Unbelievable find - next steps
 

Soooooooo....

‘’for better or worse I bought my unbelievable find for 30 bucks. Now I need help figuring out how to repair and finish it. It has two rips, this one being the worst:
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‘I was thinking I need to patch then mend or mend then patch. I’m not going to replace the hexes unless I really need to. The second R.I.P. is dead center in this king size beast.

second issue is how the heck to get borders on this thing. There are two problems, first, some of the blocks are really frayed (I just fray checked all the white edges). How do I deal with that? Second, the top and bottom don’t have a straight edge, they have the hexi shape

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Any and all all help is greatly appreciated!

ps. The little cuddle bug is Cash, he always likes to be in on whatever I’m doing.

Be daring and replace the damaged pieces - I think the only way to repair them is to either use the same shade of fabric underneath with a double-sided fusible or applique a star or something on the top.
For the borders I just used a 5" wide strip of fabric, folded the edges of the hexies under, and appliqued over the border - used soluble glue instead of pinning.
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Repairs on this is way above my skill set, so no advise, but just had to say that Cash is a darling little pup!! :)

I would remove the damaged pieces and replace them.

I would replace the pieces with holes and I would make all outer edges straight edges and just apply a regular straight striped of border. The edges of the hexagons on the outer edges are way too frayed to be used

Now you know why so many GFG's were left unfinished!!

Remove the torn pieces and replace them. It is just tedious but can be done. You can mark the seam allowances on the replacement fabric so you have the stopping points. Starch the pieces and/or use freezer paper. It's one seam at a time. You can do this!

Trim off the hex edges and remove any frayed edges even if you lose a little of the design. Stay stitch around the whole quilt. Press again and then add straight borders.

It's a beautiful quilt and certainly deserves your time and attention to compete it.

Your side kick is a cutie!

I agree with replacing the hexes, but I would use a facing to preserve the hexagonal shape all around the edge of the quilt. It's just too pretty to change to a straight edge.

What is Hexie size? Easy to remove and replace. Use epp method. Go to YouTube for ideas on how to finish the edges and border (if desired).....

I personally would match the fabric since it looks like that would be doable and replace them. If you really don't want to do that, patch them but put a saying on it. You know how the Amish have those sayings about no quilt is perfect. Even one that represents a patch saying ouch. Something. Let us know what you do

If you are using money, time, and effort to finish this quilt-- why have repaired holes in it? You can't magically make that fabric whole again. If you applique over it, it will just be a bandage. If you replace it, it could look like normal patch work, where a person used scraps of fabric that didn't exactly match. That's okay, it's often done! I'd choose a red that looks similar and it would be a satisfactory solution.

The border is your choice, use your own preference. Besides cutting the edge straight then sewing on the border strip, or appliqueing the top over the border strip, you can also use the method where you face the hexies. Here's a tutorial if you haven't seen that way yet. http://faeriesandfibres.blogspot.com...uilt-with.html

I think the best way to repair is to remove the hexies and replace. You probably will be more content if you just replace instead of covering it up.

I would remove the damaged pieces and replace them. As to the edges—if two edges have already been trimmed to straight (the sides), then trim the other two straight so that they match.

I have not done any quilt patching. Sorry I can't help.

Just remember it is yours repair however you want. I would go with easy.

If it only has 2 rips, then I would agree with most of the other posters and replace the hexies. That wouldn't be a very big job, and the result would be the best.

Applique replacement pieces over the torn ones. I've heard that a quilt is dated from the newest fabric, and that worn patches should remain to confirm that it has been mended.
I finished off an apple-core quilt by laying the border under the edges and stitching down a narrow bias strip, so Gay's suggestion of folding under hexagon edges sounds good to me.

Those few pieces would be easy to just remove and replace with similar fabric. IMHO, I don't think it has to be a perfect match. repairs are part of the history of the quilt.

You can cut the bottom and top edges to be straight also, just like the sides. As far as the fraying edge, I would use a strip of light weight iron on interfacing around the edge, maybe about two inches wide. Then finish with border/s of your choosing. The interfacing will not interfere with finishing.

What a great find. I love to do this kind of work on found treasures. Keep us posted as you progress with this project.
peace

Happy to see this post. I have a GFG that my husband's grandmother or great grandmother (he doesn't know for sure which) pieced. I was wondering how I might finish it. Now I have some suggestions on how to go about it. Thanks.

I've done this before, I appliqued over the damaged hexi with a hexi of similar color, I did not use a border but I just put binding on it, you can trim the frayed edges and put a white binding on them.

Have done a wall hanging this way & I like it. Now I think I will do the throw size pieces that I have done all by hand the same way. Then I will have the problem of how to quilt them. THANK YOU for sharing this idea.

i think I could try this, it will take forever but it’s the option I understand the best.

i didn’t know that but I’m not a bit surprised. The top and bottom are left with a different edge than the sides.

I think you guys are right, I need to try to replace the ripped hexes. They are all in the red fabric which is cotton and solid, how hard could it be? (Famous last words)

the hexes are about three inches give or take, they are not all exact although the seam allowance are remarkably consistent, and the whole thing was done by hand. I feel a little sheepish taking it to my machine but finished is better than perfect.

I think hand sewing would be better than the machine for this project. Even if you are not practiced in hand stitching it would be easier.

If you un-sew the bad hexies you can make a template and have the perfect size you need. There are lots of videos on how to make hexies out there. They are not hard to make.

keep us posted.
peace