Working on a Restoration Project

Quite a while ago I posted a photo of an antique block that I had acquired, one of a small group of identical blocks, that I hoped to do something with. Part of the delay in dealing with these blocks came from other projects being in the queue first and part came from indecision about just what I wanted to do with them. The fabric of the applique on the blocks was in pretty good shape, but their muslin backing was badly discolored and very worn. The indigo dye used in the printed fabric didn't really match or even come that close to modern blues and the blocks themselves were in need of attention. The person who cut the blocks apart used a rotary cutter and wasn't that careful about preserving the points on some of the design elements.

But after this long delay, I have been working on the blocks for a couple of days. I have carefully unpicked the stitches on the points so they can be repointed and I have begun the process of re-appliqueing the oak leaf and reel elements to new muslin.

This is a block in more or less untouched condition. I have picked out the stitches right at the tips of the pointed reel sections but otherwise this block is as it arrived to me.

This is a block during the process of re-applying it to new fabric. Even though the indigo fabric is in fairly decent shape, it is still about 140 years old or more so I have left the original muslin behind the fabric and am turning under a small margin of muslin to form the new edge of the applique. Some of the blocks were also very "wonky", seriously out of symmetry and unbalanced so I have repositioned those elements (carefully) to make the block more straight and true.

The lighting was different but the fabric and color are the same nevertheless. This is the one block I have completed the process on. Although I have straightened some of the elements on some of the blocks, I have left other blocks, with all their imperfections, alone. So while this block is by no means entirely perfect and symmetrical, it isn't so far out of balance that it looks lopsided. The old points are points again instead of being chopped off. My hope is that the old muslin will help protect the original fabric but obviously this will still be a delicate quilt. My plan is to add sashing, probably Flying Geese, in coordinating colors from the Mill Girls line, and then an applique border of oak leaves and acorns in the same fabrics. It won't be elaborate, more focused on the plain strength of the oak leaves.