HELP-Silk log cabin quilt-PRESERVATION-

  • Thread starter Thread starter 2chic4shabby
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2chic4shabby

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HELP!!!
Someone has given me a log cabin style quilt. It is paisley cotton on the back with silk strips of about 1/2 inch wide for the front design. The silk is literally flaking off. Is there any thing I can do to stop this and prevent further decay and preserve it???
I do think that it is too dry. Is there anything that can be done to stop dry rot?
I appreciate anyones opinion. Thank you! FlapperGirlhttp://www.vintagefashionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/puzzled.gif
:puzzled:
 
Hi Lorraine,

Sadly, there is not much that you can do for the quilt at this point. If the shattering is limited to one color or a small area you could possibly find a suitable fabric to replace it with or you could use crepeline as an overlay to hold the shattered fabric in place. If the damage is extensive then neither option is feasible, unfortunately.
 
Every small museum collection I have ever gone through has one of these log cabin quilts with the same issue. It seems it was a popular pattern around the turn of the century when weighted silks were popular. Museums are reticent to replace fabric so they sit damaged in collections, never shown on exhibit and never restored. Your only option would be to replace the damaged pieces but that would make the quilt really desirable only as a decorator piece rather than as an artifact for a collection. Its a lot of work for you and I don't think they sell for huge amounts of money so it probably isn't worth your time.
 
Thank you everyone for your opinions. Oh well!! You can't save everything. Flapper Girl
 
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