It's up to you, but in using it, it will eventually wear out. I don't use mine, but instead store them properly (no extremes of hot or cold like in an attic, not touching unfinished wood, etc.) When I initially got mine, all were dirty and all were first properly cleaned before being stored. I soak them in Restoration in either a bathtub or washing machine with absolutely no agitation, rinse and spin out twice with cool water and again, absolutely no agitation, line dry out of the sun.

You could stabilize the fragile parts by putting tulle over them. The benefit of this is that the tulle, if matched to the color it is covering, will be nearly invisible when finished. I have done this when repairing antique quilts.

It is not uncommon to see some fabrics disintegrating in older quilts. This was caused by certain dyes which destroyed the fabrics. Use tulle or some stabilizing fabric to prevent further damage and continue to enjoy the quilt.

Many comments about how long it must have taken to sew this quilt. I counted the blocks to see how many pieces of fabric make this quilt. The pattern is 49 x 51 blocks =2499 blocks. Half of those are four patch blocks so that's 1249 x 4 = 4996 patches + the 1250 solid blocks = 6249 pieces of fabric not including border and backing which is also pieced together. So....how many hours do you think it took to sew this, never mind cutting, etc?

I love your quilt!!!

But I have mixed feelings about it.

On one hand, I am sure there is a museum out there that would love to have your family quilt in their collection, especially if it is indeed from the mid 1800's and can be "verified". Or cherished by future family members as having been done by an ancestor.

But then I think of all the hours spent putting that quilt together with the thought that it would keep the family warm on cold nights. And then you posted your picture of it being used for just that purpose and I literally got goose bumps and then a warm glow in my heart.

Preserve it or use it, only you can decide.

What a treasure you have there. It's wonderful

Oh my, it is good thing I wasn't from the pioneer days because my family would have frozen to death before I got all those tiny little pieces cut out and hand sewed together. LOL

It is really a beautiful piece of art. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Wow what patients you have. This is wonderful!