Development of a repair plan is highly dependent on the condition of the quilt, your plans for use of the quilt after repair (i.e. use it or maintain the quilt’s historical integrity), and your allocated budget. It is important to realize that a repaired or repaired quilt is not always not as good as new.

General considerations include 1) do as little as possible, 2) do not do anything that can’t be undone and 3) use methods and materials that are consistent with those originally used in the quilt.

Potential repair methods include:

1. Small rips or tears can be repaired by hand stitching the pieces together or by sewing a patch over the torn area.

2. Worn binding can be replaced.

3. Worn areas can be replaced by appliqué or by stabilization with tulle.

4. Clumped batting in tied quilts can sometimes be replaced.

5. In extreme cases, the quilt could be resized so only the good parts remain.