well, took her to the expert today...wow...I thought she was going to cry when she saw it...it is just so stunning in person...we went over and over it and still found NEW things at the end of the day. I was offered a VERY handsome price for her, but right now, I am not ready to let her go. SO the lady has my info just in case the day ever comes.
I already knew which fabrics had deteriorated, but she confirmed it. Silks of dress weight back then had so many harsh minerals and dyes in them, that they just dissolved over time. Even exposure to air made them MELT away!
Sure enough, the velvet, courdoroy, taffeta, and a few unknown fabrics are all fine...the silks, not so much!
I can hand sew the seams back together for the sake of keeping the blocks together, but that is ALL!
She is being aired out again this afternoon and then will go into a zip loc in my neighbors deep freeze for a week! OH, she has charcoal bags to go in with her as well to help absorb odors!
Then she will have a covered ROLL and a bag made for her.
Then it is off to KS to my guild up there on the 14th! Then to the OK museum lady who is the textile expert for more photos and documentation.
She is already a traveling girl!