tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post2874141694317432058..comments2024-03-29T06:10:21.932-04:00Comments on Quiltville's Quips & Snips!!: Auntie Irene’s Legacy ---Bonnie K. Hunterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377635115790685301noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-22216672122326340262011-08-09T13:29:26.382-04:002011-08-09T13:29:26.382-04:00I worry much that the red will fade onto your beau...I worry much that the red will fade onto your beautiful blocks if you wash them. Could you check it first for color fastness? It would be sad to quilt it and have it ruined with the first washing.If there is no fading I think I would add a light stablizer to the backs of the butterflies since the muslin is so thin. As far as getting rid of the smoke odor, activated charcoal or wadded up newspapers stored with the top in a closed area for a few days may get rid of some of the odor. Also vinegar or baking soda are known to remove odors from your laundry. Don't see why either would not work. Good luck in preserving your heirloom!SHayes1@aol.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-57440184701680408702011-08-09T10:20:51.764-04:002011-08-09T10:20:51.764-04:00My son's apartment building caught on fire las...My son's apartment building caught on fire last year. His didn't burn but being the one underneath was filled with the smell and the smoke laden water. Guess who got the washing? The first load still reeked after 3 washes. I did a little research and then presoaked each load with vinegar then did a regular wash cycle with Oxiclean. All the odor was gone!<br />After airing the top should be bearable enough to quilt before washing. If not I'd soak in the tub with vinegar and no agitation. The problem here would be wanting to press it before quilting. Any stains would be forever set then.<br />Vintage Soak is very good for yellowing and age spots so you could follow the vinegar soak with the Vintage Soak and then a rinse or visa versa. It doesn't require agitation. Oxiclean does a good job on some things also. <br />Woolite in NOT recommended for use on quilts by conservationists. It contains a bleaching agent and can fade colors. Dry cleaning is not a good option either. When I had a quilt shop I had someone bring in a wedding quilt she had made and then thought she would have it cleaned before giving it away. It was ruined, colors ran and some other problems too.<br />I'd leave the top the way it was made. That was how she did it which is what makes it so special.Patriciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00886998491080260330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-66003108618654467342011-08-09T10:17:47.480-04:002011-08-09T10:17:47.480-04:00I think the bright color does overpower the lovely...I think the bright color does overpower the lovely 30's prints. Maybe soak the whole top as is to get rid of the smell then take it apart and reset the pretty butterflies.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10091568315821485891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-64181483442789566422011-08-09T09:31:54.062-04:002011-08-09T09:31:54.062-04:00Take it apart. Those butterflies NEED to be set i...Take it apart. Those butterflies NEED to be set in something that reflects their true beginnings, and preferably something SCRAPPY!<br /><br />Could you just soak the top, lay it out to dry, and then take it apart? A soak might take away enough smokiness to let you work with it. Then once it's together, give it a thorough wash.<br /><br />The embroidery is darling on these butterflies -- this is a quilt top that is crying out to be finished!Nancy-Rosehttp://thethriftyquilter.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-71575891469832534562011-08-09T09:17:30.483-04:002011-08-09T09:17:30.483-04:00My first sewing lessons were from my grandmother i...My first sewing lessons were from my grandmother in Nyssa, Oregon (not far from Eagle, Idaho) lesson number one was: "If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing right" You are the one who knows in your gut what is "right" and what you want to do with this in the future. There seems to be many great tips about getting the odor out and many strong opinions on both sides of the coin of leave or remove poly blend... let us know what you decide. You will do the right thing.javajeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01079578735057519830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-17162689044447365542011-08-09T09:01:19.180-04:002011-08-09T09:01:19.180-04:00Wow! So much conflicting advice! I think airing th...Wow! So much conflicting advice! I think airing the quilt as much as possible and then doing the quilting is the best bet. There is so much risk of fraying or other damage if you soak it in water.<br />As to changing the sashing and borders - I think they look fine. Obviously your Aunt Irene chose the fabrics. Even without a design wall she could have decided if she liked the fabrics or not. So I would tend to think that she liked the quilt the way it is. <br />But (I often see both sides of an argument!) it's your quilt now. If you really can't bear to look at those red and yellow fabrics - change them! You'll still have the butterflies that your Aunt spent so much time on and it will always be a remembrance of her.katydidarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13740614317906751042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-74555935615311245772011-08-09T06:16:17.183-04:002011-08-09T06:16:17.183-04:00A few years ago, I bought a hexagon flower garden ...A few years ago, I bought a hexagon flower garden quilt from an Op Shop, it was made of every known fabric from the softest lawn to Crimpelene and all weights in between! it was appliqued onto a pink poly sheet and I took it off - which I now regret. My rationale was that the top was not on the straight of grain. The maker really did use up every spare bit of dressmaking fabric so it really was the perfect setting for her. I intend to re-applique it onto a similar bed sheet, then tie it.Junehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09372131422861581454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-15350075868652958212011-08-09T02:08:49.905-04:002011-08-09T02:08:49.905-04:00If she had given it to you personally, then I woul...If she had given it to you personally, then I would have kept it as she intended, but I like the idea of adding to/redoing some things given to me by my loved ones. It makes me feel connected to them...put a label explaining the history and you will both be a part of history together. I am also more apt to use the item and think about them than if they are just tucked away in a closet somewhere.