How do I go about repairing & replacing quilt blocks?

Question

I have a quilt from my childhood that has recently been brought out of storage. Many of the blocks have deteriorated and I would like to repair/replaice the blocks myself. I'm a fair seamstress and feel I'm up to the challenge. It's not for monetary gain that I want to do this. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me how to go about replacing the squares. I can't find anything helpful online everyong wants to sell you something. Any REAL help would be much appreciated.

Answer 1

I have done this before, and it's very rewarding. First, separate the quilt top from the back and throw away the batting. Now, use a quilter's ruler to isolate good sections of the quilt top and the back and cut away the bad. If some sections are good but weak, iron them to some interfacing to make them strong again.

Now, rearrange the salvaged squares to make a new top. You can cut them into squares, rectangles or crazy, which means the sides will still be straight but there will be triangles in there. Just keep putting the crazy squares together until you get big sections, which you will then square off. Add new batting and a new back, and add new material to the front if you want it bigger.

You can also interface all the squares and join them to make new "fabric" from which you can then cut a bear or other pattern. If you are going to make a toy, you really need to interface all of it so it will hold its shape when stuffed.


.

Answer 2

Did you think about appliqueing a new block on top of the bad blocks. The materials will probably never match and it will always look repaired but it would stop further deterioration of the quilt.

To do that just make a new block 1/4 inch larger on all sides from the one you are covering. Press in 1/4 on all sides (that should make the block the same size). Then either sew by hand in very small stitches all the way around, or machine stitch on the fold. Some machines have good decorator stitches and some even have appliqué stitches. Then hand or machine quilt a design into the block to hold the fabric down.

Hope this helps. It won't ever match, fabrics have changed over the years, but it might make you feel better. I even have an antique quilt that had different tops quilted above an inside quilt that had damage, so it was done years ago.