Just An Old Quilt!

 

January 4, 2021 ~ A couple days ago we went junkin' with a couple friends. Something I love to do as I am always looking for something unique and old. One of the things I always look at is old quilts but you should know, I'm very picky when it comes to them. 

When Brandon's Grandma Ruby passed away we were fortunate to receive many of her quilts - something I had always loved. The old quilts are my favorite. You know the ones that are thin, made from flour sacks, and mostly done by hand? Yep, those are the ones I really love! 

Just thinking about the life that these old quilts have seen and who they might have been made for. 

Sadly, over the years quilts aren't something that the younger generation flocks to find. This will make finding these old beauties a little harder. Many times they weren't stored well and moths ate them or cigarette smoke has discolored them over the years. It's sad to see these beautiful quilts just almost "rotten" where the fabric just falls apart.

Let's go back to the picky part.... 
(Anyone who knows me would know that I am picky about everything!) 

There isn't a certain "style" of a quilt I like, in fact, I am more drawn to colors and patterns. It's one of those "You know it when you see it" purchases. When I see a quilt that is my style I look at a lot of things such as price, condition, colors, and most of all the feel of the quilt. I am pretty good with getting most stains out of stuff but I need to know it's not going to fall apart in the washing machine. I don't wash my quilts often but before they come into my house they make a quick trip through my laundry! 

Y'all... little secret.... I love laundry! 

Yes, I know, I am a weirdo but it's true! 

When we were strolling through Midway Antique Mall I stumbled across this pink and white "my style" quilt and when I looked at the price tag I didn't bat an eye! For $16.95 this old girl was coming home with me! Now realize that Brandon thought I was silly because it had stains on it but I could see beyond those stains. I knew I could get 95% of them out so to get a quilt for that price was a steal! 

I spread it out on the floor to get a good look at it and check out the damage. The far left corner would have a little bit of damage and several stains but for the most part, it was still in decent shape. 

Obviously, this was the worst spot on the quilt but I was ready to tackle it. 

My first line in stains is usually the Oxi Clean Max Force Gel Stick. 

I have 6 or 7 on hand at all times because I feel like it gets most stains out. 

My next step is to use Contractor Trash Bags to protect my hardwood floors from the Oxi Clean. 

I use these Contractor Bags in our trash cans in the garage and I like them better than standard black trash bags because they are thicker and don't rip near as easy. I had to lay 6 of them on the floor to cover where I would be working on the quilt stains. (No worries, they wipe up easy and I store them away until I need to replace the liners in the garage... around here it seems I am always using them for my projects! 

Now you can see where the stains were located that you couldn't see as easily in the first photo. I soaked it down pretty well and used 2 containers of the Oxi Clean Max Force Gel Stick to make sure each stain was covered very well. After about 20 minutes I took the nubby part on the gel stick and gently rubbed around on the stains to help work the product into the quilt. 

After soaking for around 40 minutes it was time to put it in the wash. I put it on a gentle cycle (Delicate/Hand Wash) and with warm water. Once done I would put in the dryer. 

Once it was out of the dryer I would lay it back on the floor to see how well the stains came out. For the most part all is good except that one bigger stain... it just didn't want to come all the way out. 

While it's faint, it's still not good enough for me! I would need my next option....

While this may be Grandma's Secret Spot Remover it was also my secret weapon on stains! 

I would soak it down again (with the Contractor Bags under the quilt to protect my floors) and wait about 15 minutes before gently rubbing it into the quilt. I would wait about 10 minutes longer and put back in the wash on a gentle cycle (Delicate / Hand Wash) with warm water and normal detergent and softener. 

Once it came out of the dryer, I spread it out on the floor again to have one more look. It appears that I won't be able to get all of that stain out but enough that it isn't as noticeable as when I first placed it on the floor. 

It looks and smells so nice and although I am not sure what I will do with this one just yet I know it will either end up with my other quilts or possibly used in decoration around the house. 

The best part is that this quilt will be taken care of and not left to "rot" somewhere else. While I don't have a ton of room to display them (plus I don't want the sunshine on them as they will fade) I do have a walk-in closet in a guest bedroom that many of them are stacked nicely on the shelves. Each time I walk in that room I can't help but smile knowing how much happiness those quilts brought Grandma Ruby but how many I have added to her collection over the years. 

For now, it's sitting on the bench in our laundry area. I know it can't stay there but this gives me time to figure out where it will end up. If you ever see me in a flea market and I'm looking at old quilts just smile... a girl can never have too many!