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-63113608685355814132011-08-09T00:57:46.427-04:002011-08-09T00:57:46.427-04:00If you like it as is, keep it and wash it gently t...If you like it as is, keep it and wash it gently to get the smoky smell out. If you really hate the blended fabric, you could re-set it. But I would wash it first, then take it apart. It would save on fraying.Madelinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17050941610727289013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-79805712038456222582011-08-09T00:37:30.076-04:002011-08-09T00:37:30.076-04:00Soak it in cold water with mild soap in the tub. ...Soak it in cold water with mild soap in the tub. Rinse the same way, never putting any strain on it. Roll in towels to dry and then lay flat. I have washed a lot of my grandma and great grandma's embroidery like that, and nothing bad has happened. It might not get all the smoke out, but will improve it.<br /><br />As for the borders, maybe the reason she never finished it is that she didn't like how the borders came out, but was unwilling to take it all apart again. People didn't have design walls- they just plowed through. If you will enjoy it more set differently, than do so. You are not the Smithsonian.woolywomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14798060848062776281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-84133006120051962412011-08-08T23:58:40.090-04:002011-08-08T23:58:40.090-04:00My Grandmother LOVES butterflies... I may have to ...My Grandmother LOVES butterflies... I may have to re-create this!<br /><br />Paul<br />www.OutnumberedQuilter.comPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13624140507953560723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-44566012804701687222011-08-08T20:42:31.554-04:002011-08-08T20:42:31.554-04:00I love the red and white checked butterfly, how co...I love the red and white checked butterfly, how cool is that! It's a toss up as what to do to finish it. It is so pretty with the bright red and yellow sashing and borders, but it would be pretty done with reproduction fabrics, too. You will just have to follow your heart, it will tell you what to do. I would give it a very gentle soak/hand washing in the bath tub to get some of the odor and dirt out. Check the colorfastness of the red before you wash it though, just in case it bleeds. I have a quilt that my grandmother and probably my great-grandmother hand stitched the top (Grandmothers' Flower Garden), them my mother started quilting it and I finished it. It is original 1930's fabrics and I treasure it. I'll be looking forward to see what you decide to do. I know it will be a treasure for you, too.Marsha Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00475677143215963120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-12875919062220712152011-08-08T20:11:34.129-04:002011-08-08T20:11:34.129-04:00I think you should leave the quilt as is. The col...I think you should leave the quilt as is. The colors, design, and fabrics used are a part of your Auntie Irene. Maybe if you soak that gem in the bath tub you could get the smoke smell out of it.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16489555880689811989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-56995167307858978552011-08-08T19:53:16.349-04:002011-08-08T19:53:16.349-04:00me again, forgot to mention that after all the zig...me again, forgot to mention that after all the zigzagging she than tied the quilt with NO telling what as a batting!!! it's heaVY! :>)mary ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08190254594728902319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-8780867472915196362011-08-08T19:51:12.103-04:002011-08-08T19:51:12.103-04:00Hi Bonnie,
Good idea to air out the quilt, after a...Hi Bonnie,<br />Good idea to air out the quilt, after a couple of days, I'd soak it in a bucket of soapy water for a whole day to get the cigarette smell out, then air dry it some more. Do you know what I use to wash "delicate" and antique fabrics--Baby Shampoo. If it's safe enough to use on a baby's hair, it's safe enough to use on delicate fabrics yet it still a detergent and has great cleaning power!Gailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04003204378492456488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-40524995630302802332011-08-08T19:47:08.354-04:002011-08-08T19:47:08.354-04:00Yikes bonnie!!!i cannot believe the responses, thi...Yikes bonnie!!!i cannot believe the responses, think i might print it out as a reference.haha!! i have a similar problem with a HUGE quilt my mother made. not smelly but poly. she had hand pieced many many cotton hexie blocks then machine zigzaged them onto brown poly. (i just might send you pictures for your opinion, sometime.)i can not wait to here the outcome of your butterfly dilemma!! :>)mary ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08190254594728902319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-40357770062670068002011-08-08T19:42:48.932-04:002011-08-08T19:42:48.932-04:00Bonnie, you are getting a lot of opinions here so ...Bonnie, you are getting a lot of opinions here so when I add mine, just follow your gut and do what your heart tells it. If and I mean IF!....it were mine, I would soak in a gentle soak for about 