Care of old quilts

[Lammie]

I recently went through some of the things at my parents' house. I snagged an old quilt, which I would not have done, except that my stupid SIL would have taken it for her dogs to sleep on.

My Great Grandma Reinhardt sewed it. It is at least sixty years old. The pattern is the one with the girls in bonnets. I guess it has a better name, I just dont know it. It is a little dirty. It has been in everyday use for as long as I can remember. It needs cleaning and then I would like to display it.

Does anyone know the best way to clean it without doing it any more harm? It means a great deal to me. I don't care whether it is worth anything, it represents an effort that people just no longer make. It was not meant to be a museum piece, just an everyday object worthy of preservation and pride.

 

[chrisy]

You may want to ask a professional as those things can disintegrate if not handled properly. I speak from experience... :cry2:

 

[backhoeboogie]

Do not display it Lammie. That will surely damage it. Treasure it and care for it. Buy one to display.

I have one that my ggrandmother pieced and quilted for my mother when I was born. Beautiful but worn. We used it.

I have another that a different ggrandmother quilted. They had the frames suspended from the ceilings that they would let down when it was time to "tick" them. I remember talking to them and watching them for hours when I was a child. Every time you see a quilt it will bring back such memories.

 

[Lammie]

Found the pattern. It is called Susie Sunbonnet. It is a depression era quilt, like I thought. I am going to talk to my friend that owns the dry cleaner this week to see what I need to do to her. When I say "display", I mean, folded at the end of the bed in the guestroom. It is in amazingly good shape considering the rough treatment she has received over the years. I am just blessed to have it. There's another one in the house I am going to try to talk my sister into letting me have. My brother took a lot of Granny Ricks' quilts and they burned up in a fire. He's not getting this one.

 

[grannysoo]

Lammie -

I'm also in the laundry business. :tiphat:

Find a good coin laundry with front load machines. Wash this in at least a 35 pound machine (to give it plenty of room). Use the delicate cycle to wash.

After washing, use the coin laundry dryers. Make sure that it is at least a 30 pound capacity dryer to give plenty of room to tumble. Dry on LOWEST temperature.

If you do this, you should not have any problems. DO NOT wash in a top load machine under any circumstances and do not dry in the home dryer. Use commercial machines!

Hope this helps.

 

[grannysoo]

granny soo be running the chinese laundry.


Kung Pow laundry service

Might be Moo Kow laundry service... :lol2:

 

[Lammie]

granny soo be running the chinese laundry.


Kung Pow laundry service

Might be Moo Kow laundry service... :lol2:

And remember, at Wong and Wong Laundry, "Two Wongs Make It White".

 

[Green Creek]

Lammie,

I soak mine with Oxyclean, then run through a gentle rinse and spin. Then I lift the quilt in a bundle so the stitches aren't stretched and spread on a spare bed to dry.

 

[Lammie]

Lammie -

I'm also in the laundry business. :tiphat:

Find a good coin laundry with front load machines. Wash this in at least a 35 pound machine (to give it plenty of room). Use the delicate cycle to wash.

After washing, use the coin laundry dryers. Make sure that it is at least a 30 pound capacity dryer to give plenty of room to tumble. Dry on LOWEST temperature.

If you do this, you should not have any problems. DO NOT wash in a top load machine under any circumstances and do not dry in the home dryer. Use commercial machines!

Hope this helps.

Might I be able to use my front loader on delicate with a gentle detergent like Ivory Snow?

 

[Howdyjabo]

My Mom quilts- and she has always told me to never machine wash them.
I put them in the bathtub with some Ivory and let them soak. Then I push most of the water out and hang them folded in half over a clothesline. If there are stains I will use a soft brush and ivory to work on them carefully after the soak period.

Heres a link I found- http://museum.msu.edu/glqc/quiltcare.html

 

[Jogeephus]

If its not too dirty but just musky smelling you could stick it in a large plastic bag and spray a liberal helping of Febreeze in with it or whatever smells good to you. You can then take the vacuum hose and chinch the neck of the plastic bag around the hose. This will squeeze the scent into the fabric. Do this a couple of times and you'll find it sure works wonders. Might still be dirty but least it will smell wonderful.

 

[Lammie]

My Mom quilts- and she has always told me to never machine wash them.
I put them in the bathtub with some Ivory and let them soak. Then I push most of the water out and hang them folded in half over a clothesline. If there are stains I will use a soft brush and ivory to work on them carefully after the soak period.

Heres a link I found- http://museum.msu.edu/glqc/quiltcare.html

I guess it sounds as though the tub is the way to go for this one. I dread it, though. I will weigh a TON when wet and it's going to take forever. It's just dirty. It's been used every winter since I can remember and it's gotten soiled at the edges. And it smells funky. I got it out of a closet that was musty smelling. I don't think my front loader is up to the job. Even on delicate.

 

[grannysoo]

I guess it sounds as though the tub is the way to go for this one. I dread it, though. I will weigh a TON when wet and it's going to take forever. It's just dirty. It's been used every winter since I can remember and it's gotten soiled at the edges. And it smells funky. I got it out of a closet that was musty smelling. I don't think my front loader is up to the job. Even on delicate.

Lammie,

Your home front loader is not up to the job. That's why I recommend a large commercial machine on the delicate cycle. I wouldn't worry about the detergent as much as I would the machine. We use gain when we wash them.

Tub washing can help, but you're not going to get it clean that way. You also have the problem of the weight of the water when drying, which is going to stress the seams and stitches. Commercial machines. I stand by my recommendation. :tiphat:

 

[Lammie]

I guess it sounds as though the tub is the way to go for this one. I dread it, though. I will weigh a TON when wet and it's going to take forever. It's just dirty. It's been used every winter since I can remember and it's gotten soiled at the edges. And it smells funky. I got it out of a closet that was musty smelling. I don't think my front loader is up to the job. Even on delicate.

Lammie,

Tub washing can help, but you're not going to get it clean that way. You also have the problem of the weight of the water when drying, which is going to stress the seams and stitches. Commercial machines. I stand by my recommendation. :tiphat:

Well then, I guess I will have to get me to a laundrymat.

 

[grannysoo]

Another thought.... to help with the smell, get you some of this:

http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/HC/Products/HouseholdCleaners/Fabuloso.cvsp

which is available at wally world. We use the lavender scent. It really leaves a nice scent in the fabric.