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

I have a friend that loves to work on pieces like these.. She has a stash of 30's, 40's fabric to repair antiques. She takes the torn/frayed off and matches a fabric to replace it and then she quilts it.

I have seen quilts that have been in the trash can at yard sales (they gave it to her) that she has repaired.. Some she has had to make smaller and some that have been made as wall hanging. Her work is about $250. - $600. depending on how much you want done.

A number of years ago I repaired a quilt that belonged to a couple who were friends of mine. To them it was a special quilt as it had been given to them from a church group when they left the church. It was not nearly as bad as the one you showed but I did take out the "bad" pieces and matched fabric as best I could. Found a yellow that was almost an exact match. Then I removed the torn fabrics and quilted stitches that were on that fabric and hand sewed the new pieces in the empty spots. Then I quilted the new pieces just as the old ones had been. Surprisingly it turned out quite well and the couple were very pleased. I did tell them not to actually use it as it would not be strong enough to withstand use or washing. It all depends on how much time and effort you want to put into it and whether you could actually find similar fabrics for replacement. Good luck no matter what you decide.

I once saw a quilt show that featured just what you have described. Unless my feeble memory has deserted me, most of the quilt experts were from the Library of Congress.

Watson, my SIL also brought me a quilt made by her g-ma that was very tattered and worn--much like the one you are dealing with. Before I saw the quilt, she was saying probably just needed binding--but wow! So she and I took her quilt to a LQS where the owner collects and rehabs old quilts. Here's what she told us: 1) think about how you plan to use it--like someone else said, repairing the tattered and worn parts may fix them but the rest of the quilt will soon be in the same shape 2) if you repair all that needs repair, you basically will be replacing the quilt. What she suggested is that we carefully clean it with a product like Restore and wash in the bathtub(I always put in a plastic laundry basket to swish it up and down and then remove still in the basket--it keeps the weight off the seams) and then lay out flat to dry. Then fold so the greatest amount of damage is non-visible and make sure there's no further sun or smoke(cigerette) damage. We decided not to use the tulle overlay as she's not putting it on a hanger, etc. Good luck!

It looks like a lot of work for what end. A friend had her finished quilt ruined by mice. They had eaten holes in the quilt. She took months to repair each hole with backing batting and top fabric to keep the pattern . The quilt was for her brother who thought it was a very funny and loved the quilt. You are taking on just as much, how will it be received in the end?

I did this before. every flower looked like this:
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...psqa2oe0lk.jpg

The whole quilt looked like this:
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...psouotzt3c.jpg

I bought turkey red fabric that looked similar to what degraded and needle turn -appliqued it over top of the degraded flower petals. It turned out perfect. It was not hard.

If it happened in the middle of the white, I may have covered the spot with tulle and darned it, but i would never encase the whole quilt in tulle.

I think I have very similar fabric to the degraded "S" you could have.

I might have the pink flowers, I do not have the yellow.

This is EXACTLY what I would do to mend this. I have done something similar on two quilts where the fabric was just disintegrating...I did not remove the old pieces, but used them as a basis for template which I hand appliquéd on top of the damaged area. if there was quilting inside that area, I mimicked that, quilting from the back to follow the original stitches...........Both quilts were saved.

QuiltingHaven, what a fabulous quilt. It must have felt great to save it. Does anyone know what this pattern is called?

I had some old quilts that my g'ma made and they were tattered and torn because they had been used.

Knowing why she wants it repaired is important info. If it is just to salvage something gma made, options are different.

I bought a pattern for a stuffed bear and i cut up the old quilts from my grandma and gave the bears to my mom and each of her brothers (4 of them). Each bear has a tag on it w/ the story and the request to pass the bear down to future generations. Actually, the tattered quilts worked really well in the stuffed bears.

If you live near the border perhaps you could have it shipped to a Post office box and then go pick it up. Bringing it across the border personally is a lot cheaper than having it shipped over.

I have repaired several old quilts that were deteriorating or had mouse holes clean through them. Just lovingly handle each area and don't be in a rush.

The most important thing I would recommend to you is that you use old, soft fabrics to do the repairs... fabrics from old clothing. New fabrics would be ghastly on a quilt like this and would stand out like a sore thumb. If you can't find old fabrics that would work, at least use something like cotton lawn which is thinner and softer than regular quilting cottons.

It's definitely worth saving, but I wouldn't plan to ever wash this quilt again. It should be on display only... bed, wall or hanging draped over something.

