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| Disintegrating Fabric |
I finally dusted off my antique quilt top that I (and my Mom and a few others) have been trying to get quilted for several years now. I was getting ready to start quilting it again when I came across a block that was in dire need of repair. The black fabric practically crumbled when you looked at it.
Quilts that are historically significant or of great value should be conserved instead of repaired. Keeping the original fabrics from further deterioration should be a priority and can involve covering the pieces with silk crepeline or simply providing proper storage (heat and humidity control) for the quilt. Since my quilt is neither historical or particularly valuable, I decided to totally remove the black fabric and replace it with a similar vintage. I also could have left the fabric and pieced over it but this can be a little more difficult and time consuming.
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| Quilting and One Piece Removed |
My first step was to remove what little quilting had been completed on the block. I simply pulled it back through, leaving enough so I can knot it and secure it. Next I removed one piece, leaving the others intact so as not to destroy the integrity of the entire block.
Then I cut my replacement piece. You should always cut it a lot bigger than you think you're going to need. Sometimes when you're sewing it down, it can shift a little and the next thing you know you're to the edge of your fabric (ask me how I know! lol).
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| Replacement Piece Cut Extra Large |
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| One Piece Finished |
Then it's just a matter of stitching around the edges. I used lots of pins to keep it as straight as possible. Once I finished the corner triangle, I did the same procedure for one of the adjacent rectangles.
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| Two Down, Six To Go |
So here is what I have so far. Like to see the finished block? Me too! I hope to have it completed by next week when I'll post the finished repair.
This is just one of many ways a quilt can be repaired. You should always evaluate the importance of the quilt before removing any fabric. The goal of any repair should be to improve the value of the quilt, whether it be of historical value, monetary value, or the value you receive from using the quilt.
I also have quite a few new items to add next week so check my website for some cool blocks and a cute quilt.
