How come the quilts I have that my Great Grandmother made are so heavy and mine arent? Is there anything I can use to make mine heavier?

Thanks!

Hello Le Anne,
I,too, have a couple of quilts that my husband's great grandmother made that are heavy.In my opinion, I think that there is probably a heavy blanket or old quilt as the center of the quilt. Are your quilts quilted or heavily tied? Mine are because of how heavy they are. They were definately made for warmth.

Trina

Trina

My stepson gave me a quilt made by his grandma and asked me if I could fix the holes. The backing is flannel and it's falling apart. The batting is several layers of cotton and flannel. It's really, really heavy. It's going to take forever to dry after washing, if it even fits in my machine.

Personally, I prefer the new lighter weight batting materials. You get just as much warmth without the weight.

Pam!!!! I hope you haven't machine washed that quilt!!!!!

Old quilts are so fragile. You need to put it in the bath tub, in warmish water, with mild soap. Wiggle it around, kneading it with your hands, drain the water and repeat several times. Then after the water seems clear enough for you. Drain again, and have someone help you roll and start squeezing out the excess water. It will weigh a ton! Then hang it on the cloths line or if you don't have one a fence will do. (Make sure the neighbours don't have a dog that will grab it, of that they won't!) Do not under any circumstances put it in the dryer either!

My EX mother in law tried to "help" me and washed two or three of my grandmother's quilts while I was in the hospital having my youngest daughter... I almost had a stroke when she told me what happened...they just shreaded.
Good luck!
KimUk

Kim..
Thanks for the washing tips! I would have FAINTED straight away if someone did that to my cherished quilts.

A few years back my home burned down. There was some salvaged items (and for that I was thankful!!!)...but.. when I opened up one of the boxes from the restoration place...THERE was my antique quilt!! It had been cleaned... I don't know how..(it didnt' smell like chemicals..).but it was not harmed in any way. I almost fainted!

Oh boy... that woman would have been my EX MIL too for that stunt. ...lol

GAQuilter -

Funny you should bring up that "heavy quilt" topic. I have been wondering about putting in two layers of "warm and natural"..lol I'm going to have one machine quilted. Wonder if that would work?. I think I'll email the lady and ask her. What the heck...