Today was a perfect day to air out the rest of my 1800's-era quilts before tucking them away in their chest - a clear, breezy day with low humidity. The shade of the house protected them from direct sunlight. I would love to be able to wash them like I did the 1930's quilt, but I'm not sure I want to risk damaging them since they are so old - especially since the pineapple quilt is in mint condition and looks like it has never been laundered, the ones that have been laundered over the years are too fragile, and because crazy quilts usually can't be laundered or dry-cleaned (never, ever!) because of the variety of non-cotton fabrics they contain. They smell so much better - they were so musty smelling that it almost gave me the creeps.... I think they are relieved to have shed their foreboding odors (and maybe haunting unpleasant memories??) and grateful to be given a new lease on life. :)
Interestingly enough, I discovered that the batting inside this cut-down scrap of a circa 1930 comforter...
... is actually a Log Cabin quilt from the 1860's! How cool! I'm so tempted to take it apart and rescue the Log Cabin quilt inside, but I'm not sure if I should compromise the integrity of the quilt.... The Log Cabin quilt is almost in better shape than the comforter! It looks like it might have been a twin-size comforter; for whatever reason, someone apparently cut it in half, and this is all that is left. I wonder what happened to the other half. Wouldn't you love to know the story behind this quilt?!
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