Restoring Childhood Blanket

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RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

For blindquilter . Please don't worry about my beloved blankie being cut and used for a small quilt, pillow and family memory photo backing. Every last piece of the blankie will be used including torn and too worn remnants for the pillow stuffing and I am going to also use myantoo's advice of using 'Wonder Under' to reinforce the delicate fabric for each item and Ms. Blankie will then have three new lives. :-) I appreciate your concern so very, very much :-)

Post by Deeli

RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

DON'T CUT IT UP! That is an absolute last resort. Restoration and conservation is important, and you can save most, if not all of your blanket.
Call me at area code 571, number 236 then 8168, anytime between 3pm and 6pm your time, and I can give you tons of help, but there's too much for a feedback item. Don't cut it up! Talk to me first.
Marilyn

Post By blindquilter (Guest Post)

RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

I, myself, would purchase a fleece or flannel backing and use fusible webbing (Wonder Under) to adhere both pieces together using a hot iron and a damp cloth as you are fusing. Find a material as close as you can possible find to match the blanket and cut slightly larger than the holes, place between the blanket and the backing. Adhere those first, then iron (fuse) the rest of the blanket, working from inside to outside edges.

Just to be on the safe side because flannel has a tendency to stick to hot iron, use a cotton material to cover the parts of the blanket that the iron may touch where the damp cloth doesn't touch (hope that makes sense) this will protect that blanket. Also another tip, if you pin all of this together ahead of time, this should aid in keeping the blanket and the backing as straight as possible. Should the edges not quite match when you are finished fusing, use seam binding and sew around edges, salvaging as much as you possibly can without cutting any edging off what so ever.

This is really more simple than is sounds. I just made a roller shade using Wonder Under and fused two different fabrics together. It turned out really well. Please let us know what you decided to do and how it turned out for you! Elaine

Post by myantoo

RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

I very much appreciate everyone's suggestions! I think I'll combine a little bit of each of them :-)

What I'll do is salvage as many squares as possible, quilt a binding edged small throw and also a small pillow for sofa cuddling. Will also use whatever is left of the remaining fabric as part of the pillow stuffing :-)

I also love the idea of cutting a piece of the fabric and placing it in a photo frame with my mom and dad's picture but will also add my brother. It will be a piece of one of the particular holes and here's the fondest and funniest (I have a goofy sense of humor) reason why:

I think it was the Summer of '64 and we took a family driving vacation from Seattle to L.A. to go to Disneyland. It was in the days of still one lane highways and before standard auto air conditioning so all the windows were open. Even though it was hot I loved that blanket so was asleep covered with it in the back seat next to my brother.

Well, since I was asleep I don't remember my brother saying this but I certainly remember the commotion thereafter ;-) Apparently he yelled really loud to our dad, "Lila's on fire!" Our dad pulled over really quick and grabbed me out of the car and began flapping and stomping on the blanket! Turns out he had flipped a cigarette out the window and it had come back in on to my blanket :-0 It wasn't a huge hole back then but it's the hole that is now the largest ;-)

Anyway, after the apartment fire that happened in my building two weeks ago, and submitted regarding fire preparedness, I am praying no more close call fires for Deeli ;-)

Thanks again everyone for the really good ideas and another life for my beloved 'blankie':-)

Post by Deeli

RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

I think that I would purchase a lightweight blanket or flannel sheet in pink or white and use this to reinforce the childhood blanket. Lay the two on the floor or a bed together, pin around the edges and sew together all around. You can then stitch around the holes to the reinforcing blanket so these will not grow larger. I would tie the two layer together with heavy pearl cotton or yarn at intervals of 5" or so. The blanket would not look elegant or new, but should be usable and this shouldn't change any of the special feeling that you have when you use it.

Post By Pat Eno. (Guest Post)

RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

Is there enough material left in it to make a teddy bear or doll or whatever your favorite cuddler might be out of it to cuddle up with?

Post By Laura (Guest Post)

RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

I folded 2 old worn flannelette sheets into 1/4's and ran stitches across(not many) diagnally years ago. They are still going strong and i sometimes pull one onto my upper body on the sofa if I am going to have a quick nap. They were wonderful to put under the grandkids too. Originally they were under me at that time of the month.

Post By siris (Guest Post)

RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

I think that you could also use some of the unripped sections and other fleece material for squares. Sew these together and then put a pink backing of fleece on it to hold it together. You can buy binding and put that around the edge. Fleece is cozy and cuddly and you would still have part of the blanket. Let us know what you do:)
Harriet

Post by Har'iet

RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

My baby blanket was woven by my father and a Sunbonnet Sue applique was added by my mother. Both parents are now gone and the blanket is thread bare. I took a four inch square that had the Sunbonnet Sue on it, framed it with a snapshot of my parents with me on the blanket and that is on my wall. Would something like that work for you?

Post By Edith (Guest Post)

RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

I zoomed in but can not tell by the photo what type fabric it is made of? But I would do as the post by Glenn's Mom suggest and cut it into squares and make a rag item out of it. Ragged items are very popular now and can be done into rag purses, totes, table runners, or in this case you used it to stay warm you could make a ragged throw from it.

I saw its pink & white so you must like pink and it has a squared off design to it in sections. So just cut out as many of those squared design from your loving old quilt as you can that are not torn and then get fabric that is comfy to match in solid pinks and even white like flannel or fleece and cut them the size of your squares from your old quilt and follow the directions for doing a ragged design and you will end up with a beautiful new lap throw or what ever you choose, and can pass it along as a treasure to your loved ones like kids etc.

The ragged look it raw selvages but is so pretty and country looking. here is a site that tells how to do it.
http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/rag_quilt.htm

Post by theseamstress

RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

I know that this idea wouldn't really be the same, but what if you made a quilt, and used the treasured blanket for the filling in between layers?

Post by Anonymous

RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

Could you turn her into a pillow?
http://www.savingspotpourri.blogspot.com/

Post by Savings Assistant

RE: Restoring Childhood Blanket

I think I would cut in into squares and add squares of either other sentimental fabric or purchase something new and make another quilt.

Post by Glenn'sMom

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