Sync

The baby quilts I made for my nephew & niece, are going on 32 & 26 years. They were well used as they grew up and are still being used as couch quilts. Other than being a bit faded they are still in decent shape. Both were hand pieced, cotton batting and hand quilted.

ckcowl

Sometimes people think they need to launder their quilts often, weekly or more, or as often as their sheets, these quilts wear out pretty quickly. If a quilt is laundered once or twice a year they tend to hold up for many, many years.

Buckeye Rose

I have a very simple quilt that my grandmother made for me when I was very little....50+ years ago. It was just cotton squares for the top and a flannel backing brought to the front for binding (no batting). It was tied about 8" apart or so. No fancy fabrics, no fancy quilting. But it is still used on my bed all summer!

quilt1950

I made this quilt 9 years ago, as a wedding gift for my daughter. It's washed once a year, unless it gets soiled. No pets, but my grandson does have his 'quiet time' on this bed. I made it big enough to have a pillow tuck. They use it as a cover, and because it is so long, the top gets up against their faces.

So
--a lot of the quilting threads have broken, and the stitching has pulled out. I'm not sure why. The LQS that quilted it is now out of business, so I don't have anyone to ask, and really would not expect them to do anything after 9 years. So much of the stitching is missing it is not safe to wash the quilt without some repair work.
--the binding is getting worn, actually wearing through in places. They do rotate the quilt, top to bottom, and these are then edges showing the wear.
--the backing has a rip in it. I did patch this today. Not pretty, but it won't get worse.

The actual quilt top is in pretty good shape, except at the edges that rub against their faces. This area has faded.

I'm happy that they have enjoyed the quilt so much. I did expect it to last longer, especially the quilting.

Time to make a new one. I'll also have to make new curtains, since I made curtains to match the quilt. Then I think I will take the old one and rework it into a smaller quilt, with some simple straight line quilting that I can do myself. A lap quilt would not see as much use.

FroggyinTexas

Too many variables to say. my oldest quilt was made by my mother in the 1930's and now is so delicate--and full of age related tears--that it has been relegated to storage in my linen closet. It was not made from LQS fabric, but probably from fabric she got at Wacker's or Woolworth or maybe J.C. Penney. It is yellow and blue and I am going to put it in a local quilt exhibit, along with the Wiss scissors she used to cut it out. It was used as a bed covering all the time until it became so fragile and was probably washed in an old fashion wringer washer a good part of its life. I don't think it ever occurred to her to wonder how long it would last. She was 87 when she died 15 years ago and I am 78 now. I am guessing the quilt is at least 75 years old and maybe older. froggyintexas

oh munner

Funny that you posed this question... I actually wondered the same thing the other day. My feeling is that the quilts of today won't last nearly as long as the utility quilts our grandmothers made. The reason I feel this way? Well, for one thing, I don't think the fabric is as well made as it was in the past. Cottons were heavier... we know that from our own stashes, and I think the batting was of a much better quality as well, thicker, heavier. Even though granny didn't worry about cutting on grain, bias edges or perfect 1/4 inch seams it's my humble opinion that her quilts will be around long after ours are but a memory.

Stitchnripper

My best experience is with a flannel quilt, 3" finished squares, large crib size, made for granddaughter when she was born, and it is still on her bed and she is going on 12. It has been washed a gazillion times and is still in great shape. i check it every time we visit. Made a chenille and flannel large crib size, for her younger brother when he was born. He will be 7 next month. That quilt is still on his bed. It too has been washed a gazillion times and is also in great shape. I don't think this is any credit to me, but, they are both machine sewn and quilted and I think they have many years left in them.

DresiArnaz

Lol!

Flannel quilts are impossible to kill!

Onebyone

I made my DD a quilt and it was beginning to fray after a couple of years. I found out she was washing and drying it every week.

Toni C

Haha I myself thought you had to wash everything on the bed when you changed the bedding, and did so until I read somewhere that you were not supposed to do that. That being said had my quilt probably 15 years or more and it's still on my bed looking good to me