Tucked away on the second floor of a West Wayne Street building is an orphanage. Instead of being filled with bunk beds and the toys of children who have no families, this orphanage houses a different sort of forgotten loved one: quilts.

Hanging from a pole on the wall, and from a rack in the back of the room, these quilts are ready for new lives. Some are finished, others are not. The one thing they all have in common is that they were discarded by someone and found by Lois Eubank of Born Again Quilts.

Whether it was a garage sale, thrift shop or in a trash heap on the curb, Eubank sees these quilts as worthy of some new form of life, whether that be restored to their original glory or used to restore other quilts.

By looking at the materials used in a quilt, Eubank can conjure up what the lives of their makers must have been like. From the time period, to the presumed financial stability of the quilt-maker’s family, Eubank can tell quite a bit from these quilts.

On a recent evening, Eubank consulted with two women who were trying to figure out what to do with quilts handed down to them.

Becky Olsen and Becky Hollingsworth each brought a quilt to Eubank’s small studio at 124 W. Wayne St., Suite 209.

With a plethora of knowledge and more than one book, Eubank was able to tell each woman what might be necessary to restore her quilt.

First up was Olsen. She brought a quilt she remembered having on her bed as a child. The quilt’s color theme indicated it had been made sometime during World War II because it had a red, white and blue scheme, though a bright pink was used instead of red.

The quilt is faded in most spots, and the batting inside is bunching up and falling out in places. Eubank explains to Olsen that the quilt’s batting is bunching up because of the way the quilt was finished. Instead of sewing even stitches, the quilter (believed to be one of Olsen’s grandmothers) used a tying method where a thicker thread is used and knots are tied at regular intervals across the quilt. It is unknown why that was the chosen method for quilting this piece, but Eubank said that method is a great way to finish a quilt when you’re running short on time.

After poring over the quilt from front to back and top to bottom, Eubank had some advice for restoring it. Restoration will involve a lot of manual labor, she tells Olsen, but each knot would need to be taken out, and the binding taken off, then the quilt pieces separated. Olsen can do that herself, she said. Then she’ll have to decide how she wants the quilt restored (repairing holes, replacing fabric, etc.).

Next up: Hollingsworth. She brought along a quilt that her mother paid someone to finish. It was mostly blue and off-white and had a large border of white placed on it. Then, it was quilted.

Again, Eubank examined the quilt and was able to find the fabrics used in a book called “Dating Fabrics: A Color Guide 1800-1960.” Turns out the quilt may have been made more than 100 years ago, Eubank said. The coloring method used to put brown dots on some of the off-white material in the quilt has caused the fabric to deteriorate over the years, and those pieces need to be replaced.

Hollingsworth, it seems, has a bit to think about when it comes to restoring her quilt.

Eubank is willing to give you tips on restoring your old quilt, or, if you like, she will do the work for you, for a price. And, Eubank only hand quilts, she does not machine quilt. In addition, you can browse Eubank’s orphanage of discarded quilts to find a quilt, or quilt top, that you want as a new family treasure.

Whether it’s helping women like Olsen and Hollingsworth, or restoring a discarded treasure, what Eubank does in her spare time is rewarding, she says.

Eubank has been sewing since she was 8 and has been restoring quilts for the past 15 years. Born Again Quilts can be found online at www.bornagainquilts.com, where there are pictures of quilts available for adoption. For information or to schedule an appointment with Eubank, e-mail info@bornagainquilts.com.

Eubank typically charges $40 for a two-hour consult on a quilt and a written damage appraisal. It’s then up to the quilt’s owner how it will be restored.

Speaking of quilting

The Indiana Heritage Quilt Show is coming up.

In its 19th year, the show will be March 4 to 6 at the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention Center.

In addition to more than 150 quilts vying for a share of $17,000 in cash prizes and awards, the show offers workshops on a variety of topics for all skill levels.

Reservations for workshops must be postmarked by Feb. 14 to be considered for preregistration, and separate forms must be used for each person.

Information and registration forms are available online at IHQS.org.

The show will also include a merchants’ mall and additional quilt-related exhibitions.

Show dates and times are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 4; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 5 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 6. Admission is $7 for adults, $2 for children ages 7 to 12 and free for children 6 and younger.