I love watching the conversations on this board. There are too many to keep up with. But everyone is so friendly and helpful. I just wanted to say thank you.

Now, I have a quilt top that DH grandmother made 30 years ago, then after a fire 17 yrs ago and bad washing decisions, an amish friend quilted it.
Now the fabric is falling apart. Because of who made it and the history of it, I hate to just throw it out. What would you do with it?
My kids don't really want it, and DH said whatever I decide is ok.

I would recover it and use it again

My niece has one like that, it was my sisters growing up and now her daughther has it, its in rough shape, so its keep on the back of a chair as decoration in her daughters room which would be my sisters granddaughter. Nice room decor.

I have seen pieces of old quilts framed and also made into teddy bears,etc., or display it in one of those glass top coffee tables

I have one that grandma called her "Everyday quilt". It was on their bed everyday of the year which meant that it got washed at least 24 times a year maybe more even though she used it as a bedspread unless company was coming. It's the same way with just bits of the original blocks around the quilted edge. I wouldn't part with it for anything. I put it on the back of a chair, or folded on top of a blanket chest. I also threaten with bodily harm anyone that might think to use it.

I had to put mine away that were old and frail. If I left them out DH would use them. He just couldn't understand why I didn't want them used as he sat with his toes poking thru the hole in the quilt.

i had a couple quilts that my grandmother had made and they were used and tattered and torn. I turned them into teddy bears and gave one to my mom and each of her 4 brothers. You can also frame them.

I did a zigzag on the seams of mine that was falling apart. It gets put on the wall in the winter time to help insulate the mobile home we live in.

My Aunt gave my mother a very old and very loved quilt. She didn't know what do do with it. I suggested a jacket. There was enough to make 2 jackets, so I got 1 of them. It is my favorite jacket. I get compliments every time I wear it. It was quilted onto a sweatshirt, very warm. Mom didn't wear hers, so I got it. It is like having my aunts arms around me every time I wear it. She is very special to me.

You could also make some darling pillows in different shapes and still have the quilt in a different shape and use.

Mine had the seams come apart, no holes in it. It is the first quilt I ever made. Wasn't sure I would like quilting so used some cheap sheets for the material. Some of the fabrics wore better than others. We used it on our bed for a long time and I'm still quilting.

I have a few of those quilts too. I display them in a glass case that is made for quilts. They are so lovely all folded and stacked and easily viewed.

I would try to display it somehow, either folded in a bookcase, shelf, or something like that. Those old ones still look beautiful!

If I had made it, I'd use it for the dogs then pitch it when it was worn out. But I have one my grandmother made for me completely by hand that I wore out using as a bedspread. I have decided to cut it up and use part of it under my 'new' vintage sewing machine. It will remind me of my precious grandmother daily. It doesn't do that in the closet. More sections will be framed for my children to have. I may make my oldest daughter a pillow for her new house. Rebuilding after a fire means everything in the house is new and this one was an antique collector. She needs some things with some history.

Hand wash - hang dry - have your friend patch it. Then get a quilt hanger & use it as 'wall art'! That's what I've done with a few from our family. ( Nice insulators on outside walls too! )

I have two very old and worn family quilts that I've folded with the good parts showing and displayed in a cabinet. They are nice to see and a stranger would not know they are very worn. I also have old quilts cut up and used in a variety of ways--these have all been purchased from others or have been given to me as gifts. Not knowing their history there is no sentimental attachment but I do wonder how they came to be and enjoy looking at them.

One of my great grandmother's quilts had bad spots so my mom had angels made from the good parts and gave them to all of us great grands. I love mine! I loved my grannie.

I knew I could count on you all for some wonderful ideas, Thank You!
The pillows and wall art sound like the best for me to do.
What kind of frame would you use, I am on a limited budget.
Would you put glass over it or ???.
I do things from a pattern ok but not just coming up with the ideas.

My brother in law has a quilt that his grandmother made for him as a baby, it was very well used and mostly in shreds. He wanted to save some part of it because of the sweet memories he has of it. I took it and cut out a large heart shape and am blanket stitching around it to applique it onto a background- about 18"x24"-then will embroider a verse pertaining to gradmothers, around the heart shaped quilt. I also want to add a picture of he and his grandmother and either frame them together or make a shadow box for it. One more idea.

There will be no glass on my framed quilt portions. I will go to Goodwill or Salvation Army and look for some good sized wooden frames. I have a couple now, but I have five children. If the mats aren't usable, I can get acid free foam core board at a art supply store or probably a scrapbooking store. I will frame a piece of the quilt, then place another piece with the pretty lilac border diagonally across one corner or straight down one side.

