1Nanoo

I have the baby quilt that my grandmother made for me before I was born 73 years ago. Some parts of it have discolored with age, but all of the quilt is intact. I would love to restore the color to the white part, but I fear that it might harm the quilt. Do you have any suggestions? I took it ot a professional to have it washed, but he did not use any bleach due to the age of the quilt.

Jordan

I have a stuffed bear made out of a worn quilt (even some of the batting is showing) but I love it. There are many small projects that can be made out of worn out quilts like Christmas angels, hearts or any kind of decorations. I have even seen a small piece of quilt that was framed and now hangs on the wall. It was sentimental to the person and that small piece is all she could rescue.

carolynjo

You might trace the pattern and applique a fresh piece of fabric over the discolorations; this would restore the white and, hopefully, salvage the piece. I would NOT bleach the white.

Iona D.

The hardest thing to do is to say good by to an old quilt, even in it's advance stage of being beyond repair. I had a "first quilt" I made over 35 years ago that finally gave up the ghost. It was a pretty thing with a multitude of bits and pieces of scrap fabric. I don't have a photo of it, but it served my family well. It was used by most of my family over the years, including my now deceased father. Isn't that the real purpose of our quilts, protecting our loved ones? Sometimes we seem to forget that part.

Barb in Louisiana

My sister-in-law lost several quilts when they flooded. We couldn't get the odors out. I wish I had thought to take them apart, because I am sure the stink is in the batting, but I think they went to the landfill. Feeling sad.

themadpatter

I had one like that. I soaked it in Oxyclean for a few days. It was beautiful when I got done.

Iceblossom

For the soaking of a quilt if you don't have a nice deep convenient laundry sink (someday after I win the lottery and I have a real laundry room), and you are using the bathtub I recommend using a plastic laundry basket, the type with a lot of open space. Put the quilt it in and then the whole thing in the tub, you can turn the basket like an agitator but most importantly the quilt will be easier to manage when it is wet, you don't ever want to try lifting a delicate soaked quilt by the corner! Just let out the water and pull up the basket and go ahead and grape stomp it dryer with your feet.