Grandma's quilt
#1
Grandma's quilt
I was given a box that contained a quilt that my grandmother and her 5 sisters put together when they were young. The box was kept on the floor of an old shed - the quilt is in sad shape. I do hand quilting and want to begin repairing and restoring this. Fabric is pretty worn, thin and very stained in places. I'm looking for ideas on removing the stains.
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 19,127
I think you need to repair it first and then attempt to remove the stains. There are plenty of previous post if you use the Advance search (located in the green bar to the far right). Good Luck and welcome to the board.
#3
I haven't used it yet, but Cindy Needham recommends Retro Clean for cleaning vintage fabrics. Depending on the stage of construction, I would try to clean the fabrics first. If it still looks really sad, don't feel like you have to finish the project. Keep it in its present state (although cleaned up a bit) or give it a proper burial. Not all projects have to be finished, as evidenced by the 6 sisters leaving this one in a box for all those years. Perhaps you could save just parts of the quilt and quilt and frame them as gifts to other family members.
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: oregon
Posts: 1,371
Try retro clean...just soak fabric in a tub with the retroclean...sometimes it takes 5 days. I have ironed a light weight fusible on the back of fragile fabrics...and then carried on. Sounds as if this will be a wall hanging.
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Horse Country, FL
Posts: 7,341
Retro Clean for the stains is the way to go, as others have said. I used it in a plastic storage bin and placed it outdoors in the sun (needs heat to be activated). I did one quilt, then another, then another...using the same water and solution. While the cost seemed high, being able to get all the stains out of all the projects that needed attention was worth it.
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