The quilt cleaned up nicely...the water marks, the rust stain, and the general haze is 90% gone. I didn't want to soak it any longer for fear of either harming or fading the fabric. I know it is clean and that is the main thing!
I also learn a lot about a quilt while I wash it. The workmanship on this quilt is very good. Most of the piecing is done by machine but the yellow circles I believe were appliqued down...at a minimum they were hand sewn. I think applique because the seam allowance of the red and blue arc pieces is so much larger than the yellow seam allowance.
I only really noticed that while the fabric was wet and the darker colors showed through.
Dry (and clean) feedsack backing
I also learned the backing was made from feedsacks. There are at least 9 pieces of fabric sewn together to make the back. The printing of the feedsack was only easily visible when the quilt was wet. 
Wet feedsack back
Though I still cannot quite make out what it says!
This quilt will join my other quilts with circular motifs like this Mariner's Compass
And my "Pie" Quilt!
6 comments:
It's amazing how much grim accumulates in these old quilt tops. I bought two from eBay and they both were very dirty. We have an AQS certified quilt appraiser in our guild and she suggests using BIZ in the wash water while soaking them. If what you use to soak the quilts in is not harmful, you can leave them in the wash water for days. Water is the original and most effective cleaning solvent all by itself. We don't often think of water this way, but a chemist will tell you the same thing. Mine came out beautifully clean and fresh with no visible fading. Yours looks lovely. Authentic feed sacks - priceless!
What a wonderful group of circular patterned quilts! Love the vintage stuff like this!
I've got one that could probably use a good soak!
darn it. I really should have bought that gorgeous pie quilt instead of showing it to you. ;-) all your circular quilts are wonderful.
It looks lovely! So interesting what you learned while it was wet!! Very cool to have seen the feedsack printing. I really like all 3 of your circular quilts.
It appears that the feedsack in the picture is inside out, which may contribute to the difficulty reading it. I tried to read the printing in a mirror, but couldn't make out more than a "C" and a "K", and maybe an "E". Regardless, it's a great quilt!
I love this "Clean Quilt" and so amazed what a good washing can do. Stunning Mariner's Compass and oh my gosh who doesn't love a pie quilt? I like the white "stop border" on those. it really works up against the green which I also totally dig!!!
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