jeanequilts

I bought a partially hand quilted quilt. It is a mini trips around the world, made of older fabrics. Some look to be feed sack, but some are newer (1940's). It is about half way hand quilted with poly fiberfill in the middle, and the clinker is they used an old sheet on the back that is terribly stained. The stain is not on the front of the quilt. The quilt top colors are vibrant and bright. The hand quilting is not particularly good. I am tempted to take out the hand quilting to save the top and have it machine quilted with something like warm and natural in the middle and new backing. I have never hand quilted.
Sorry I cannot post a picture of the quilt. What do you think I should do? I do not know who made the quilt or any of it's history. I just bought it because I loved the bright colors, and I knew someone loved it a lot to make the top.

sharon b

I like your plan .. No reason not to take out the hand quilting and make it yours :thumbup:

CarrieAnne

I would also do that. That way you could get rid of the stained backing.

litacats

go for it girl you can only improve it

mlaceruby

I have done the same thing before!
yes just take it out and make a project you will be happy in displaying!

CorgiNole

Getting rid of the stain is reason enough for me to consider removing the hand stitching and quilting it in some fashion with a better background.

Have fun with it.

Cheers, K

dkabasketlady

Exactly what I would do too! Somebody else let it go, but you love it like it's your own so make it into something you want!!

oldswimmer

sounds like a good idea to me.

Quick story about stains... I had several quilt tops given to me by my MIL. Her mother or grandmother had pieced them. She didnt want them because of the stains. I took them to a lady to appraise them (from what is now the International quilt study Center in Lincoln) She explained that it was out of sheer necessity that they used the stained fabrics.... they couldnt afford anything else. I originally had thought it was stained after it was made, but she pointed out that the stains were in the seam allowances and were used that way anyway. She dated most of them to the thirties... the depression era. It gave me more of an appreciation for them. But I understand your situation with a backing... I think with a backing I might do the same thing. The piecing with stains I decided to leave alone... as to tell the real story of why the stains are there.

Show us a picture when you are done! Wishing you alot of success with your project!
Peggy

kathyd

If the hand quilting isn't "that good" I would say take it apart. Sounds like the batting and backing aren't as old as the top anyway (especially if it is a poly-fiberfill). You wouldn't be happy hand quilting through a sheet either. The thread count makes it tighter and you would just get flustered.
Please let us see the before and after pics. We on the board love to see those!
Good luck.

ersen

I would definitely pick out the stitching and get new batting and backing. For something that old, I would hand quilt it to keep the 40's look. Don't you just love quilts of that period!