KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE MY BLOW DRYER RUN!

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Oh No!


I made this quilt 6 years ago, for my son, Colin and his wife, Jenny. I loved making it, I loved the colors and I loved how that little bit of applique added just the right touch to the quilt. Sorry about the picture I am having a hard time finding a spot in the house that does not wash out the color.


So imagine my dismay when they brought the quilt over last weekend because the applique is coming off!
My worse nightmare come true!


Upon further inspection I found some leaves that were loose too!


It really is a pretty block....which I will be stitching down again....


I embroidered the year and their initials in the center. It is a little hard to see, the sun is very bright today.



Any suggestions? I have always used silk thread and now I am having second thoughts about using it again.
Even though it is only 6 years old, I like how it looks like an old quilt with the quilting and all puckery.
Ugh!

Kelly

19 comments:

  1. I don't have any applique tips for you but just have to say what a beautiful quilt it is! On the good side at least you know the quilt is being used and loved, and isn't it great they can bring it back to you for repairs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. At this point I think I would be machine appliqueing it down. If you use the right color of thread, no one will notice and it will still be there when the fabric is shredding.:) Good luck! It really is a lovely quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think machine applique would be appropriate too since this is a quilt that gets a lot of use. I wouldn't want to have to fix it again in another 6 years.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Such a pretty quilt!! It's wonderful to see that it has been so well loved :0) How very sad the silk thread gave out though. I use silk thread for applique too - especially multicoloured pieces. Thanks for sharing this - I will think before I stitch with silk thread again about the purpose of the quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I totally agree with the machine applique-ing it down...I have never been able to use silk thread--it's so slippery--how can it hold over time and washing?? Julierose

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a beautiful quilt. So nice to know it is loved and cherished. I do not appliqué so I have no tips but I do like the idea of machine appliqué by one of the other comments. Hope it works out.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Preciosa colcha!!!
    Siento que la seda no diera resultado
    Yo pienso empezar un trabajo y pesaba en la seda
    ¿y ahora que tengo que hacer?
    Gracias por compartir
    Saludos

    ReplyDelete
  8. I was going to suggest doing machine applique this time too since it is clearly loved and used. the quilt is lovelyand so is the applique. It does have that soft, cuddly look.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's such a lovely quilt and how wonderful that's it's being used too. I agree with machine plaque since it's machine quilted. I'm really surprised that the silk thread didn't hold up, quite flabbergasted in fact.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Could they be washing it incorrectly? There are some detergents that eat up silk thread! If you fix it with machine applique, won't that show on the back and be a mess? Just thinking outloud.....I love it! It's beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's not a good sign when a blog begins with, Oh, No! I agree about the machine appliqué as a remedy to the failing silk thread. I think the back will be okay. It will just look like more machine quilting. It's really a lovely quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Beautiful and well-loved quilt. Maybe a laundry product did affect silk thread? Do they have a cat that would sleep on center of quilt?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Stitching coming out (as in a narrow seam and pulling apart with wear) has always been a concern with selling a quilt. I once had a buyer call me years later and say the quilt had faded. Hmmmmmm

    Nice quilt. Glad they brought it back for repair. Silk thread? Maybe not!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hhhmmm, I surprised too! I don't think it's the silk, as I have a bed quilt I made for my son and used DMC to applique it and it also came away after use and washing over the years.
    I think I agree with everyone else that maybe machine quilting its the answer for a quilt that will be well used.
    It is a lovely quilt Kelly!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yikes! I can't believe it. You have such tiny stitches. I am interested to hear what quilters have to say about this. I gave up on silk myself but have some appliqué done with it.

    ReplyDelete
  16. This is so disheartening. It is my worst fear also that stitches will come loose with time. I have had bindings degrade with washing and use, but that's not as bad as when the body of a quilt comes apart. I don't know if I would go to the trouble of hand stitching it again.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Are you thinking to re-appliqué by hand? It might be possible to machine stitch it down since the stitching can be made to look like quilting. Good for you for taking the time to fix it!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh Kelly, Such a pretty quilt! I am not experienced with hand appliqued quilts on bed. I agree with everyone here, it is machine quilted, might as well secure it now with machine stitching for many years of it's life. Always good to see the quilt you have gifted is well used.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I would needle turn the applique back down with cotton thread - I don't think it is the silk thread that was bad - it is if the quilt has been washed and dried numerous times. My daughter has several quilts that I made for them that have been washed and dried to death and they were under 10 years old and falling apart - you just can't wash a quilt over and over again and expect it to last. I have quilts that are older that I rarely wash and they are just fine.

    ReplyDelete

I love to read your comments, they make my day!