Restoring a Vintage Quilt

Several months ago, my grandmother passed away. As we were cleaning out her attic, I came across a treasure – a hand-pieced, hand quilted double wedding ring quilt. I know she didn’t make it, because she never learned to quilt, and since there’s no label, there’s unfortunately no way to find out who did. However, after consulting with my friend Dakota, who runs the Missouri Quilt Museum, we were able to figure out that it was created in the 1940’s, because it uses recognizable feed sack fabric prints, which you can learn about in this great article if you’re unfamiliar with them. My grandparents were married May 1, 1948, so this quilt was likely a handmade wedding gift.

Image shows a vintage double wedding ring quilt displayed on a black metal ladder.

When I first discovered the quilt, it had been in a bag in the attic for who knows how long, and had become dirty and discolored. So, I asked Dakota for her tips on how to safely clean and restore it. Here’s what I learned from her, and it worked wonders!

Image contains a vintage double wedding ring quilt.

How to Restore a Vintage Quilt

You’ll need:
– Retro Clean
– Ammonia

Test a small area of the red (or other dark) fabric with a wet q-tip to make sure the color doesn’t bleed. If it does, don’t continue.
Fill a bathtub or plastic tote with very hot water mixed with 1/4 cup clear ammonia and 6 Tablespoons of Retro Clean.
Place the quilt in the water and soak for 4-6 hours. Gently swish every 30-60 minutes. I couldn’t believe how dirty the water got in the tub!

Image contains a vintage quilt in a bathtub full of dirty water.

4. Empty the water, gently squeeze the excess, then rinse to see if the water runs clear. If not, repeat the process until it does.

5. Take the quilt outside and lay it flat on the grass to dry in the sun for 4-6 hours.It was amazing how the combination of the sunlight and the chlorophyll in the grass acted like nature’s bleach and brought the white as well as the colors back to life.

Image contains a vintage double wedding ring quilt spread out on green grass.

This process successfully removed the dirt and the slightly musty smell from the quilt and restored its beauty. I keep looking at all the tiny, even stitches and wondering about the person who made them. I wonder how long it took her to create this masterpiece by hand. I wonder what she was thinking about as she stitched.

It’s a good reminder for me to always label the quilts I make moving forward, which I haven’t done in the past. The things we create are part of our legacy, and connect us with both the past and the future. Special thanks to Dakota Redford for sharing this process and for creating a wonderful celebration of quilting at the Missouri Quilt Museum.