Lori S

What a beautiful treasure!! No idea on quilting , but just had to comment.

Debra Mc

OMG that is beautiful. I have some old squares with some of those same prints. My mom has some tops that were my great aunts & my grandmother's. I need to get them & try to quilt them. They would be about that old or older.

homecaregiver

I agree with all the comments on this lovely quilt and hand quilting will make it even more beautiful. I too would not wash it before quilting for the same reasons given, it could get damaged in the washing machine. If you could find a fabric of that period to put a border on then I think that would be alright but would take away from the antique quality. I too would put a unbleached muslin to back it and to bind it with. I have hand quilted many older quilts for other people and sometimes they are very fragile.

And how lucky you are to inherit this lovely piece of family history.

Pat
homecaregiver

carolynjo

Please DON"T wash the quilt until it is quilted! I am struggling to preserve two antique quilts for a friend. They were washed before he got them. They are so frayed and raveled now. I am merely adding a plain muslin backing, putting tulle on top, pulling the backing to the front to preserve the ragged edges and hope for the best. So, don't wash it until you have it quilted. Hope this helps.

Tweety2911

Ditto.

KathyKat

I wouldn't add a border because they didn't do that much in the past and i don't think it needs one. That quilt is really beautiful and what a treasure!. I also think muslin on the back would look good. Good luck with your hand quilting. That will really help it retain it's antique look.

Leota

I am hand piecing a quilt and it is not that hard... I can be productive when I'm not home and I know that I'll have a nice quilt in the end. :D to get nice even stitches, I use a light color chalk tracing paper, measure out 1/4 seam and trace using a pinwheel tracing wheel ...this gives me 1/8" stitches evenly spaced. after piecing several blocks, my hand/brain automatically does the 1/8" stitch :D

wolph33

awesome top

sewNso

it looks like we all treat our antique tops the same.
l. don't wash
2. hand quilt
3. use warm and natural batting
4. use the best and highest thread count muslin you can find for the backing. you have a beauty.

i stitched in the ditch on my saved antique quilt top. that way i could 'catch' any spots that needed to be quilted tighter. doesn't look like you will have that prob. congrats on your project.

grammyto2

No borders needed, hand quilt, thin cotton batting, and bleached muslin back would make this conform to the era it was made. Launder only after completely finished.