First, I would use a fusible web (wonder under lite, etc) to bring as many tears together as you can...won't be perfect, but the idea is to get the quilt to lay as flat & nice as you can (pressing will help, doing it as you repair/fuse the tears). Then... Tule ...I get tule in an eggshell or ecru color...spray baste the top of the quilt (hold can at least 2 feet away from the quilt..Lay the tule (netting) onto the quilt...letting the spray baste hold it in place and quilt over the tule. I used a simple meander, about 2-4" apart. The spray baste will disappear...so be aware of that. This can be done on a quilt frame & without the spray baste, but you have to be very careful to not snag the tule. Once the tule is on the quilt...you will only see it if you look closely...if hung on a wall, or just laid out on an unused bed...this holds up fine. I have also used organza ...but it leaves a sheen and does show slightly.

I was asked to repair a very old quilt too; luckily the gentleman just wanted me to "sew patches over the bad areas". I could not do that. I picked out the bad places and got a jelly roll of 30's reproductions and stitched them in. Then hand quilted over the areas I had to tear out. He was thrilled with it. It did take time, yes, but I felt better doing it that way than patching it. I didn't rush to do it and he wasn't in a hurry. He loved the outcome. Good luck.

Wishing you good luck and be sure and show us a picture when you finish! Is a treasure!!

I have repaired several antique quilts with tulle. I merely put it over the quilt and then quilt it down. Lay another strip to butt up to the one you first down. Lightly that one down. Honestly, you can hardly see the tulle, the original design shows through, and she will have the quilt to keep.

Well I've read through this whole posting... IMHO quilts are made to be used even to the point of using up. There is too much work for me to consider repairing something that could only be looked at. I get that it is interesting to have something very old made by someone maybe very precious to you ...
Mom kept two quilts made by her mother all through her marriage and never used them. They were given to me when mom passed... I kept looking at them and finally figured that grandma made them to be used and that she didn't put that much work into something to be looked at. One was a log cabin and the other a double wedding ring - both from scraps. I'm proud to say I used them up and thought of grandma everyday.

Perhaps this story will help you come up with your own solution. My DD approached me with her hand tied quilt made by my grandmother...it was a very simple flannel quilt made with squares, no batting and a flannel backing. It showed years of treasured wear and tear from the time she got it as a very little girl. She also took it to college and used it as a "TV quilt." Some seams had come apart and some squares were literally in shreds. The backing was very thin and tattered.

I purchased a flannel fabric with a wintery forest print, loaded it on my midarm frame, put down a very soft batting, gently put the tattered quilt on the backing, arranged the pieces together as well as I could, and layered the softest tulle on top of it. Small meandering was done through all the layers before I bound the quilt with the same flannel as the backing. This way, the sweet character of the quilt was preserved on the front. My daughter continues to treasure the quilt. It was a labor of love to remember the loving connection between my grandmother and my daughter.

As a footnote, my son also had a quilt from my grandmother and he asked me to fix it, too, smile. It was worn a little differently, and I was able to repair the squares, put the quilt on a new backing and quilt it. It continues to be a treasure, too.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

So far, I have used fusible web under all the sticky-uppy edges and that has already made a huge difference. The two places where whole blocks have almost come away, I will habd stitch down and the 3 blocks that are beyond either of those I will use the tulle.
Or do you use the tulle over the entire thing? And can you machine quilt over it?

Here's a block I've repaired so far. I'll still do a serpentine quilt over the seams.
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Wow, what a great repair job you did on that block. I can hardly believe it is the same block except of course for the fact that it has the same fabric and design. If all the repairs that you do look anything like this one, your sister is going to be thrilled. Seriously!!! Thanks for keeping this thread going so that we can see how it all works out. I will certainly continue to follow along so as to find out what techniques you use and how they work out for my future reference. Good luck with the rest of it.

I found a quilt top only (Dresden plate top ) from my husband's grandmother she had made before she passed away in 1932-1933. When I unfolded it some of the creases just disintegrated so fragile. We want it viewable for our sons and children. I like the see through covering idea. Then I plan to secure top to new fabric to secure it more , I am hoping.

maybe someone in US can buy, then mail to you...would that be less expensive?

Watson, if you'd like, I could buy the book and mail it to you if that would be a cheaper option.

Providing you want the book that is :)

Just saw Geri's post.

Great minds, Geri....great minds :)

Redstilettos, I have a PO box in the US. I think I am going to order it and have it sent there, then I'll just pick it up the next time I get there.
Thanks for your kind offer!

Watson

What does the backing look like? Is that also torn and/or very fragile?

In the spirit of "Done is better than perfect", it's done.

It took fusible web, tulle, hand stitching and machine quilting and I did have to do a patch job on the border that I'm not thrilled with, but for the most part I'm happy with how it turned out. I'm surprised at how well the tulle blends in and it will hold all the moth eaten bits of fabric from falling away further. I'm giving it to my sister this afternoon. I hope she's pleased with it.

Watson
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wow! that looks amazing!

Wow! You did an amazing job on that!

Your sister should worship the ground you walk on for the repair/restoration work you did on that quilt.