If you have an old quilt with issues, you need to decide if you will seek repair or restoration. Here is some information to help.
Quilt Repair: Quilt repair is chosen when the quilt is damaged but still has useful life. The repair process stabilizes the quilt and extends its useful life.
Quilt Restoration: Quilt restoration is usually chosen if the quilt is of museum or family heirloom quality. In quilt restoration the quilt is stabilized and repairs made with fabric and techniques close to the original so that they blend as invisibly as possible and are as authentic as possible.
Sometimes these terms are used interchangeably. When you select a company or person to work on your quilt be sure you and they fully understand the value of the quilt, exactly how it will be repaired or restored and what you can expect to see when your quilt is returned. Ask for an estimate and work plan before the work is started.
You may need to send your quilt to a location outside your state for the work to be done. Here are some web links with information that may be helpful. NBQA does not endorse a particular company or person.
The New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, MA is a great resource for New Englanders. If your quilt was made before 1950 in Massachusetts or was made elsewhere but currently resides in Massachusetts they suggest first having the quilt documented by the trained volunteers of the Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project to get advice about what does and doesn’t need to be done. Read about the project at massquilts.org
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