How should I preserve antique quilt blocks?

Question

I received 24 Dresden plate quilt blocks from my grandmothers stash when she died.  They looked to be pieced from fabric scraps and clothing (no real color pallet) and are not mounted on a muslin backing.  I want to put them together in a quilt but I'm not sure about how to do it and keep true to the time period that they were first created (I assume it was in the 1950's).  Any ideas?

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The Dresden Plate is an applique pattern-- first hand wash the blocks and lay out to dry--do not wash in a machine..Then what I would do is get some good quaity muslin --make the block 1" larger than you want the finished block (applique may shrink the muslin) and applique the plates to it.  Then trim to 1/2" larger than finished size.
 Some of the older dresden plate quilts had sashing between the blocks to make the quilt bigget and add a stabelizing color, as the Dresden pieces were useally scraps.Some people placed a plane block between so thek could show off there quilting. Depending on the size of your blocks --with 24 - I would probably just join togather without sashing or a very small one.  this will make a very pretty quilt. If you use your finished quilt on a spare bed do not let it get direct sunlight and turn ocassionally. If not used it can be fluffed once a year in the dryer to remove dust. Should last a long time.
Shirley

Answer 1

One person who is a great source for this is Pam Clarke.  She has extensive experience with antique or vintage quilts.

I also had vintage quilt blocks that I wanted finished into a nice quilt.  My SIL found a resource for production of vintage look fabrics that matched the block material with perfect color. Here is one website for reproduction fabrics, ReproductionFabrics.com

Answer 2

I have several sets purchased at antique stores.  They are lovely blocks, and as mentioned, get appliqued to a plain square.  That square should be 4-5" wider than the plates so that they float on the background.

Traditionally, the background was muslin because that was inexpensive fabric and often purchased by the bolt to make patterns and undergarments.  But if your grandma was a free sprit, she may have used a colored background to "spice it up".  Some pastels look great with 50's fabrics.

Personally, I would not wash them before appliqueing  unless they were very dirty.  The edges will most likely fray and make it difficult to turn them under evenly.  You don't mention if it is a round edge or a pointed end, but in either case, you want the outside edges to be even.  The center was often covered with a circle of a solid fabric to hide the fact that those edges might not match or that you had difficulty stitching a neat circle.  Once the quilt is done, you can wash gently.