What is the best way to launder a vintage hand-stitched quilt top?

Question

I bought an old quilt top today, and before I work with it, it will need to be cleaned. It has one small hole in one of the squares, and I've counted two small seams that will need to be re-enforced, but otherwise it seems to be intact. (The pieces are hand stictched, but are fairly tight.)

What is the best way to clean it without doing it damage?

Answer 1

First, repair the hole and loose seams.  Soak the quilt in the bathtub with a gentle detergent - don't agitate or wring. Rinse repeatedly and gently.  Lay old towels on the basement floor, and spread your quilt out on the towels to dry.  Change the towels and flip it to the other side once a day until it is dry.

Answer 2

Baste the open seams shut, and baste a patch over the holes. Take it to a laundromat and put it into a triple-load machine on the gentlest cycle. Use Orvis soap, available at quilting supply shops. As you pull it out of the machine, don't let it hang. Take it home and dry it flat on a clean tarp in a room with good air circulation. After it's dry, you'll have a better idea of the colors you want to use for your repairs.

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Answer 3

I wouldn't put it in the machine, myself, agitation may be too much for vintage fabrics to handle (sorry, Kacky).  Washing it in a large tub, yes, the bathtub is best, in Orvis, a *wool* wash (but not Woolite, it is made, really, for man-made fibers and it may be too harsh), or Ivory flakes is best, although you may not get long set-in stains out.  I have some vintage baby dresses handed down in the family that I wash this way.  Depending on how fragile the top is you may also want to tack it to some nylon netting (tulle) to support it.  Don't lift it out of the water by pulling it out, let the water drain out, rinse it well, and then let as much water drain away as possible, pressing down on it gently, then lift it out from beneath.  Spreading it on a sheet to dry, in the shade, out of the sun on a warm, breezy day will let it dry fairly quickly.  This is from advice given to me by a historical fiber conservator.