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Thread: Old Quilts

  1. #1
    twnkeyes's Avatar twnkeyes is offline Senior Member
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    Default Old Quilts

    I have been given 8 hand stitched, very old quilt tops. They are mainly crazy quilts. They are in amazing condition. My question is this, what would you all suggest I do with them as far as finishing them? I do not hand stitch anything but the binding on my quilts. Do I dare select backing and give them to my machine quilter? I'm wanting to hang them on our big ranch house wall but what would they look like unfinished? I'm at a loss and would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

  2. #2
    rebeccas-sewing's Avatar rebeccas-sewing is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Old Quilts

    Go for it, Twnk! Get them quilted. You'll be glad you did. You don't want to hang them unfinished.
    Rebecca in Baarn, Netherlands by way of Orange County, CA.

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    Sandy Navas's Avatar Sandy Navas is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Old Quilts

    I agree with Rebecca. You will never be sorry. I have a tendency to buy old quilts whenever I can - nothing of real value except that I love them. I do, so much, need to finish up some that I 'believe' my maternal grandmother started.

    I don't intend to usurp your thread, but this is a good place to relate a couple things that happened yesterday while out shop-hopping with my sister. We were in a shop and had to detour around a couple women who were looking at an ancient quilt top - all scrappy and hand-pieced. The woman, who brought it in for advice on what to do with it, explained that many of the fancier fabrics from the 1800's had metal in them so they would rustle when the women walked or danced. She said that the metal in the fabrics on this quilt were rusting and the quilt was disintegrating. I found that very interesting . . . not being an expert on old fabrics.

    The other thing - over the past weekend I changed from our winter bedding to the summer bedding and pulled out a different quilt to put on the bed. I keep my old quilts in those large plastic zippered bags like you can buy bedding in. So the bag I brought down from the closet had a Sunbonnet Sue that I know I got when we cleaned out Mom's house. BUT there was also another quilt that I truly don't remember ever seeing before. I probably bought it at a thrift store because I often do that. Anyway, it is about 3 inch hexis, 30's or 40's vintage fabric with white offsets. All hand pieced and hand quilted and bound. Here's the strange part. One of the shops we visited yesterday (over 80 miles from here) had the 'sister' quilt on display. I was completely blown away. Now I need to make a trip back there with my quilt and check the fabric matches. Needless to say, there is no label - didn't ask them if they knew the source of theirs . . .
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  4. #4
    quilter.martha's Avatar quilter.martha is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Old Quilts

    I would have those old quilts quilted, but done by hand. I love machine quilting, but it is more modern looking, and if those quilts were pieced by hand, I'd follow with hand quilting. I think it'd be a shame to ruin the antiqueness of them with machine quilting. Don't know what it would cost though. Maybe it's time to learn how to hand quilt???
    When life throws you scraps, make a quilt!

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    BellasQuilts's Avatar BellasQuilts is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Old Quilts

    I think either finishing by hand or machine is good if they get used and displayed. Cherish and show them off!
    Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.
    Maya Angelou

    ~Megan~

  6. #6
    cyndiofthevortex's Avatar cyndiofthevortex is online now Senior Member
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    Default Re: Old Quilts

    If you want to keep the value of these quilts, I would ask a quilt shop owner to recommend an appraiser. I know that many old quilts lose their value when quilted, even by hand. I think it would be worth the cost to have them appraised before you change them in any way.

    Cyndi

  7. #7
    twnkeyes's Avatar twnkeyes is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Old Quilts

    Thank you all for your advise!

  8. #8
    Bubby's Avatar Bubby is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Old Quilts

    Twink....I think I would have one quilted and see how it looks. You would be able to see if you want to pursue having the rest of them quilted. Maybe a local church group could hand quilt one for you. It would be worth looking into. I've also seen a lot of tied crazy quilts...maybe a possibility? Barb

  9. #9
    Quiltlover's Avatar Quiltlover is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Old Quilts

    All good advice and ideas. Personally, I like the look of handquilted old quilts, so if that is a possibility, I'd do that. The idea of tying them is also something I would like. Do what suits your style and preference. I would do something to hellp stabilize a quilt before I hung it, though, because the old fabric would need that extra strength to hold up the weight without damaging it.
    Would love to see pics of them. I also collect the old ones I can afford. Sometimes they are meant to be my springboard for a replica. I have two that I realllllly want to try to copy. One has the most wonderful stars in old black, offwhites, and browns...a very neutral quilt with a bit of reddish fabric here and there. And the other one is of very large spools in blacks, browns, and reds. It isn't even very clean and is falling apart but I absolutely looooovvvvve it. Have to make one like each of them when I can find similar fabrics. Some I haven't found anything close enough to purchase.....might be very old fabric.

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