Wonnie

Will probably never get rid of the quilt my daughter made me years ago. She made it in the heat of summer when she lived in Florida and gave it to me at Christmas that same year. She was not someone who ever showed any interest in sewing but her quilt is in perfect proportion and was hand done and quilted. The binding is terribly worn and the beautiful raspberry floral squares have faded but I still love it. It has been kept in use all these years both inside and out. Put it into a duvet at one point but decided I'd rather have it as is than hidden. Used it just the other night when the temperatures dipped.

bearisgray

I consider replacing a binding to be a "minor" repair. I have two quilts in my living room now that have very frayed bindings, but the "rest" of the quilts are in pretty good condition - if one excludes some fading of some of the fabrics.

Jan in VA

I believe in retiring quilts that are to "ragged and torn" to continue using without causing more damage. Fortunately I have personally only had to do this one time, so far.

I had possession a family quilt dating from the last half of the 1700s that was "dead on my watch" by the time I received it. I donated this quilt to the textile museum at Colonial Williamsburg in 2002 because it was in a too poor condition to keep at home with the historical value in it. They were the ones who dated it.

It is one of two Virginia quilts in their collection from this period and the only one with written provenance, They tell me it will likely never be displayed, only preserved for research, due to the condition.

The background of plantation-grown flax, spun into linen fabric, is still strong, though it shows evidence of very old repair (Civil War damage???). But the brown English chintz and calico in many the blocks was likely mordant-fixed with iron and the threads are disintegrating in many places. The hand quilting was likely done with linen thread because it, too, is holding up quite well. But, in general, the quilt was too old and too unique to keep safely at home for personal use. I was so glad I was living in Williamsburg, VA, at the time because that was the perfect permanent home for this "used up" quilt.

Jan in VA

tropit

Cute idea...I like the idea of repurposing old, worn out quilts. You might also be able to cutout a usable section of the quilt and make throw pillow covers, potholders, or fancy up some tea towels with strips of the quilt.

~ C