Sew What’s Up Presents
The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was
retired in August 2007. It is being provided by
“Sew What’s Up,”
which serves as the new home for many members of “Sew What’s New.”
From: HeartsOpenWide
Date: 07-05-2006, 11:25 PM (1 of 8)
| MY husbands best friend died of lung cancer last september. When he passed away I got five quilts. Most of them are in need of some repair. Is there a way I can repair the top of the quits without taking anything apart? How do you do a "hidden stich" I have heard about? |
User: HeartsOpenWide
Member since: 04-11-2006 Total posts: 3 |
From: HeyJudee
Date: 07-06-2006, 07:15 AM (2 of 8)
|
I've never had to repair any quilts but I googled and found these links for "hidden stitch". Hidden Stitch (http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=13016.msg103076) The Stitch (http://www.bdieges.com/text/bdaplq.html) Use of Hidden Stitch (http://tpub.com/content/aviation/14218/css/14218_244.htm) Also, I googled for "how to repair a quilt" and came up with these sites. Quilt Repair (http://www.annquilts.com/quiltrepair.html) Repair Restore (http://www.quilthistory.com/repair.htm) Do It Yourself Quilt Repair (http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_occasions_other/article/0,,HGTV_3478_1374415,00.html) Hope these help. TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366 
|
From: Patty22
Date: 07-06-2006, 08:28 AM (3 of 8)
|
If only certain patches have shredded or worn and not the fabric next to it, the loss is due to the dyes in the cloth, not because of use necessarily. You can simply make a template of the piece that needs to be replaced and then applique a new fabric piece over it. If you can get vintage fabric to replace the pieces in need of repair, no one will be able to tell. If you can't get vintage fabric, there are some great reproduction lines on the market that may suit your needs. If these fabrics need the patina of an older fabric, try experimenting with tea dying. Batting similar to what is used in the quilt will also have to be replaced as you repair. Judy gave some good sites to check out for mending the affected areas. Plan on spending some time with this project and you need to decide if repairing them is worth the effort. All together, a conservative estimate is that you will be spending about 30-45 minutes total for each patch. If there was quilting in that area, those stitches are then replaced after the batting and patch is in place. Until you decide the fate of those quilts, be sure to store them properly (not sealed in an airtight plastic bag). Folding them carefully and putting them in a clean 100% cotton pillowcase is a good temporary storage. Sometimes bridal illusion is used to conserve a quilt that is really beyond the cost of total conservation. In this method, bridal illusion is applied to the effected area on the top with stablizing stitches. Do you know the period? pattern? date? Patty
|
User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: paroper
Date: 07-06-2006, 08:59 AM (4 of 8)
|
According to my Bernina dealer the quilt is dated by the last stitch put into it so if you start repairing you actually degrade the value of the quilt. She says however that using tuille to reapair a quilt is allowed without damage to the value.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Patty22
Date: 07-06-2006, 09:21 AM (5 of 8)
|
"According to my Bernina dealer the quilt is dated by the last stitch put into it so if you start repairing you actually degrade the value of the quilt." --That's a whole bucket of worms. -- Here's the scoop.....if a quilt is that valuable, no one is going to be doing a home repair in the first place. So the decision is made first of all if you have a valuable quilt. With that said, you need to decide if you want to keep the quilt around for your own use and love. Usually the quilt is dated by the most recent fabric in the quilt. However, keep in mind there are quilts made today with old fabrics. Hmmmmm....not a good way to date a quilt. The problem with quilts is that the prices obtained in the late eighties (I'm thinking the Balitmore Album quilt that sold in auction in NYCity in the $260,000 range) are no more. Sure, there will be quilts of historical importance that get some good prices, but nothing like what the market was bearing at that time period. Is this because the flood of the market? Were quilts not a good investment? Did the Chinese imports kill the market for grassroot quilters? Is women's art not as valuable as men's? I say for most families to repair a quilt, use it, and love it. That's what quilts are all about anyway - the tactile experience. Extending the life of a quilt for use and love by 10-15 years certainly makes a quilt more valuable than not repairing it and not being able to use it. Repairing a quilt - that last stitch business - only goes for mega buck pieces. I don't think I even want to get into a discussion about donating a quilt to a local historical socieity.........that discussion also gets complicated because one needs to consider if they run their operation with a collection management policy governing their actions. Just some more to think about..... Patty
|
User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: Patty22
Date: 07-07-2006, 12:20 PM (6 of 8)
|
If you repair the quilt......you can also add a label to the quilt giving what information that you do have about it (maybe your friend's mother [include maiden name and dates of birth and death] made it?)...and then you could also include the date you repaired it....... If you are using the quilt only for display, you could make the label into a pocket and include a picture of your friend, maybe a letter or other personal token or something special like a card. Just a thought ....... because if you keep the quilt and pass it along your family it will help them understand how it got into your family's special treasures. Patty
|
User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: HeartsOpenWide
Date: 07-10-2006, 11:59 PM (7 of 8)
|
According to my Bernina dealer the quilt is dated by the last stitch put into it so if you start repairing you actually degrade the value of the quilt. She says however that using tuille to reapair a quilt is allowed without damage to the value. what is tuille to reapair a quilt? Here's the scoop.....if a quilt is that valuable, no one is going to be doing a home repair in the first place. So the decision is made first of all if you have a valuable quilt. How do you know if a quilt is valuble? These quilts came from my husbands friend who was 64 and his aunt made them for him, I do not know when, but he had them for as long as I can remember. My favorite one is one that does not have many patterns but has big flowers, all with different fabric, sown on...ranging from cotton to cordaroy (sp?) A few of the flowers are missing fabric (each flower has several different layers of fabric and each flower is boxed off) I should take pictures and up load them, does this site have that available? |
User: HeartsOpenWide
Member since: 04-11-2006 Total posts: 3 |
From: paroper
Date: 07-11-2006, 03:34 AM (8 of 8)
|
Tuille is like the fabric used for bridal veils, much like net. It just "cages" the fabric. It doesn't cover it.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
Visit Sew What’s Up for the latest sewing and quilting tips and discussions.
This page was originally located on Sew What’s New (www.sew-whats-new.com) at http://www.sew-whats-new.com/vb/archive/index.php/t-19558.html
Sew What’s Up is hosted by ZenSoft