I love vintage fabrics and have collected bits and pieces for years. I enjoy making small quilts out of treasured bits. But they can be a challenge to use and you just never know how things will turn out. I just finished this little quilt for the SQT challenge.
I used all vintage fabrics even though some had discolorations. I decided when I finished, I would give it a quick, gentle wash in this:
I have used this product many times to remove age related stains from vintage textiles and am very satisfied with it. However, old fabrics can misbehave like a toddler. Here is the same little quilt after a quick hand wash.
Pretty amazing, huh? Here is a close up of the change in the border fabric.
I knew there were risks when I made and washed this. And I am not at all unhappy with how it turned out. In fact, it looks even more like an antique now! Please understand, I am not at all unhappy with the product, this is just the nature of the beast when working with vintage textiles. These fabrics are probably late 1800s so they are truly old!
I am glad I took before and after pics just so you could see what can happen.
I am linking up with Kelly at My Quilt a Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday and Gemma at Pretty Bobbins for I Quilt.
KatyQuilts 
It is as if one washing did all the fading at once that time does on those antique quilts. It is lucky you got a nice pink instead of a dull tan.
How fun to have those vintage fabrics to begin with. Good for you, for collecting them! I’ve never had enough for even a tiny doll quilt, but I’ve put a few vintage patches in here and there. On one piece, the patch completely blew out when I washed it. As you say, tis the nature of the beast.
You have made a darling little quilt. I too am shocked at the difference. Saying your fabric is from the late 1800’s makes me wonder where you get fabric that old? And, being curious, I’d love to see what happen if you just washed the fabric with a gentle soap/detergent. Great job all around.
Thank you for sharing the before and after photos. Washing made a huge difference but it’s still absolutely adorable to me.
I am shocked at the change, but love the finished quilt! I would love it either way, it’s so pretty.
This is very interesting to read. I’ve never seen a product like that here in Italy. The colours and the final effect are very different. This must make working with vintage fabrics very challenging. A beautiful quilt in both colour versions!
What a sweet little quilt! The change is colours is amazing. It’s nice to have the before and after pictures to really show the difference. It’s good too that you’re not upset about the change!
While I love the pre-washed colors much better, it’s still such a beautiful little quilt. But I sure wouldn’t have believed it would have changed that much without your showing us. 😉
Wow! I am shocked at how much fugitive colour there was! Lovely, lovely quilt in the end. It’s so sweet! Well done!
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It’s beautiful and a labor of love both before and after 🙂