabilize with tulle and all over quilting. then I would cut portions that are in fairly good shape and make wall hangings, pillows, table toppers, or other items that would not take a lot of abuse, and I would make the salvaged portions up into those keepsake items. They would make nice gifts for family members who remember her, along with a collection of photos of the original quilt.

Layer with tulle, front and back. The quilt cannot be used but can be preserved this way. If you repair it, it will look repaired not antique.

Her expectations are just to hold it together and keep it from further damage from hanging pieces. She knows it's not going to be "like new".
I think anything I do will make her happy.
I'll have to research this some more and figure out how to do the bridal tulle technique.

Thanks for all the input.

Watson