Washing vintage quilts
 

I need to wash a GMFG quilt made in the 30s. With lots of turkey red fabrics. I have retro clean wash,but how do I keep the fabric from bleeding? I also have a quilt top made in 1900 that I'd like to hand quilt. The cat slept on it...would you wash it before you quilt it? Thanks!

Years ago red was made differently than it is done now. The formula was lost in the war. It should hold the color much better. You could test it in a small area to see if it bleeds. Retain is a market product many use on batiks these days to keep the colors from running.
I would not wash it before I quilted it though. I would take it out and hang it in the wind to air and give it a good shake. Perhaps use a lint brush to remove the remaining hairs. Then it would be good to give it a press from the back to align the blocks that were pressed out of place by the weight of the cat. You also have to wonder if the fabrics will shrink after washing and then it could be a real mess.

Francie, I suggest buying a box of Color Catchers and tossing three or four of them in whatever method you use to wash the quilt. I LOVE those things and they've never let me down. Good luck

http://museum.msu.edu/glqc/quiltcare.html

they tell you how to care for antique quilts, they don't recommend washing or ironing, but if you must they have instructions. Im sure there are other sites too that have recommendations.

Do not agitate in the washing machine! Only soak the quilt or quilt top (that means leave the lid open so it won't agitate). The move the dial to spin out the water. Refill with clean water (again, no agitation--lid open), soak and spin out. Repeat the same way for a second clean water rinse. Lay flat to dry ontop of a clean sheet or line dry, out of direct sunlight if possible.

I would NEVER wash a quilt before it has been quilted. Someone posted a photo over a week ago showing the mess that had happened when she washed her quilt top.