I'm not a smoker, but I read about a product called, Lord Byron's Smoker's Fabric Refresher. It is specially designed to get the smoke smell out of fabrics. Wal-Mart carries it.

Good ideas from everyone!! Thank you so much.

I would place a vinyl/plastic tarp or drop cloth on top of my carpeted flooring prior to using towels or sheets underneath a damp quilt.

You really have been encouraging me with your suggestions. :D

I would suggest washing it with whatever you would wash your best sweater (or check caring for a vintage quilt)..and, add vinegar to the water...vinegar sets colors, should not damage it. I'd do it in the bathtub (or washtub if you have one). No agitation in a machine (may need an extra set of hands to "ring out")

My daughter made a beautiful T-shirt quilt for a friend and I took it to my quilt group for show-and-tell. She and my SIL smoke and I didn't think to take it out of the bag and look at it. When I took it out at the quilt group it reeked of smoke! I remembered that my Mom used to air the winter things that were put away with moth balls in the fall. So I took it home and hung it on a line outside on the covered patio and left it there for 24 hours. Worked great and all the odor was gone. I think I would be cautious about washing it if you don't know whether the flannel was prewashed or not. Just a thought.

i wash old quilts in the bathtub because that seems to me to exert the least amount of 'pull' on them. i use the sheet trick and the towel trick, but when i take it outside, before i spread it out, i carefully step on the rolled up towel to squish out all leftover water. that makes the quilt much lighter to handle. then i lay it out on a clean dry sheet, in the shade, squaring up as well as i can. with less water, it's much easier to square. when i put the second sheet on top, i pat as i go to flatten it out. i try not to pull at all. i think that would tear the old fibres. then i hope that it won't rain. when it's almost dry, i bring it inside and find a safe place to let it finish drying. why push my luck? by that time it hardly weighs anything, so if i have to, i can put it to dry on the guest bed. if not, then it goes on the carpet.

btw, i never move it without rolling it up in the bottom sheet first. then i carry the bundle like a baby. that also relieves the weight..

The water seems to be your concern....I found a wonderful product at the quilt shop called Restore. My best friends grandmother had pieced a quilt top 70 years ago and it was stained yellow with age and some rust like spots. We followed the directions on the Restore, soaking overnight and hand rinsing......WOW it took the yellow as well as the stains out, and it brightened the colored fabric. It is beautiful!

How much vineger and baking soda do you use?

I would be really careful using vinegar and baking soda on that antique fabric. Call a LQS and see if they have the Restore or something similar. There are so many opinions, all good, but the vinegar and baking soda are caustic. They are chemical reaction when used together and may damage that fabric.

How wonderful that you are willing to work so hard to have something special of your family. I am the same, new doesn't impress me, something of my family....THAT's the pull on my heart.

Good luck,
hugs,
Sharon

i had a hard time of getting my sons body oder out of his clothes until i found the fabric softener suavitel in the blue bottle an i havent had any more trouble finally got rid of his body oder out of his clothes

If you're going to wash or soak it, what about baking soda? It's supposed to be a natural deodorizer.