I have several quilts that are approximately 100 years old (have been in the family that long). One quilt in particular was taken out of my cedar chest and washed in the bath tub with Orvis soap, then hung up to dry. All of the squares of a particular fabric disintegrated. These are not moth holes, the fabric itself just fell apart. I was horribly crushed that I had ruined this quilt. (The quilt was washed because it was in a flood and had creek silt all through it). 

After the quilt was dry I folded it back up and placed it back into the cedar chest. There it sits. I have had thoughts about replacing the pieces of the quilt that were lost. I don't know what to do at this point. Do I try to find the original fabric? Do I find some other pattern and replace the old pieces with new ones? Do I make an entire new quilt using pieces from the old quilt? A quilt after all is a piece of history. I could add my own piece of history by combining pieces of the old quilt into a new one? 
Thanks,
Tereia

Tereia,
This is heartbreaking for anyone...but it sounds to me as if you had little choice in washing the quilt. Don't blame yourself too much -- if you'd left hat yucky silt in, would the quilt have been any better off? Of course not. Quite possibly the fabric would have 'gone' already -- it just did it a little quicker because of the washing. Of course you can add pieces of fabric to repair the damage. After all, it's YOUR quilt. But stop and answer the following questions first. Is the quilt historically important for some reason? Is it an unusual pattern or a 'best' quilt that is particularly valuable due to workmanship or unusual materials? If those answers are 'yes,' then stop and consult an experienced appraiser or quilt restorer. (In fact if you feel hesitant at all, these are good people to talk to first.) Check http://www.quiltappraiser.com  if you need names for your area. 

If you feel, however, that you want to repair this piece yourself, then you have some options: *Collect vintage fabric for repairs. The two places I often go to are Hickory Hill Quilts  and the Kirk Collection. Both have mail order, and can often match or closely approximate fabric samples. *Use a 'cutter' or lesser quilt top as a fabric donor for vintage fabric. *Use a closely approximating modern reproduction fabric to make your repairs. Both Hickory Hill and Kirk Collection have good selections; so does Patchworks in Montana.  Use the thinnest cotton or silk thread you can find to restitch the patches in place.

 I don't tend to use a bathtub for washing quilts anymore, as I feel the process of lifting them up, still wet, even when they are supported by a towel or other fabric 'sling,' puts undue pressure on the fabric and seams. The results: RRRIIPPP or POP! I prefer the washing machine, since I can spin much of the moisture out during the process. See my 'questions' section on this website for more info. Thanks for asking, and good luck to you. Do you mind if I use your question on my website?

Cindy Brick

Cindy,

Thank you very much for your help. I have no idea of the historical significance of my quilts and quite frankly never thought about that. [They mean a great deal to me because my Great Grandmother (who was the daughter of Devil Anse Hatfield-of the Hatfields & McCoys) made them. I am still amazed at the workmanship. I know they were sewn by hand, yet her stitches are so perfect they look like they were done on a sewing machine.] Anyway, I will consult an appraiser before making my decision. Thank you for that tip. As for using my question on your web-site, please feel free. You have been VERY helpful.

God Bless,

Tereia