24 hours using a special soap for quilts (can't remember name but have seen it in quilt shops) along with several color catcher sheets and then air dry preferrably in the shade for a couple of days and then press out. By then, most of the smoke should be out and you can quilt it. I personally would not replace the borders as someday in the far future, the "70's" fabric will be as interesting as civil war and 1930's fabrics are now.Marlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15553254043644735815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-9643594635852465662011-08-08T18:56:06.572-04:002011-08-08T18:56:06.572-04:00Best Press had a product called something like Sme...Best Press had a product called something like Smell Away or something like that. If I was tryng to decide what to do and it was mine, I would take the butterflies off of the borders and sashing. I would spray the blocks with the smell away stuff and then piece them back into a quilt top with sashing and borders. <br />I understand the delima, as I have a quilt top that is partially quilted by my Granny. My problem is she used high loft poly batting and a sheet for the backing. I have tried and can not hand quilt this. I hate to lose her hand stitching, but it will never get finished the way it is and I would rather have it than not. So I am removing her precious stitches, replacing the batting and backing and hand quilting it.Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04552891913167046603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-90621786295620006852011-08-08T18:55:56.862-04:002011-08-08T18:55:56.862-04:00OK, I skimmed most of the above answers. If you h...OK, I skimmed most of the above answers. If you hand wash the top with Woolite it shouldn't damage the fabric. When you rinse, put a cupful of vinegar in the rinse water. It will take out the smell. If it doesn't take it all the smell out, once the top is dry (very dry) put in in a large plastic bag with a refrigerator box of baking soda. That will take out the rest of the smell.<br /><br />LiriLiriopiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18361249087231859353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-91439401257010060112011-08-08T18:50:24.971-04:002011-08-08T18:50:24.971-04:00Definitely quilt it as is -- it's the way she ...Definitely quilt it as is -- it's the way she intended it to be. Wash it if you can without doing any damage. And keep the story with the quilt -- what a treasure!Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01308680396802432722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-44540382594854736642011-08-08T18:49:48.030-04:002011-08-08T18:49:48.030-04:00Wow! So many opinions. I too think that the butte...Wow! So many opinions. I too think that the butterflies are being over shadowed by the bright polyblend fabrics and could use a new home.My Life In Quiltshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11984860850539617960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-4185172235745526002011-08-08T18:43:51.236-04:002011-08-08T18:43:51.236-04:00What a lovely quilt - and in fabrics I love also. ...What a lovely quilt - and in fabrics I love also. I found a great way to get smoker smell out - spray a washcloth with Fabreeze - put the wash cloth and the quilt in the dryer on low heat - tumble about half an hour and it should be gone - or do it twice if it is really smokey.<br /><br />My choice would be to keep the quilt as it is - poly blend fabric certainly shouldn't hurt the quilt at all - and it might be nice to have it just as Auntie made it. Who knows what others might want to do to the tops we leave behind - I'd prefer to think they honored our efforts.JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes)https://www.blogger.com/profile/12621061028973446378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-86465528215255829942011-08-08T17:39:37.031-04:002011-08-08T17:39:37.031-04:00If you spray the top you risk permanent staining. ...If you spray the top you risk permanent staining. On the longarm lists the most popular method of getting rid of smoke smells from tops is to put them in a plastic bag with an opened bar of soap (Dial is most often mentioned) for a few days. Another proven method is to lay the top on grass for a few hours; the chlorophyll in the grass is a natural deoderiser. It was part of the laundry routine in the old days, to air quilts on grass.<br />Once the smell is gone you can quilt it, and then wash it thoroughly.kerynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04582879782723937419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-34677231408694030642011-08-08T16:12:29.052-04:002011-08-08T16:12:29.052-04:00Bonnie I have quilts that spent 50 years in my par...Bonnie I have quilts that spent 50 years in my parents Boston home with 4 smokers and an old oil burning furnace. I got all the quilts clean and smoke free by filling my washer with cold water and borax and let them sit over night then wash on gentle the next day IT took 3 times doing this but it worked and to dry them I laid them out side on a white sheet on the grass in the sun. Now they say you can also bleach by a full moon. lolSandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00642355535184527517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13569819.post-71290969831071108772011-08-08T15:28:23.439-04:002011-08-08T15:28:23.439-04:00The blocks of muslin look very thin. You could cu...The blocks of muslin look very thin. You could cut around the appliques and put on new background fabric. I always like how you make your quilt backs as special as the fronts~~so you could use reproduction sashing on the front and use her fun 70's colors on the back. Then you will have used all her fabric in the quilt top, but they may be a little more color coordinated. Did you ask your Aunt Joy what she would do???? Hope you are having fun in Alaska!!Judy Dietrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03310395493132902215noreply@blogger.com