If I were to open up a shop, I would sell my collection of authentic antique quilts (mostly from the 1860s and 1930s). My husband and I bought quilts and quilt tops off eBay that needed some loving. As a gentle hobby, I would mend, remove stains and launder as needed. Sometimes I would patch with period fabric and hand sew with matching thread.
Premium Quilts – Assembled in 2017
Any one who starts sewing projects but never finishes may appreciate how quilts do not reach the finished stages. Quilt blocks or entire quilt tops will sit in a cedar chest only to have the people inheriting them put them up for sale. We had several of these completed quilt tops made into “premium quilts”. In other words they had reproduction period for the backing and binding, top quality quilt batting and quilting thread.
Top Quality – Original and hand made (Mid 1800s, early 1910s and 1930s)
Some quilts are put together by machine but others are made entirely by hand. Any stains that remain on these quilts are there to stay. I used a variety of gentle stain removers but would stop if damage to the fabric was possible. Needlework was used to mend, not restored. Some quilts were worked on for hours for days on end to make them displayable or usable.
Labour of Love are Hard to Price and Sometimes Hard to Let Go
As a general overview, the left hand column has quilts from the 1830s to late 1800s. You may have guessed the “Pinkies” are my favorites. The right hand column shows quilts of a more recent time (1930s). For prices (in Canadian dollars) may be found on www.antiquequilts.blog.
Some of my favourite quilt stories can also be found there.
Setting up a physical shop would be fun in the right commercial area. Good luck to anyone setting up a shop of their own!
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