Disintegrating fabric

[Patricia W.]

Hii! I pulled out an unfinished BOM quilt, which is about 20 years old, and started working on it again. It is a variation of a charm quilt. As I started working on it I found that all of the black squares are coming apart as I press the seams open. (They totally detach from the seam) The top is about 50% complete. I've bought new black fabric for the remaining quilt, but what would you suggest for the black squares that are already in the completed portion of the quilt. I really don't want to have to rip out and replace all of the black squares; however, I'm worried that if I don't they will come apart when it is quilted. The other fabrics all seem to be ok.
Thanks,
Patty

[Barbara B.]

If all the black fabric is the same, expect it all to disintegrate with time. To save the quilt, replace all the black. Or start over with new fabric. It would be sad to keep working on it now only to have the remaining black squares shatter once the quilt is done.

[Patricia W.]

Thanks Barbara. What I can't figure out is why this only seems to be happening with the black blocks that I am trying to sew with. The black blocks that are already in the quilt, seem very secure. I've tried pulling on the seams, etc. and they stay together. It's the individual black squares I had stored in a zip loc bag that are coming apart when I sew them to another square. Guess I'll be doing some ripping. Thanks for your feed back!

[Anne B.]

Fabric needs to breathe, or it deteriorates. The fabric you stored in the ziplock bag is therefore damaged.

[Patricia W.]

Hi Anne,
Thanks for your response!! So do you think that the blocks I've already finished with that fabric, will be ok? I've pulled at the seams and they all seem to be in good shape. I really don't relish the idea of taking them all out and replacing them. They were in a rubbermaid plastic bin. The small squares were in a ziploc bag, within the bin. Seeing as how it was 20 years ago, I don't really remember where I bought the fabric, but I've always bought fabric from good sources. I really appreciate your response. Sorry it took me awhile to respond. I don't seem to get notifications when someone has commented on my posts. Not sure if that's something I have wrong in my settings, or there just aren't notifications sent and I need to check regularly.
Thanks again!

Patty 
PS: Is there a preferred way that you store your quilts that are in progress? I'm sure you probably finish yours soon after you start, unlike me ;-)

[Diane F.]

You should anticipate that your quilt is going to fall apart unless you replace the black fabric. Either frame a portion of the quilt "as is" on your wall, or do the rework and enjoy the finished quilt.

[Patricia W.]

Thanks Diane. I was kind of hoping there was an easy way out, like adding some fusible interfacing to the back. I'll just be doing some ripping, I guess. Thanks for your feedback!