Take your lovely quilt to a coin-op laundromat and wash it with quilt soap (only a tiny bit will do) in a front-loader, cold water, delicate (short) cycle. You can partially dry it in a commercial dryer until just damp, then spread it out over your bed on a white sheet. The agitation of a top-loader is too brutal on antique quilts (Yes, quilts are considered "antique" after 50 years, not 100.) NEVER, EVER dry clean a quilt because it is a chemical wash and is anything but dry!

I've been told that dry cleaning is very bad for the fabric because of the chemicals. I use both the washer and dryer.

All of our quilts are from the 30-40's and we wash and dry on gentle with no problems. I do prefer a lighter soap like Woolite but have used just a touch of Tide when I didn't have Woolite.

I may wash it on gentle cycle in the washer but I would not put it in the dryer. Just line dry it. I have 2 antique quilts that I had appraised and I was told to love them the way they are. The older fabrics will simply fall apart when washed. I do occasionally air them by hanging them on the line on a non windy day.

Beautiful old quilt.

I would wash on "gentle" with "cold water" and toss is a color grabber. Then I would dry on gentle. What a jewel that quilt is. But it does need to be laundered. :-)

Our LQS has a product called "Soak" and you put it in the bathtub, disolve it, add the quilt, soak it for 15 or 20 minutes, take it out (do not wring out water, I use a laundry basket) and lay it flat to dry. I usually put a couple of sheets down on the lawn and lay it on them. It works wonderfully, leaves a nice fresh smell and can do no harm

If it has binding on and is finished I would wash it. I wash my quilts all the time and put them in the dryer and they look fine.

Wow!! I really love your quilt...how about having it dry cleaned?

Every quilt I make, I wash it when I'm done. I always throw in a dye catcher sheet in there too. I've never had a problem.