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Today I'm going to start working on a gift bag using this slow stitch bundle.

The theme is by the sea, one of my favorites. I also love the colors.

For this project I might incorporate a piece of the newer backing fabric from the hidden quilt. It's pretty fragile, though, so I'm still thinking about it.

I soaked and washed it yesterday by hand in mild detergent, mostly to get out the smell and any dirt, and hung it to dry in the bathroom. Given the age of the fabric I'm a little leery of even hanging it in the sunlight.

Despite its age it held together with no new fraying or shattering, so it's strong enough to stitch.

A before (left) and after (right) washing comparison. Soaking and washing it in the lukewarm water didn't really lighten the fabric much; with very old cotton I think the discoloration comes from fiber deterioration. But it looks a little better, and it smells much, much nicer.

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nightsmusic said…
I absolutely love that backing fabric. I might be more inclined though to quilt it to some unbleached muslin and frame it behind glass, to hang on the wall. It's so unique and such a piece of history.
October 10, 2021 at 7:23 AM
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