Sewing Quilts
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Are the Amish and Mennonites still making quilts? Yes, but unfortunately they now use a combination of cotton and polyester fabrics. Even the cottons aren't the same. The old ones were vegetable-dyed, which gave special richness to the colors. What other kinds of quilts are desirable? African American quilting is almost as old as the history of America. Black slave women were needed for spinning, weaving, sewing and quilting on plantations and in other wealthy households. Although the quilt fabrics and patterns used were those of upper class whites, some African American household slaves became highly skilled in creating these quilts. Little time was left in the day for these women to do their own sewing. We know some made scrap quilts or other bed coverings for their families but little has survived to be studied today. By design, color harmony and needlecraft. However, mediocre design with wonderful stiching can be outstanding. So can a quilt with less fine needlework but mavelous pattern or colors. The ideal is to find great taste and great workmanship together. Is it possible to find large quilts? Once in a while you'll see one that's 100 inches wide, but most are in the 72-to 78-inch range, and often square. The African American quilts were funtionally sized and durability. If you have a very fine quilt, don't use it on a bed. There's too much risk of wear. Where are quilts found now? The best buys are in the midwest, particularly in Ohio and Missouri, but also in upstate New York and other more remote rural communities. Seach at auctions and antiques fairs. How are quilts displayed? They are used as wall hangings, which is what most dealers advise. Dramatic colors and designs are the qualities that you should look for in a quilt you would like to use as a wall hanging. How do you care for a quilt? If you hang it behind glass, it must never touch the glass. To frame a quilt, treat it like a fine print, and back it with acid-free paper. Never display a quilt in direct sunlight -- colors fade, especially the reds. To store, roll it (don't fold) to prevent wear cracks. Wrap it in acid-free paper. Avoid old quilts with brown materials. Something in the mordant (the dye-setter) or the dyes themselves causes the brown to disintegrate. How do you clean a quilt? No dry cleaning ever. The solvents are too strong. If you must wash the quilt, do it in the bathtub with a dishwashing detergent such as Joy. Then rinse the quilt many, many times with distilled water. But sometimes you may have to leave it dirty. Don't tamper with rust stains or with blood stains (made by pricked fingers) that were not washed out right then.
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