Heritage Textile Conservation

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Heritage Textile Conservation

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Professional textile conservation services in Des Moines, Iowa, and the surrounding area; working with museums, historical societies, and private clients to preserve meaningful textiles and garments.

07/15/2026

Quilts and clothing that are passed down can mean a great deal, but how do you properly care for them? 🧵

Textiles are often fragile and complex, requiring specialized knowledge to ensure the best care plan so your heirloom can last for the next generation.

Textiles are a keeper of memories. Cloth holds the lived experience of the hands that made it, the bodies that wore it, and the moments it witnessed. Through fabric, we see history, identity, emotion, and culture woven together.

Do you have clothing, quilts, or other textiles you hope to preserve for future generations, pieces that carry treasured memories, history, and personal meaning?

Contact me here: https://www.heritagetextileconservation.com/contact

07/14/2026

New to working with a conservator? Here's exactly what to expect when working with me:

🧵 Consultation: Local to Des Moines? I'll meet you in person, usually at your home. Farther away? We'll hop on Zoom to talk through your object and options.

🧵 Proposal: After learning your goals and assessing the piece, you'll get a written treatment proposal with a cost estimate.

🧵 Agreement: Sign, date, and email the proposal back to me.

🧵 Queue: I'll pick up your object (or you'll ship it), and it joins the conservation queue.

🧵 Treatment: Work begins once your piece is next in the conservation queue.

🧵 Completion: You'll get an invoice, before/after photos, a treatment evaluation, and storage recommendations. Once paid, we arrange return shipping or pickup.

🧵 Next you'll enjoy your conserved object for years to come.

Questions, or ready to talk about your treasured textile? Contact me here:
www.heritagetextileconservation.com/contact

07/09/2026

The story behind this jacket and the conservation work that's keeping it alive! 🧵

This piece is a crazy quilt pattern, pieced together from family clothing during the Depression. It's held up beautifully over the decades, but a few spots are showing their age with fabric worn thin and starting to tear.

Swipe to see the before shot: a patch of navy fabric shredding along the original stitching.

To stabilize it, I used a color-matched overlay and silk thread to encase the damaged area, preventing snags or further deterioration. Each stitch catches only a tiny bit of the overlay, so the repair is nearly invisible and doesn't detract from the beauty of the piece.

Conservation isn't about erasing history. It's about honoring the years this jacket was worn and loved, while helping it stay looking like itself, only sturdier and safer for years to come.

Have a textile you'd like me to look at? Reach out https://www.heritagetextileconservation.com/contact 🧵

07/08/2026

At Heritage Textile Conservation, I work with individuals and cultural institutions who have textiles that matter: pieces that carry history, memory, and meaning worth preserving for generations to come.

Whether it's an 1800s gown, a modern wedding dress, or a beloved quilt passed down from a special relative, if it holds a memory, it holds value.

No piece is too small, too fragile, or too worn to be worth caring for. 🧵

Do you have a treasured item that carries family memories? I'd love to hear from you.

https://www.heritagetextileconservation.com/contact

07/07/2026

Progress on the WWII-issued wool military blanket 🧵

Before (pic 1): the tag is damaged, edge stitching is missing and causing the fabric to fray, and there are holes above the tag and at the corner.

After (pic 2): I encased the damaged tag under an overlay so that part of the blanket's history isn't lost. The holes were repaired using three different shades of yarn to mimic the variegation in the original wool. And lastly, the edges were the biggest challenge and the most time-consuming part of the whole project. I hand-stitched a closed blanket stitch to cover the original serger seam, since so much of the original edge was gone. This approach keeps the repair reversible per the American Institute for Conservation's code of ethics, and preserves what original stitching remains.

Soon this blanket will be back home in Michigan, where it will keep telling its story for generations to come.

Have a textile you'd like me to look at? Reach out https://www.heritagetextileconservation.com/contact 🧵

07/02/2026

Things that seem like a good idea for protecting your textiles, but actually do more harm than good…

Moth balls.

They've long been used to keep moths from snacking on precious knits…I get it, no one wants holes in their favorite sweater! But moth balls aren't just toxic to bugs, they're toxic to people, and damaging to textiles too. The same fumes that repel insects are extremely dangerous for humans to breathe in.

A recently opened box of clothing that had moth balls in it years prior, still smelled of them. That scent is incredibly hard to get out of fabric once it's set in.

Better alternatives? Use good quality, acid-free storage materials when items aren't in use, and clean textiles properly before storing them. Moths are drawn to natural fibers like wool, silk, and fur, especially when there's residue from sweat or food.

https://www.heritagetextileconservation.com/contact

07/01/2026

"Is this worth saving?"

It's a question that comes up when you're sorting through a closet, a cedar chest, or pieces passed down from someone you love.

Here's how to decide:

🧵 Does it have a story attached?
🧵 Do you remember someone special using it?
🧵 Do you hope to keep it to wear or display?
🧵 Are you hoping to pass it on to someone else?

If you said yes to any of these, reach out! I can help make sure both the story and the piece live on.

Whether it needs conservation work or just proper storage, I'm happy to help, even pieces that seem far gone can often be stabilized and preserved.

Contact me here: https://www.heritagetextileconservation.com/contact

06/30/2026

Check out the detailing on this late 1940s Dior dress! The intricate lacework varies slightly in color; in some areas it leans green, and in others, more tan. Because this is a Dior, it's not an accident. These little details give depth to a dress that was meticulously designed to be a showstopper for its lucky wearer.

www.heritagetextileconservation.com/contact

06/29/2026

Excited to be back at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the next two days as a guest lecturer for the textile conservation class in the Textile Merchandising & Fashion Department! It feels good to be back at my alma mater!

06/28/2026

You can't throw an 80-year-old blanket in the washing machine. So how do you clean it? 🧵

I can help!

Cleaning fragile textiles is one of the most painstaking parts of conservation. We're talking removing particulates by hand...tweezers out, picking debris and hair one piece at a time.

Slow? Yes. Necessary? Absolutely.

It's not glamorous work. It's slow. It's meticulous. And it's exactly what a piece like this deserves. My job is to use the safest methods possible to get the best result for your piece.

Have a piece that could use some careful cleaning? Contact me here: https://www.heritagetextileconservation.com/contact

Address

Des Moines, IA

Website

http://www.HeritageTextileConservation.com/

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