I've been busy lately with projects other than my quilts.  I purchased these adorable garden bench sides at the local flea market a few weeks ago but thought it was too pretty to return it to a garden bench.  So I turned it into a cozy chair.  I put on new wood slats but shortened them to 22".  Then I covered them with 2" foam and a pretty muted flower print.  I think this shabby chic chair will be great in a sunroom or covered porch.

I'll be setting up at the ICA (International Collectors and Antiques Show) in Charlotte the first weekend in  November.  This chair, my quilts and a lot of other goodies will be there for sale.  Stop by and say "Hi".  I'll post more info on the show in October.

I've also been repairing a pretty green and pink quilt from the late 1800's.  I hope to have that finished next week and will post about the repairs.  It's going to be AWESOME!!

Awesome Quilt

I'm getting ready to put a new quilt on eBay. It's so awesome I wanted to show it to everyone before I listed it. I believe the pattern is called Odd Fellows and it has some beautiful prussian blues and browns from the mid 1800's. 

As with a lot of quilts this age, some of the browns have disintegrated.  The previous owner was apparently going to repair these blocks because several pieces have been covered with new reproduction fabrics.  They did a very good job of adding the blocks without damaging the existing quilt which is very important to value.  And with the wide selection of fabrics available today, they were able to find some that fit perfectly with the original.

I hope you enjoy looking at this old beauty.  I know I'm going to be sad when I have to part with it!

Website & Blogging Updates

I've finally completed some much needed website updates. Now you can order our quilts and items instantly. I hope this makes it easier and quicker for everyone.  Now if I could only find a way to teleport my quilts! lol

Blogging is really hard to do. It sounds easy enough. But in reality it's much more difficult and time consuming than I had anticipated. I still have great plans though on providing some very useful and interesting information for everyone.  Maybe next month. :-)

On the Hunt!

Later this week I'll be going up to Renninger's Antique Extravaganza to hunt for quilts and fabric. With around 800 vendors I usually find some good stuff. I'll also be doing some hunting in Missouri soon. So check back about mid December for some new items!

Finished Repair!

I'm so happy!  I was actually able to get my repair finished on my quilt. I have to admit, my sewing skills are not the best.  But it's unlikely anyone will notice that the black fabric has been replaced.  Now this quilt will be able to withstand years of use.

I was even able to get a little quilting done.  I'm quite rusty though - it's been about 2 years since I've done ANY quilting.  I remembered how, but the fingers didn't want to cooperate!

I've added quite a few new items to my website this week so check it out for some unique antiques.

Happy Halloween!

My Quilt Repair



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.

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).

Replacement Piece Cut Extra Large

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.

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.

To Wash or Not To Wash

A few weeks ago I was in Plant City, Florida looking for antique quilts when I spotted a nice quilt draped over a blanket chest. Wow, my heart started beating faster, my mouth started to water. I picked it up. There was a ton of quilting in this nice thin quilt. Almost every inch was quilted. I didn't see any rips, worn edges or holes on the front. I saw some faded blue blocks, then some faded red blocks and then, all white blocks. Uh oh, someone had bleached this quilt until it was almost unrecognizable. About 75% of the pieced blocks were total white. On the plus side, I didn't see any stains.  But as I have to say a little too often, this at one time was a fabulous quilt.

I have to wonder what the quilt was like before it was bleached to oblivion. Were there THAT many stains that it required a gallon of bleach or was it an accidental overdose? What do you do with quilts that are extremely dirty and stained? Many purists will say, do NOT wash an antique quilt. For the most part they recommend vacuuming. Which is good for the loose overall dirt but what about a quilt with a lot of stains? So you have a potentially award winning quilt - except for those darn age spots, or blood stains, or other unidentifiable stains. What would you do with that quilt?

I was originally going to blog about the "How" part of cleaning an antique quilt. But in doing my research I've found that 1) there is already a ton of information out there on cleaning quilts and 2) recommendations vary widely depending on who you consult. Museums and Quilt Societies typically recommend no cleaning and definitely no dry cleaning. Those selling or collecting offer more options, most all of which are difficult. Simply throwing your quilt in the washer dryer is typically not recommended by anyone. Although I have to say I have several feedsack quilts that have been bleached and sent through my washer and dryer just fine. But I certainly couldn't recommend this for a 19th century quilt.

I feel faced with the decision to wash or not wash more often than I like. Is the value of a nice clean, but lightly faded or tattered quilt worth more than one that's dirty and smelly? I have several currently that are quite dirty but so old that I myself don't dare clean.  I think the ultimate decision to wash or not will have to be up to the owner and what value they put on the quilt.  Is it worth the risk of losing the quilt entirely to get it clean is a question only the owner can answer.  For most of my quilts, I feel more like a caretaker than an owner and will take the easy way out by leaving this question up to next owner.

I would love you hear your success or horror stories on cleaning antique quilts.

For detailed instructions on the actual cleaning visit one of the websites listed below or consult one of the books listed to the right.



Great Lakes Quilt Center http://museum.msu.edu/glqc/quiltcare.html
Hart Cottage Quilts http://hartcottagequilts.com/quiltcare.htm
Quilt History by Kris Driessen http://www.quilthistory.com/cleaning.htm