Laundry Day For Quilts

It was laundry day for six quilts.  Now I will say up front this is NOT a professional talking about priceless quilts.  These are old quilts which are used around the house.

Once every two years each quilt is washed.  They are used in rotation.  The quilts are stored in a chest rolled in a non-bleached white cotton sheet.

I wash them with Restoration in my washer on low agitation (delicate) after soaking for an hour in warm water and dry them on hot.

This is one of my favorite quilts. Yes, it is ONE quilt.  I have three from this lady who quilted in the 1940's.  I bought them at her estate sale.  She was a thrifty lady as you shall see.

SIDE ONE

Each side is divided in half with coordinating fabrics and a border of a different fabric.  

Instead of a traditional quilting stitch pattern, she used French knots to hold the fabric in place.

So the quilt can be folded four ways - each different.

When used on a bed, it can be turned back to display two patterns.

(My next post is how I make my bed.)

SIDE TWO

I also steam the quilts in between laundering.

Just stick them in the hot, hot dryer with a wet towel.

I know some of you are cringing, but I assure you there have been very few casualties over the years.

SIDE THREE

I have another stack to wash, but six is a day's work.

This quilt is used during the summer.

SIDE FOUR

This is the fabric I most like on the quilt.

Here is another by the same lady.

Also divided in half on one side with the pink and the green fabrics.

The back is a green canvas.

Notice she used pink and green French knots.

And why was she so thrifty?

The quilts are quilted over other quilts.

You can see where the seam has come loose the other quilt inside.

 
A much, much older quilt.

The pink and green one above has two quilts inside.

It is like having a Christmas present and not being able to make yourself open it.

And she made all three quilts coordinate.

Come back tomorrow to see what is special about this quilt when it is spread across a bed.

This is a light-weight one for summer.

I use this quilt in the winter with the one below.

It has intricate stitching and the fabrics are lovely.

As carefully as the front is blocked, on the back the quilter used various sizes, colors and shapes of gingham.

Just a willy-nilly pattern.

Years ago I was at a storage facility where people had set up to sell their belongings.

One man there noticed I fell in love with this quilt.

 

He wanted more than I had to spend so I moved on.

As I passed him going back to the car, he called me over and asked if I planned to sell or keep the quilt.

I said it was for my home.

He reduced the price in half and threw in a huge green splatter enamelware bowl.

His grandmother had quilted using every uniform his grandfather had worn from World War One to being a train porter.

There are wool pieces and canvas pieces.

The back is tan canvas with beautiful stitching.

This guy was the last of his family and he wanted it to go to someone who would love it.

And I do.

It keeps us very warm in the winter.

I think of him every time I make the bed.

Quilts are such wonderful bits of history.  

Unfortunately I do not know the history of all my quilts.

Some were bought at antique stores or thrift shops.

We have several family quilts and have written down what we know of the history.


Well, I now have the quilts being used as cushions on benches to wash and dry.

And there are the ones to be stored for awhile.

Remember when you have a quilt, you are protecting a small piece of a person's life.

See y'all!

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