Two Women, One Mission: Giving Vintage Quilts a Second Life

TEXAS & FLORIDA – Allison Eyler rescues vintage and antique quilts from her Texas base, restoring what she calls their "cuddle-worthiness" through a proprietary cleaning treatment. Quilts that arrive beyond repair or don't survive her strict cleaning standards get a second life through Lottie Dal, a Florida-based sewist who transforms them into quilt coats and jackets. Together, they've spent nearly five years rescuing heirlooms for reuse rather than sending them to the landfill. Discover more about Allison's creative business, Throw Midland, below.

Tell us about your creative business.

I rescue vintage and antique quilts and restore their cuddle-worthiness through a multi-step cleaning process. My focus is on bringing these handmade beauties back into people’s homes by cleaning “the dickens” out of them so you can cuddle with confidence! They are not simply “laundered” or “washed.” They are given what I call the “Cozy Clean” treatment, which involves multiple soaks in our exclusive Cozy Clean laundry boost and a final wash in Le Blanc fine linen wash. Quilts that are either found in cutter condition or those that don’t survive our strict cleaning standards are sent to Lottie Dal, a highly professional sewist in Florida, for upcycling into beautiful quilt coats and jackets.

How did you come to this work, and when did it shift from something you did for fun into a business?

My husband and I have raised four kids, and they are all entrepreneurs. From knife-making to baking, rug designing, and map-making, they are all creative, resourceful and very good at what they do. We thrive on encouragement and brainstorming! One late evening while enjoying wine with my middle daughter, she suggested I look into selling quilt coats. Another glass of wine later, I had ordered 25 coats off of Etsy, negotiating small discounts with the makers. I sold all of them at a pop-up in my daughter’s front yard and had so much fun doing it. Lottie was my favorite maker and agreed to sell exclusively to me. I’ve now had the privilege of partnering with Lottie for almost five years.

How does your work connect to a community, tradition or set of values you care about?

From a design standpoint, a handmade quilt can be the crowning touch in a space, especially one that is characterized by decades and decades of history. Each is one-of-a-kind, handmade in an era when nothing went to waste. The resourcefulness of the makers was on full display, and the designs, craftsmanship, and artistry transcend time and place. These masterpieces ground our homes in comfort and timeless beauty. Choosing an old quilt for the home is also an investment in the environment. Instead of mindlessly accumulating a big stack of cheaply made throws that were made by goodness knows who and under what conditions, we thoughtfully invest in reusing something purposeful and meaningful. By upcycling the cutter quilts, we are consciously promoting slow, sustainable fashion while enabling a young mom the flexibility to work from home.

What are you working on now, or what’s the piece of work you’re most excited about right now?

I am in the final stages of bringing Cozy Clean to production. Finding a dry blender willing to produce small batches was a challenge. Through the encouragement of a friend, I was able to find a company right here in Texas! Now, when people ask how I get our quilts so clean, I can hand them a batch of my best-kept secret!

What’s something about running a creative business you wish more people understood?

Small business takes big effort! Behind the face of every small business owner is someone who is balancing the costs with small profit margins. To stretch those profits, we sometimes take on all of the duties of running a business. From sourcing and cleaning the quilts, selling face-to-face, fulfilling online orders and managing the finances to maintaining a website and social media accounts, I do it all. Thank goodness for Lottie, because even if I could sew, I wouldn’t have time!

What’s the most useful piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting their creative business?

Make a decision to go for it and don’t be discouraged when things don’t go as planned. Push through and rise above every challenge! That is what will separate you from those whose hearts really aren’t into it.

What brings you joy outside of your work?

My family.

Thanks, Allison! You can learn more about Throw Midland at https://throwmidland.com/.

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.