It all seems to be ( personal) when it comes to ( saving) a rag. A few years ago I had a boss who asked me about repairing a baby quilt. She brought it to me - it was literally a rag- torn strips, just a mess. I told her it was beyond mending. She pleaded- couldn’t accept it not being saved.
i found new backing, new batting, a muslin ( base); basted the original to the muslin, used tulle ( what would we do without tulle?) covered the quilt with the tule, quilted it all together, bound it, she was thrilled!
All I could think was - at some point a rag is just a rag. Not that I’m not sentimental, but if you have something that means that much to you- put it away before it becomes a rag. Once it’s a rag it’s time to let it go.

I am working on repair of a quilt I made for my DIL a number of years ago. First, taking apart a quilt you made a long time ago is certainly instructive... Second, I will never do this again. I just cant make myself work on it for more than a couple of days at the time and then it sits for sometimes months. My work was, lets say, "less than perfect" and every block needed something fixed and it is a huge oversized king. I wanted to just make her a new one, but she insisted she wanted this one fixed.

It may be that she thought she was "making it easier" for you to fix the old one than making a new one.

Little do they know!!!

It may be that she thought she was "making it easier" for you to fix the old one than making a new one.

Little do they know!!!

On the brighter side - your DIL likes it enough to want it fixed and it was used enough to need to be repaired. I would take that as a compliment. :-}

My granddaughter and I made a Kaleidoscope quilt for her parents at 4-H Quilt Camp more than 10 years ago. Last year her father brought it here because it needed to be "fixed". I told him that was the last fix, but this year it is back. I told him that the fabric that is left on there is all on the "verge" and I wasn't going to fix it. I gave him another quilt that was about the same size.

That was not good enough. Their first quilt was so soft and cuddly. So since the back was still fine (probably some polyester) I said I would just re-make the top. I used the same pattern and finished it a few days ago. I think it took me less than a week. Now we need to tie the new top to the batt and back. My granddaughter will help with that again.

I used my wedding present quilt from my grandmother until it was very worn. She was so happy that someone actually used a quilt that she made me a new one. I am cutting up the original and framing pieces for my children and me. Other than that, I pitch or recycle everything. I am even giving away all my pictures except the ones on the wall.

I am not very sentimental about things. I had my deceased mother's class ring. In the 80s when gold was so high, I had it in my hand to sell to buy my daughter's ring when I put it in my purse. I took it to my brother who cried to have it. Obviously, he should have had it in the first place.

My upcoming salvage is to re-make my husband's navy blue wool dress uniform from 55 years ago. It's in perfect condition. I'm going to make hopefully 5 memory bears for our 5 grandchildren from it. From my wedding dress, 2 wedding dresses for our 2 granddaughters American Girl dolls. Already got the wedding dress cut down to workable size pieces. I don't want our 2 kids to think they have to "save" them forever in a box. Whereas creating something new may interest them more and if they want to get rid of it down the road, so be it - I gave it my best.

I have quilts from 3 previous generations. We have one son and he doesn't have children. I have great pleasure seeing two of the very worn quilts residing on armchairs in the LR to protect the chairs from the cat who loves to scratch. Somehow she figures the quilts are not to be scratched. Looking at the quilts gives me comfort in remembering the great grandmother who was a widow from the late 1940's until she died in the 1970s. She took over running the farm and raised 4 foster children to help make ends meet. She still had time to make quilts with her community. I like all that these quilts represent. No harm in that. When the quilts fall apart or when I'm gone, well, the quilts will have served their purpose. "To every thing there is a season."

I agree with all the comments... I am glad she values it enough to want it fixed. And yes, she knew it would be lots more work. I told her I would do it, but would not promise any completion date and that it would be a long wait. This one is like one her grandmother made and she really wanted it back. Still, after all the problem I have working on it (my problem, not hers. I just hate doing it) next time I think I would say no.

Depends on how much sentimental value the item holds for you, and how much is necessary to repair it. Nothing has to be made "like new", but rather just enough fixing to stop further deterioration.