PRESERVING PRECIOUS TEXTILES
by George Morgan

One night about fifteen years ago, on a visit back home, my mother walked into the family room with a package wrapped in tissue paper. "This," she announced, "is something I've been keeping for you for many years." She passed the package to me.

"What is it?" I asked. She just smiled.

As I carefully unwrapped the layers of white tissue, I knew there was something made of cloth inside. The last sheet was folded back and I saw that what I held was an old, obviously handmade quilt. "It was made by your great-grandmother Morgan before the Civil War," my mother explained. "The story is that she even dyed the pieces of cloth used to make the pattern." I opened the quilt and saw the design -- a white background with vines of an odd shade of green and flowers of red and blue. It was beautifully designed and sewn with tiny, tight stitches. It was exquisite, and the fact that my great-grandmother had made it with her own hands made this a priceless treasure. My mother had stored and preserved this heirloom, wrapped in tissue paper and then inside a cotton pillowcase. The tissue was still almost white, even after the decades it was first used to enclose the quilt. The package had been stored in the family linen closet. I remember that my mother always removed everything from that closet once a year and then rearranged it. She said it was good to move the linens around.

You probably have clothing or linens that have some special significance to you. Perhaps it's your mother's wedding dress, your child's baby clothes, your father's military uniform. I have pillowcases with my Grandmother Weatherly's handmade lace edging, and a hand-crocheted baby set made by my Aunt Mary Allen. All of these are important parts of your family tradition, things that add special significance and understanding to your understanding of their lives. These are tangible evidence of your ancestors' existence and their handwork. It is your responsibility to preserve these items and help carry on the tradition.

There are some basic rules to follow when storing textiles:

Store items in acid-free materials - Make certain that the materials you use are acid-free. Many dry cleaners have acid-free boxes and tissue for sale. Be sure to specifically ask whether the materials are acid-free. If the person doesn't know or isn't sure, go somewhere else. This is too important.

Wrap materials in acid-free tissue paper before folding them - The paper helps cushion the material. Sharp folds and creases actually break the textile fibers and cause more damage.

Never use metal pins or clips - Steel safety pins and paper clips will rust over time, regardless of how carefully you think you are controlling humidity. They will leave rust stains that probably can never be removed.

Never store fabrics in plastic bags - Plastic bags are great for short-term storage of materials from the cleaners. However, remember that plastic is a petroleum-based product. Over time plastic breaks down. It gives off fumes and chemicals that can discolor and destroy many fabrics.

Never store precious fabrics with polyester materials - Your grandmother's wedding dress should not be stored forever beside your husband's favorite leisure suit from the 1970's. (Yes, we all know how attached he is to it and how he feels it is an heirloom!) 100% polyester clothing, just like a plastic bag, is a petroleum-based product. Store these treasures separately.

Never store precious fabrics in plastic boxes - The marketplace is filled with handy storage items, including plastic storage boxes. These may be great for storing clothes from one season to the next, but they are not good for the kind of long-term, archival storage that you want to do.

Attach labels with needle and thread - If you want to attach a label of some sort to identify the origin of the item, you have a couple of choices. One way is to choose an acid-free paper card and write the information using only an indelible marking pen. The other way is to cut a piece of fabric and label it with an indelible marking pen. Do not use felt-tip or ball-point pens; their ink tends to run, discolor, or fade and can also damage the item you wish to preserve. Sew the label in an inconspicuous place using a strong cotton thread.

Fabric needs to breathe - Have you heard stories of someone's grandmother saving all her precious linens in a trunk, only to discover one day that they had crumbled due to dry rot? This is no myth. It is important to allow fabric to breathe. Take those materials out from time to time. Unwrap and unfold them. Give them some air. Then, repackage them and return them to their proper place.

Be careful of sunlight - Sunlight can cause materials to fade and disintegrate. If you keep some items on display, be careful where you place them. For instance, don't place that quilt on a quilt rack under the sunniest window in the guest room. Also, if you have a colorful scarf matted and framed in the foyer, make sure it doesn't receive any afternoon sun.

I'm sure there are twenty other things I could suggest. The basics are these, though:

Use acid-free and archival-safe storage materials. There are many sources for these items. Check dry cleaners, office supply stores, and places on the Internet such as Light Impressions, Inc.

Package materials carefully and store them in clean, airy places.

Label materials carefully for posterity.

Please take your job as family archivist seriously. The materials you are handling will never be created the same way again. You are preserving family treasures and evidence of a way of life. The preservation of these wonderful materials is an honor. Handle it carefully.