Heritage Textile Conservation

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Heritage Textile Conservation

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Heritage Textile Conservation, Textile Company, Des Moines, IA.

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.

08/05/2026

What’s one object you wish you had saved or known how to save?

When I was about 7, I was given a faux-fur black-and-white spotted coat and m**f set (maybe that’s where I get my obsession with black-and-white clothes now?). I have fond memories of wearing it to get "dressed up" and go to A&W and get chili dogs and root beer floats with my grandma. I wore it for as long as I could fit into it. At one point, it was entirely too small, but still, I persisted!

I’m unsure what happened to that coat over the years, but it’s one item that I wish I still had to pass down to someone who appreciated it as much as I did!

What’s one object you wish you had saved or known how to save?

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

07/30/2026

This is who you're working with at Heritage Textile Conservation 🫶 Spoiler: this is a one woman show so all the pictures are me 😆

www.heritagetextileconservation.com/contact

07/29/2026

It's all in the details 🪡 Even the smallest elements matter when conserving textiles. Details that no one else may notice, but are integral to the structure of the textile, are taken care of because we want an object to look great, but more importantly, want it to last for years to come.

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

07/28/2026

Remember this WWII military-issued blanket? The edges were originally machine serged to prevent fraying. After years of love, the edge work is loose, and a majority of it is missing.

As a textile conservator, my thought process for conserving is to think of the safety and longevity first.

Using a serger machine would have been an easy (and faster!) fix; however, using a machine on an 80+ year old blanket could potentially cause more damage to the delicate wool.

Instead, I spent hours hand-stitching using a blanket-style stitch, which is gentle on the surrounding material and easily reversible. I used a couple of techniques to color-match and match the "wear," so it didn't look too "new".

This is a great example of the difference between textile conservation and restoration. The line can be gray because both approaches strive to ensure the item looks better, but the goal of conservation is to first and foremost preserve and protect the object. The looks are a cherry on the cake!

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

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Des Moines, IA

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http://www.HeritageTextileConservation.com/

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