Cindy60545

what a treasure you've found! First off, the retro clean & Grandma's spot cleaner are definitely the way to go with removing those spots & restoring it to it's glory, but don't do it til the quilt is totally assembled. Secondly, whatever batting & backing you use, make sure to pre-wash them before assembling. The quilt has already been washed & has shrunk up, so you need to make sure the batting & backing do the same. As far as binding, I think since the hexies are still intact on the edges, I'd just whip stitch the backing to the edge & leave it the hexy shape. Post a pic so we can see this quilt & maybe we'd have a different idea.

happyquiltmom

I use Soak on handknits that my daughter has made me, but I've never used it on quilts. I buy it at a local knitting shop.
Definitely wait until it's put back together before attempting to clean it, or you will have ravelled seam allowances!!!

maviskw

You could try this for the edges - it's a facing, not technically a binding, but I've done it and it looks very nice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwPe_84GBfY

Be sure and watch this video. The hexes will be extremely small, but it would be so nice to be able to save that edge.

carolynjo

Whn you are ready to bind it, you could trim the hexagons on the sides to make the edges straight. Then, you could easily bind it. The suggestion to quilt it in straight lines is a good one also. Of course, the best one is to quilt every hexagon, but that would be a monumental task. Good luck on what ever you decide. It sounds just beautiful.

mpspeedy2

I hope you had better luck than I did. I had a woman reffered to me that has a quilt her mother made "many, many" years ago. The current owner is probably 80. Someone else had tried to repair it for her and I was foolish enough to think I could do a better job. It is also a Grandmother's flower garden variation. The main problem was that it was truly a scrap quilt and the white path part of it is made from something like pique, spelling?. It is that heavier cotton textured fabric that I had several dresses made from as a child. The colored hexagons are all truly scraps of everything and anything. Many of them have fallen completly apart or are missing entirely. I made the mistake of not talking price with the woman. After attempting to fix just one hexagon I am not willing to put the countless hours it would take to possibley make the quilt whole again. I will confess I am a coward and haven't called the lady back to tell her the bad news.

MarthaT

As for suggestions on handquilting from a hand quilter...if the hexis are really tiny, I would quilt around just outside the center hexi of each "flower", almost SID, but far enough away that you are not quilting through a lot of layers. Then quilt just outside the next circle of hexis, etc. Not around each individual hexi, but around rings of them. If this doesn't make sense message me. Sounds like a fun project if you can get the fabric clean.

huntersgrammie

yes i have used grandma's spot cleaner on many of nasty stains and it has worked terrific. you should be able to purchase it at any good fabric store, hobby lobby as well. good luck. post pics if you can i would love to see what your doing as i have a quilt about 80-100 years old i have to do some work on as well. so the info would be helpful. good luck and merry christmas

patski

Isn't it amazing how you can find such a quilt discarded!!

quiltlady37

I used Vintage Textile Soak on a quilt that my Mom pieced in 1927 and I hand quilted it a couple of years ago. I was absolutely amazed at how beautiful it came out. Took all the stains and the dingy appearance out of it. I got the Soak at my LQS. Good Luck.

karate lady

this is what I was thinking. The edges do not have to be shaped and maybe that is why when who ever did the binding, they scrunched it up. Please do put up a picture when it is done.