Jane Quilter

Ok, I got one. The wife of my daughters varsity coach in college as ask me if I would restore an old antique quilt she had. Trying to gently squirm out of it I said, gosh , you live in Williamsburg VA, home of antique quilt museam and restoration why don't you get them to do it?. Oh, they charge too much, and I don't want it done THAT good. Now, my daughter was on scholarship, with her husband controlling who gets it or not each year. I was trapped, or tricked, or abused...don't know which, but I did it. My LQS had a boLt of Turkey red that resembled the damaged fabric. I did it, the points were a bear. To bad I didn't take an After picture. It was a beauty when it was done. The sad part was, I barely got an unenthusiastic "thank-you", when I was done. But my daughter did stay on
scholarship all 4 years and our quilt club got a good story to tell, and every time some one had to fix anything on a quilt they were working on and began to mumble, some one would say, "oh, I don't want it THAT good" LOL.

quiltsRfun

I have one right now that's been waiting for several years. It was made by a deceased grandmother for my SIL's girls so I know how precious it is. It was a simple quilt made with no piecing. Just front and back fabric birthed and tied. But there's a very large spot in the center that's worn and shredded. I have a plan to split it into two quilts (one for each granddaughter) and cover the worn spots with appliqué. It will also need additional machine quilting to stabilize the quilt. But I'm really nervous to tackle this project so I keep putting it off. They probably think they'll never get it back.

Homespun

Oh, my, what a job! God bless you!

linda8450

An acquaintance of mine recommended me to a friend of hers to assist with some antique quilt tops. I am in a guild, I love to make tops, not so much the quilting part. I told her I would look at them and give her advice or guide her to someone with more experience than I have. She was very laid back, made by a distant relative, no hurry, been on her shelf for 30 years or more. Needed batting, backing, quilting and binding. Ok, I can "wrangle" for her and get it done.

Wellll, she had washed the tops! Called to ask how to iron them! NO! Don't iron, press, up and down. Brought them to me on hangers and well pressed. Most of the mess of thread had been clipped. A few squares needed repair.
All four were string pieced on the bias! Some were large squares, some 3", Not a one was square! Borders were wonky and wavy and didn't match the quilts at all on one of them. (I had removed the really bad border on one before quilting, will have to remove another 2" border that is smaller than the quilt and caused puckers on another)

I took them to LQS and we picked out backing and binding fabric, then took them to Long arm quilter and she did the best she could. I am going to do the binding myself. She gave me money up front, gave me a $50 tip and said keep whatever money was left over if any. Well, she was VERY generous!

I would do this again, and I have learned a lot more about quilting!

IrishgalfromNJ

Sounds like you did a nice job with your repairs.

I did a baby quilt for a family member that was quite a job but I was happy to do it and it turned out okay. Owner was thrilled with it. Here's the link to the thread with my story and a picture of the quilt. http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...d-t275374.html

meyert

thank you so much for your post... my sis asked me to fix a quilt that my brother in law's grandma made for him. Its quite the mess, but you know it's grandma's so they don't want to let it go

Now I have your experience to help me out

And IrishgalfromNJ I will read up on yours too

sewbizgirl

I think the person who made the crappy quilt should have had to fix it for her. But what you did was very sweet and admirable.

quiltingshorttimer

I definitely will not fix quilts! I've done some minor repairs on quilts that my sister gave us for wedding --hand quilted and hand stitched--but forget the 1/4" seams! Some gave way and had to be gently re-stitched. Ditto on a g-ma's FG that was made by my g-ma--a dog tore a couple of the hexies and I had to again gently ladder stitch together. So when my SIL asked for help refurbishing her g-mother's quilt, I asked to see it first and then took her to a LQS that specializes in antique quilts. We all agreed that cleaning with Restore very gently, laying flat to dry, then displaying folded on the end of bed out of sunlight was best idea! When people have these antique family quilts, do they really use them on their beds?

Reba'squilts

Generous of you to go to all that trouble. Happy for you that it is finished!

maviskw

I fix anything: farmers overalls, machine shop work shirts, snowmobile suits, wool mittens. I find it's a like a puzzle and I do my best to make anything usable again.

My son gave me the quilt his daughter and I had made for them. One side had quite disintegrated. About a 2 foot by 4 foot piece needed to be replaced. I actually found some of the fabrics still in my stash but had to find something "almost" matching for one border. I told him when he puts it back on the bed, be sure and put the new piece in the same place so that the wear is put on the new pieces. I don't want to do that again to the same quilt, and by the time these new pieces wear out, it will be time for a new quilt.