When I walked through my family room after my last post, I saw the perfect frame. I bought it at Merchandise Outlet for very little, threw away the giraffe picture and painted the frame red with gold overtones. It's a perfect size, simple, not too wide. I can save the plastic inserts for future quilting templates. I won't need to paint the frames for my children - at least not red for the lilac trimmed quilt.

I have a very old, sad, and ragged quilt my grandmother made for my mother. When Mother passed, I found it in her belongings. I just could not bring myself to throw it away. I like the idea of using it as batting for a new quilt. Now I have to decide who will get this treasure. Thanks for the ideas.

becca, the quilt pattern that your kitty is sleeping on is one that I have, the edges are all tattered and even in places the interior cotton is showing thru, that's how much use it has had, is my DH favorite quilt. Mom made it when I was young and that has been really long time ago...love this pattern and am going to make it SOMEDAY, when I finish what is already started....love this website...memepeggy

I have a similar one...it hangs above the bed, for sentimental reasons only and no one hardly ever goes in the bedroom, not that it is ugly it is well worn.

I'd take a section & have it framed. Put a note with the quilts history on the back & maybe a picture of the grandmother & the full quilt.Good luck with your decision.

I have one of those old family heirloom quilts, too, in tatters. I was going to cut it up and frame for some nieces, but now I am thinking I might make pillows for them instead. Thanks for the idea!

Christmas stockings. There is probably enough there to make lots of them to share with other family members. They come out once a year so won't become worn from use in today's time period but "Grandma" will be with you every Christmas to share the holiday. A good time to share memories of her with those who didn't get to be part of her life.

I'd like to see the angel that was made from a tattered quilt, please.

When I quilted that antique quilt top given to me by my 90-year-old neighbor, made by her mother, who helped deliver me in 1947....people asked WHAT I was going to do with that quilt now??? I said, "put it on my bed, it has been in a cedar chest LONG ENOUGH!" I think that one which might be coming apart, I would do like some others, I would put it on a quilt rack and display it. If it is "out of sight", it will be "out of mind"!

This is perfect timing. I pulled the two quilts that I have that were my grandmothers out this weekend. I wanted to do something with other than have in cedar chest. I have see through coffee and end tables I am trying to work something out. then I remembered the quilt my granny made for my son. It is a beautiful crib size quilt well used I so much more appreciate the hand quilting now that i have taken up quilting. I have it laying over the twin bed in my spare bed room now but I love your idea.

I have 2 of these that DH grandmother made so they must be at least 60 or 70 years old. Will be watching this one to read all the ideas so I can finally diecide on the right thing to do with them. Right now I have them in bags in the closet.

I put mine in a picture frame...had to buy a SQUARE framed (w/ glass) picture that matched the size I needed. After removing the original picture I lay the square inside and put the backing on as usual.

I saw one at the LQS that has just a PART of the original square in a regular portrait frame --- it gave me the inspiration to frame mine.

I wanted something plain, not ornate, so it would not detract from the picture since it was from a VICTORY QUILT from WWII.

I used mine as batting for another quilt I made and wrote on the back of the new quilt that there was a 'surprise inside' and wrote the name and the date of the old quilt. This way I was able to recycle it, it was protected inside the new quilt and someone may actually look 100 years down the road to see whats inside!

I am repairing our vintage quilts. Fabric completely worn (they have been well used and loved for many, many yeaars)so I am replacing many blocks. I can leave some of the original blocks. On the ones that were not to badly worn I use a very light weight fusible interfacing. The binding, batting, and backing are all good. While I remember most of the fabric in these quilts, my girls do not. Therefore, I am replacing those fabrics with ones from my Mothers scrap box and they do remember many of these fabrics. They will still be Grannie's quilts just repaired so they can be used again.

I had someone give me a Santa that had been made out of a well used quilt.

I am restoring a 40 year old quilt. It was a gift from Mom to my oldest son. She died just after this. I have made all new blocks the same pattern and in his favorite colors. He always wraps up in this quilt when he does not feel well. They were very close and he could not bear to throw it away. I will finish it very soon and surprise him with the new one. Did I say the old one is inside the new one? Would not want to leave out all of her Love she put into it Just my idea. Marvel

I made a 16" Fabric Angel. Pattern by Plum Creek Collectibles, Pattern #124. Designer Tammy DeYoung. I made three angels from an old family quilt for my three sisters.

I have a paper-backed quilt top my grandmother started in 1932 as far as we can make out on the paper. I wanted to preserve it with part of the paper backed pieces showing. I had it framed so that it is waterproof, moisture & you name it. It can now be passed on down in the family. Linda

I've heard of people using old,used quilts as batting in another quilt.

My daughter brought me a quilt that she got when her gmom died. she loved to to death. I cut out the usable parts, sewed them together, and made her a teddy bear. I made flowers out of what was left. I will applique them on another quilt for her.

If you can make a top similar to it, use it for the batting in a duplicate