Jan in VA

Batiste is also often seen in little girls smocked dresses.

Dogwood Quilter

If you decide to stabilize, look at Pellon 101 shape flex. It is a woven fusible interfacing.

Wanabee Quiltin

I bought a beautiful quilt top from an ebay seller but when I received it, the white background was very thin white fabric. It was dirty also. I decided to wash it first and go from there. The dirty white was actually kind of ivory color and the quilt top held up well. It had 4 appliqued butterflies in each block made from feedsack fabric and was lovely. I let it sit on my shelf for a long time, taking it down from time to time to look at it. Decided finally to let my long arm quilter have a go at it. She did a great job and I love to look at it. It has held up well but I never wash it or use it except to lay on the end of my bed. I have made many other quilts from the old blocks I get from Flea markets and many are the very thin fabric you mention. So far, I haven't stabilized any, but it is a thought.

carolynjo

You have gotten good advice. Batiste from yesteryear will be more stable than what we have available today, but if you can find batiste, I would use it as a backing. (Not everyone will agree with this, though.) I have restored several quilts using period fabrics, but you probably won't find fabric that old. Do let us see this treasure when you have finished it.

applique

In my experience, antique, in good condition and museum quality quilts are few and far between. If you think it might be worth a ot of money you might want to spend $40 -50 for an appraisal first. Otherwise I wouldn't worry too much about value.

NopahDesertRat

I too have some old quilt blocks made from used clothing around 1900. They are all hand sewn. I am not sure what to do with them. I don't believe they would hold up as a quilt. I would rather they be encased in a frame of some sort so the fine hand stitching is able to be seen. Like a two sided poster frame or even in a sort of book form, so the backs would show too.

Send me your thoughts.

Ethel

Charleen DiSante

I like your idea Ethel. There are several good ideas in the comments and I will think some more on them. Thanks all for your suggestions.