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Kim Nettles, Owner
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Repair, Restoration, & Conservation: What's The Difference?
There are
a range of potential solutions for your quilt or vintage textile, and you should think of those solutions as part of a
continuum, with repair at one end and conservation at the other.
Repair work includes simple mending and patching, with no particular attempt to disguise the work.
Your quilt may already have an “honest patch” or two, such as the one pictured across the top of this Sunbonnet Sue quilt.
The upper edge of a quilt is a common area of wear.
At the other end of the spectrum, conservation is a set of techniques used on quilts and textiles
of significant artistic or historical significance. Museums use conservation techniques to stabilize a quilt,
and will preserve damage that, while possibly less pleasing to the aesthetic, convey historical knowledge.
For example, a saber cut through a Civil War quilt would be stabilized, not repaired. The Smithsonian Institution's
recent conservation of the Star Spangled Banner is an excellent example of the exhaustive
measures taken to preserve an important historical textile.
Restoration covers everything in between, and uses a variety of techniques to revive the quilt. Typical goals for restoration
are to prevent further damage for happening, to strengthen it so that it may be displayed, or to preserve
a tangible artifact of family history for future generations. Sensitive restoration work is done as invisibly as possible so that it
is the talent and creativity of the creator -- not the restorer -- that shines through.
What If None Of These Approaches Meets My Goals?
All is not lost! If cicumstances suggest that restoration work may not be appropriate for your quilt (see right sidebar),
there are other alternatives I can recommend.
When you send a quilt in for evaluation, you will receive a complete analysis of the condition of the quilt and several
alternatives that take into account the quilt's history, condition, your goals, and your budget.
When restoring a quilt,
fabric must be carefully matched with the existing fabric, and then carefully treated so that it blends in. The red and white fabric patches in the lower right of this example
demonstrate how unmatched, untreated fabric -- even when of the same vintage -- may practically scream its presence.
The hexagons in the upper
left of the block, progressing from left to right, demonstrate how even a new reproduction print can be aged and manipulated so that it blends
into the quilt. The first preference, however, is to use fabric of the same vintage as the quilt.
Note also, that each patch in this "one-patch" quilt is shaped differently. Even new quilts have minor differences between patches; over time,
individual patches distort in reaction to the stresses placed upon the quilt. During restoration, each patch is individually shaped and placed.
There are a range of potential solutions for your quilt or vintage textile, and you should think of those solutions as part of a continuum, with repair at one end and conservation at the other.
Repair work includes simple mending and patching, with no particular attempt to disguise the work. Your quilt may already have an “honest patch” or two, such as the one pictured across the top of this Sunbonnet Sue quilt. The upper edge of a quilt is a common area of wear.
When you send a quilt in for evaluation, you will receive a complete analysis of the condition of the quilt and several alternatives that take into account the quilt's history, condition, your goals, and your budget.
When restoring a quilt,
fabric must be carefully matched with the existing fabric, and then carefully treated so that it blends in. The red and white fabric patches in the lower right of this example
demonstrate how unmatched, untreated fabric -- even when of the same vintage -- may practically scream its presence.
The hexagons in the upper
left of the block, progressing from left to right, demonstrate how even a new reproduction print can be aged and manipulated so that it blends
into the quilt. The first preference, however, is to use fabric of the same vintage as the quilt.
Note also, that each patch in this "one-patch" quilt is shaped differently. Even new quilts have minor differences between patches; over time,
individual patches distort in reaction to the stresses placed upon the quilt. During restoration, each patch is individually shaped and placed.
 Which Approach Is Best For My Quilt?Ultimately, only you can answer this question. However, there are several factors to consider -- the answers
will guide you in your decision: (217) 357-1133 or send an e-mail to: fmquilts@frontiernet.net |