When is a quilt ready to be "retired"?
 

With the craze/fad for "worn looking" jeans - how badly worn does a quilt have to be, before one can "comfortably" say "it's had it and is no longer serviceable"?

How do you send a quilt that has given long and faithful service "over the rainbow bridge"?

If ever?

Do you have a farewell ceremony?

Just wondering - I see a lot of requests for renovations for quilts that are in literal shreds.

(I am not talking about a faded spot, or a small tear that is comparatively easily fixed or overlooked.)

I think it depends on the value of the quilt--historical, sentimental or a unique quality. If it is a utilitarian quilt that is not practical to restore or provide useful parts (parts can be used in many creative ways), it should likely be retired the same as other worn out fabric items--to the garbage with whatever farewell ceremony you feel appropriate.

Timely thread, Bear. I just donated about a dozen old quilts to a shelter. At one time I thought I would "fix" them but have lost interest for the most part. Some really needed too much work and I'd rather focus on other things. But they weren't so far gone that they were unusable to someone who just needs warmth.
I always bury my furkids in quilts- and some haven't been old :)
I have a quilt that has a date of 1855 on it and it was so heavily quilted that it's still "alive". But it looks awful. Not sure what to do with it.
I have a pristine one dated 1866 that is so gorgeous I'm afraid to use it!!
I love antique quilts!!!!!!!!!

i was thinking that the threadbare quilt on my bed should be replaced. but i love the pattern and it would take me forever to replicate it. and it was a cheap store bought, foreign made quilt from 20 years ago. so for now, it stays on my bed.

I feel you are emotionally attached to a worn-out quilt, you could pick a section that is in the best shape, and cut it out and frame it before throwing the rest away. That way you still have the reminder of the quilt you loved without the worry of maintenance.

My DD's baby quilt was transformed into a stuffed dinosaur for her son. It was faded and thread bare. I stitched it to another fabric as backing to give it some stability. After 23 years as Spike he is still around. Now another quilt made for another GS was requested to be repaired. After I saw a hole the size of a dinner plate I said no. Look in the cedar chest for a new one. He just kept the ragged one as is.

Bear,

I just gave a quilt a new grandma and included a letter about making it for her. My request was that someday the quilt would be tattered and torn.

My only worn quilt isn't going anywhere, except in pieces. It's totally hand made for me by my grandmother. I used it so much it wore out. She was so happy to have someone use a quilt that she made me a new one with a different pattern. They both have fabrics from dresses she made for me when I was a child. I am framing okay pieces of the tattered quilt. One for me and one for each child who wants one.

Had some small quilts that wore out; folded in half (more holes in than out) and sewed over the double layer to use for dog blankets. You could also just fold a quilt to suitable size and make a durable envelope for it, to use as dog bed or picnic cushion. At the very end, there are places that recycle old unwearable/unusable fabrics into fiber.