Sunday, October 21, 2012

Act of Bravery


Every now and then, I throw caution to the wind and wash a quilt. When we were looking at this 1930s pink and white New York Beauty at the American Quilt Study Group Seminar in Lincoln, Nebraska, the dark spots on this quilt, which I was aware of, really jumped out at me. I thought, "Hmmm, I wonder if it could stand a washing?"


Washing a quilt is always a supreme act of bravery for me. But the quilting in the pink and white New York Beauty is dense and the fabrics are strong, so I pretreated the stains, washed with regular detergent, and when it had dried, the stains were considerably lighter. The quilting puckered a little with the washing, which was good. It stands out even more than it did before.


Washing a quilt is always a judgement call. Will it withstand the washing? Will the fabrics dissolve? Will the seams pop open, or batting migrate? The interesting thing about the whole discussion is the idea that many quilts really were constructed well enough to be washed. The key is to look very closely at the quilt, assess its fabrics and construction, and avoid anything that could compromise the stability of the quilt. Although this quilt was a success, I still don't think I'll be washing quilts often. 

8 comments:

  1. And then there is the added...be very, very gentle. No need to treat a quilt like your kid's baseball uniform....

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  2. Good for you! (and the quilt) I am a washer...but as you say only when I know the quilt can take it

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  3. It is such a beautiful quilt that it's nice to have it clean and fresh so that you don't always go to the spots that you know. Good for you!

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  4. After 35 years of good and bad quilt washing experiences, I have two rules: Never wash a quilt you are not willing to lose, and never wash a quilt that belongs to someone else.

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  5. I think the density of the quilting will hold a quilt together...sometimes. I'm not a collector like you, but I'd rather have a clean quilt I can enjoy than a dirty one I don't want to use or display.

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  6. The quilts I've made myself get washed constantly, but I'm always afraid the old ones will get damaged if I look at them funny.

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  7. i accidentally washed one with a large un quilted section and...it was fine. and then smelled good enough to examine closely, where as before it had that scent that makes your eyes water.....now the problem is that the quilting is much finer than I am capable of. I need to find someone who will take it on.Love reading your blog from a collector stand point. As a quilter, I have no idea why I am driven to make quilts, but I am.Good thing there are people driven to collect them! ( Although I see the bug has bitten you.)

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