Heading off to Publix’s this past week to pick up sister’s birthday cake I saw an estate sale sign and of course the truck turned itself down that street?!?
A little condo, nice, but nothing I needed UNTIL…the table in the main bedroom. Quilts! This was the only handmade one.
I love the untold stories in every stitch, stories of long nights by lamplight, scraps saved from worn-out dresses, and hands that stitched with love, patience, and often necessity.
I don’t purchase many things anymore, but I do purchase quilts. I love browsing a flea market, a local antique shop, buying an old quilt isn’t just shopping—it’s adopting a piece of someone’s history.
A Few of My to Do’s when purchasing an old Quilt
- UNFOLD the quilt onto a flat surface, IF on floor ASK. At this estate sale the estate clerks, didn’t like this…I have NO idea, probably not a quilt people?!? But I asked and opened the quilt (on to the bed) and I did a bit of a lesson for them, fabric quality, stitches, binding, and batting.
- Turn it over and do the same thing to the back. Again, estate sale estate clerks, didn’t like this. I did it anyway. And after a bit…ladies please read the person, read the room. NO one else was in the condo, them, and me?!?
- All quilts at estate sales will be fading, discoloration and normal wear, they were used.
- Look for stains, dry rot or brittle fabric means that is cracks when handled. Give the quilt a sniff too, a storage musty smell can be hard to remove and a smoke smell I always walk away from, it doesn’t come out. “If you’re determined to rescue a quilt with a mild odor, know that careful airing, baking soda treatments, or professional textile cleaning may help—but don’t expect miracles with heavy smoke or mildew.”
- Workmanship and materials, old 100% cotton, feed sacks, wool, or silk all have a place in quilting. Is the quilt hand stitched, machine stitched, how quilted, I always seem to go for hand stitched. Hand stitched, small stitches, holding all layers together.
- Pattern and design matter too, especially if you’re collecting. Some patterns—like the Double Wedding Ring, Grandmother’s Flower Garden, or Log Cabin—are more sought after by collectors.
- Buy what you love! If a quirky, one-of-a-kind scrap quilt makes your heart happy, that’s more important than following what’s “valuable” on paper.
- Color choices can also hint at the quilt’s age. Browns, indigos, and turkey reds often point to the late 1800s, while pastels came into fashion in the 1930s.
- How will you use this quilt, or will you? “Will it live on your bed, hang on a wall, be folded on a bench, or tucked away in a collection?”
- Look for Repairs and Damage Beyond Wear
Check for old repairs, new patches, or even color-mismatched fabrics. Some repairs are charming and part of the quilt’s story, but others may have been poorly done or with materials that won’t age well. Look along seams and in high-wear areas like edges and corners. - Confirm it’s a Quilt (Not a Comforter or Blanket!)
It sounds silly, but at some estate sales, things get labeled “quilt” when they’re actually mass-produced bedspreads or blankets. Look for the traditional quilt layers: a pieced or appliquéd top, a middle layer of batting, and a backing—all held together with quilting stitches. - Trust yourself, if the price feels too high for the condition, or if you’re getting a bad vibe from the sale, it’s okay to walk away. There will always be another quilt. And sometimes the hunt is half the fun.
- Bring cash if you’re at a smaller estate sale, and don’t be afraid to negotiate a little—especially if you’re buying multiple quilts or if the sale is winding down for the day.
- If you’re shopping online, don’t be shy about asking for close-up photos of both the front and back. A seller who knows their quilts should expect questions.
This quilt a few problems, 3 tiny fabric holes in the back fabric, all in the same area. Batting has shifted under some of the butterflies into large balls of batting. No binding, binding had been removed and top/bottom straight stitched around the edge.
I ONLY purchase quilt now that can be machine washed and dried in the dryer. This butterfly quilt was washed 2 times, mending in one place on the back and washed/dried again. This will be a use it quilt.
YES, I buried the lead…The Price, $10.00, sometimes you must purchase a quilt.
SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy
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