Introduction:

Being a collector of vintage quilts for years and also being a Board of Director member on a local historical society has given me quite a bit of exposer to quilting and how to determine age, fabric type and stitching techniques.  Attending local quilting classes and performing as a coordinator for a quilt identification and appraisal  program has also taught me important facts on quilting.

This guide will give you a few important tips and identification information you should be looking for when purchasing and collecting quilts of all ages.

Determining Hand Made to Machine Made:

• The stitching is the main tell-tale sign when looking to see if a quilt is hand made or machine made.  When a quilt is hand made, the stitching will never be quite perfect in size and accuracy. A skilled quilter is able to have their stitches be VERY close together, but not perfect in size etc, like a machine could do.  Sometimes you must look very closely at the stitches. You must also look throughout the entire quilt because some quilts are hand AND machine stitched.
• Hand made quilts, if done properly should have an identification tag sewn on the back bottom corner.  Many many old quilts do not have this - it is normally seen in 20th century quilts.  The identification tag usually is made of cloth and consists of the name of the quilt-makers name, town, state and date of creation.
• The size can also be a determining factor.  Older hand made quilts were made in odd sizes due to the amount of fabric a family had to offer. New, machine made quilts come in standard sizes to fit the standard mattress sizes of today.

Determining the Quality of a Quilt:

• Quilts, new and old are basically two large pieces of fabric with batting in the middle. A well made quilt will have a cotton batting. Most machine made quilt (mass produced), are made with polyester batting.
• The thread used in quilting is also a factor. A good quilter will use actual quilting thread, instead of normal, everyday sewing thread. Quilter's thread is thicker and stronger than regular thread.

The Value of Quilts:

• Determining the value can be tricky.  Old quilts, depending on age, condition and pieces can range from $100 to over 1,000.

Caring for your Quilt:

• Caring for your quilt is very important! Never throw your quilt in the washing machine. This ruins it in many ways. Always spot clean your quilt if you need to. You can always throw the quilt in the dryer on the air cyle to remove dust.
• DO NOT leave your quilt in direct sunlight.  It will create bleaching/discoloration to the fabric.
• If hanging a quilt, it is a good idea to sew tabs on the back of the quilt and run a rod through them for hanging.

One Last Thought:

If you have an old quilt in your family, be sure to take the time to make an identification tag and sew it on the back of the quilt so future generations will appreciate it's maker!

Thanks for reading this guide.  I hope you found some information useful!