Caring For Textiles

Textiles enrich our lives. We preserve, repair, restore & display.

Before and After Treatment

These comparison photos exemplify the fundamentals of conservation treatment and precisely demonstrate our skills. The images of before and after treatment reveal the doctor-like precision which guides us, as well as the magic of transformation. 

Lovely Needlepoint Cushion

Replacing canvas foundation and filling in the areas of loss with new needlepoint, allows this charming antique cushion enjoyed again.

Woven or embroidered scene depicting a woman in a red dress, with visible fabric loss and fraying around the head area.Woven or embroidered scene depicting a woman in a red dress, with previously damaged areas now stabilized and visually integrated.
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Ceremonial Cloth

This goat skin beaded cloth for puberty ceremonies was carefully surface cleaned and the holes filled with hand stitched patches.

Women leather masai skirt with decorative beaded band before treatment, showing tears and descoloration.Women leather masai skirt with decorative beaded band after treatment.
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20th Century Silk Embroidery

A beautiful antique silk on silk embroidery is cleaned, stains removed and stitch mounted on a rigid stretcher system. The contrasting border color really pops the textile.

Aged antique silk embroidery with scrolling floral and bird motifs.Refurbished antique embroidery Aged antique silk embroidery with scrolling floral and bird motifs.
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19th Century Embroidery of Mary 

A split and torn 19th c embroidery of Mary is cleaned, holes filled, and re mounted for framing. The before photo shows the back, and how brilliant this needle art once was.

Antique silk embroidery of Mary featuring floral motifs and a central figure, secured to a larger fabric support with pins and weights during treatment.Antique silk embroidery of Mary after treatment.
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Lincoln Commemorative Ribbon

What a piece of American history! This fragile Lincoln commemorative ribbon was wet cleaned, stabilized and stitch mounted for framing. The treatment results are rewarding.

Vertical commemorative textile banner depicting Abraham Lincoln framed by an eagle and patriotic motifs, with the slogan “With Charity to all, with malice toward none” and “Union Forever, 1776–1865.”Vertical printed textile banner featuring Abraham Lincoln framed by patriotic imagery, shown cleaned and stabilized with improved surface clarity.
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WWII Blue Star Banner

A crinkled fragile WWII blue star banner, used to indicate how many sons were serving in the war. This treasure is surface cleaned, stabilized and mounted for display.

World War II–era service banner featuring six blue stars on a cream field, bordered in red with gold fringe and wooden hanging rod.Service banner with six blue stars on a cream field and red border, shown stabilized with fringe aligned and surface flattened.
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Congressional Medal of Honor

Arrrgh…sticky, black velcro and staples are a no-no. First, deconstruction, and then a very difficult process to remove the black, gooey stains. The final step: re-configure the ribbon with the hard-earned medal.

Front view of a Medal of Honor suspended from a light blue grosgrain ribbon with white stars, gold medal pendant, and engraved plaque identifying First Lieutenant Gary L. Miller, dated August 6, 1970.Medal of Honor with blue ribbon displayed after treatment.
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Civil War Era Flag

This indigo-dyed wool bunting of a Civil War era flag was lined with a semi-sheer blue fabric to provide visual harmony and structural stability, before mounting for exhibition.

Pale star appliqués on a dark textile ground, showing areas of fabric loss and fraying between the stars.Light-colored star shapes appliquéd onto a dark blue textile ground.
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Wedding Handkerchief

This hankie has been carried by 10 generations of women in marriage. Amazing! The damage was caused by folding it in 8ths for storage over nearly 200 years. Extensive adhesive treatment, custom-made archival box and display mount gives this precious heirloom continued life.

Square white silk handkerchief after treatment, featuring scalloped edges and delicate embroidered floral clusters in purple, and green along the border.Square white silk handkerchief laid flat before treatment, featuring scalloped edges and delicate embroidered floral clusters in purple, and green along the border.
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Traditional Burlap Sampler 

We treat many samplers; they are often full of holes and discolored. After cleaning and de-acidifcation, the areas of loss were ‘filled’ with matching fabric so that the sampler is more visually integrated.

Rectangular linen sampler embroidered with rows of upper- and lowercase alphabets, numerals, decorative initials, and a stitched date reading “October 22, 1808,” laid flat before treatment.Rectangular linen sampler embroidered with rows of upper- and lowercase alphabets, numerals, decorative initials, and a stitched date reading “October 22, 1808,” laid flat after treatment.
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Cotton Voile Christening Dress

This is a dramatic example of how some cotton voile christening dresses can clean and transform. It is now used by future generations in the family.

Light cream child’s dress laid flat, featuring gathered fabric and decorative horizontal bands near the hem, with extensive brown staining throughout.White historic child’s dress after cleaning.
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Styrofoam® Surprise

One of my favorite delivery packaging of all time: a Styrofoam® take-out box! Opening the box, I could not imagine what would emerge. This adorable homemade child’s dress is now adored by the owners’ grand children.
Folded toddler short-sleeve gold dress with wide pink stripes in open styrofoam container.Repaired toddler short-sleeve gold dress with wide pink stripes.
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Handmade Wedding Dress C. 1960

A charming early 1960’s handmade wedding dress, made by the bride’s mother’s dear friend, with her dressmaker label intact. The owner hopes now that her grand niece will be tempted to wear it for her wedding.

Wedding silk dress in cream color with lace panel and short sleeves before treatment showing discoloration and stains, photographed flat against a neutral support.Wedding silk dress in cream color with lace panel and short sleeves after treatment, photographed flat against a neutral support.
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Wedding Dress Lace Detail

Wedding dress lace detail before treatment showing discoloration and stains, photographed flat against a neutral support.Wedding dress lace detail after treatment, photographed flat against a neutral support.
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Restored Sampler

Samplers are often completely glued down to old cardboard. Moisture, solvents, spatulas, and patience are some of the tools we use to separate them. After cleaning, it is mounted for re-framing.

Embroidered sampler shown partially covered by a degraded, peeling backing layer revealing the original stitched surface beneath.Rectangular linen sampler embroidered with rows of alphabets, decorative borders, floral motifs, and a stitched inscription with a date from the 1800s.
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Car Salesroom Banner

This vintage, rayon car salesroom banner is cleaned, pressed and refreshed for home display. 

Vertical printed fabric banner advertising “The Big M Dream-Car Design,” with blue and red lettering and a red fringe along the bottom edge.Printed fabric advertising banner reading “The Big M Dream-Car Design,” shown cleaned and flattened with red fringe intact.
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Native American Slippers

Two pair of Native American buckskin, beaded and silk slippers were delicately stabilized using a semi-sheer overlay of fine tulle. The goal is to secure the remaining materials, not to replace or restore them to original condition.

Side view of beaded Native American slipper showing worn textile and bead edging.Side view of Native American slipper after treatment, showing stabilized textile and bead edging.
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Native American slipper showing orange textile trim and beadwork along the sole.Native American slipper after treatment showing stabilized orange textile and beadwork.
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