Category Archives: textiles

Washington State Flag

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY! Just in time for the 4th of July, we have posted the painting of the reproduction flag MPFC painted for the DAR of George Washington which will hang in the State Capitol, allowing the historic flag to … Continue reading

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Antique Quilts: Care and Repair

This article is an update of our old article! Kate at the Hillsboro Museum, above; members brought their quilts and asked questions and/or had a quilt assessed. The advice in this post is referring to antique quilts, though it might … Continue reading

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CRATER LAKE CENTENNIAL QUILT REPAIR

The center of the Crater Lake Centennial Quilt after treatment, above. Not all quits brought to us are antique quilts.  Sometimes they are special project from one of our institutions.  Our repairs still are in keeping with the quilt’s year … Continue reading

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AMERICAN TEXTILE CA 1890-1900

The textile after treatment, above. PROVENANCE Our client’s knew the textile’s history, though it was pieced together.  They do not know how the textile came to be, but believed that it came with the cabin. I offered that it appeared … Continue reading

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The Repair of Mary’s Antique Log Cabin Quilt

MPF Conservation recently had the pleasure of repairing a beautiful antique quilt in the Log Cabin pattern. “Log cabin quilts have a rich tradition in America going back to the mid-1800’s and, according to Karen Griska, carried special symbolism – ‘A … Continue reading

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Mark Adams’ “RANUCULUS” Tapestry Conservation

Above, front of the tapestry before treatment. We had the pleasure of conserving the wonderful floral Mark Adams Tapestry named Ranuculus, shown above.  The tapestry is 70 inches wide x 78 inches tall. Mark Adams was born in Fort Plain, … Continue reading

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LIBERTY COVERLET ca 1841

The blue side, where the wool yarn is showing the design, left, has much more degradation than the linen field side, right. Our client brought MPF Conservation (hereafter called MPFC) this linen and wool pocket weave blanket to be conserved: … Continue reading

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Suzi Piegols’ Textile

Above, the piece after conservation. I had the privilege to repair and conserve a portion of this unusual textile artwork created by Suzi Piegols, a well-known Oregon textile artist, shown left with a quilted piece of her own. I wish … Continue reading

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Conservation of Margaret Rose’s Sampler Ca 1832

Above, the top of the sampler with Margaret Rose’s name and location at the time of the creation of the sampler.  On either end you can see that originally the piece was intended to be hung on a rod, loop … Continue reading

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Embellished Pillows

Several pillows were made to accompany our client’s family furniture after the design presentation:  below, images from the production process.  Pillows can make the look!   These pillows and bolsters are all hand-stitched other than the basic forms. CYLINDER BOLSTER The … Continue reading

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Mognat of Paris Steamer Trunk, 4, Completion

This Mognat of Paris family steamer trunk ca 1900, has been round the world many times.  The heirs brought it to us to clean, stabilize the inner lining, create new handles, and to preserve the character of the outer trunk … Continue reading

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Mognat of Paris Steamer Trunk, 3, Inside and Outside

This Mognat of Paris family steamer trunk ca 1900, has been round the world many times.  The heirs brought it to us to clean, stabilize the inner lining, create new handles, and to preserve the character of the outer trunk … Continue reading

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Louis XIV Revival Fauteuil, Excavation and Patterns

Our client’s Louis XIV Revival Fauteuil from the nineteenth century came in for treatment of the textile (gentle cleaning, and stabilizing from the back), conservation of original finish, and conservation of the upholstery buildup (innards). Before treatment images above, though … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag: Painting

We left off with corrections and tracing the letters. Know that the subtle shadings of colors from one blank to the next is due to the artificial versus natural light in the room when photographed, and fresh paint is much … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag: Painting

We left off with the background and the beginnings of the jacket, above. Know that the subtle shadings of colors from one blank to the next is due to the artificial versus natural light in the room when photographed, and … Continue reading

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Mognat of Paris Steamer Trunk, 2, Prep Work

This Mognat of Paris family steamer trunk ca 1900, has been round the world many times.  The heirs brought it to us to clean, stabilize the inner lining, create new handles, and to preserve the character of the outer trunk … Continue reading

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Mognat of Paris Steamer Trunk, 1, Assessment

This Mognat of Paris family steamer trunk ca 1900, has been round the world many times.  The heirs brought it to us to clean, stabilize the inner lining, create new handles, and to preserve the character of the outer trunk … Continue reading

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Susan’s Antique Crazy Quilt Repair

End of this year I had the pleasure of repairing on our client’s Grandmother’s antique quilt. Pleasure because as I worked on it the imagined original beauty came alive;  pleasure because our client is interested and excited! Our antique quilt … Continue reading

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Yves Telemak Beaded Voudo Textile: Ezilí Dantor

This beaded sequined textile by Yves Telemak was one of the most delightful projects I have worked on! Intricate folk art, with thousands of sequins and pearls each with a tiny seed bead! And the colors!  Modern art and folk … Continue reading

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Textile Conservation: Victorian Tea Cosy, 5, Beading

Continuing from our earlier post on searching for beads… This post, harder repairs. Side “A” had many more difficult repairs. Below is an example of what I shared with our client regarding the worst of her issues on the tea … Continue reading

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Textile Conservation: Victorian Tea Cosy, 4, Beading

I started on the easier side, “B” from the previous post, but now I move to the side that is far more damaged, side “A”. Note: These images are not in chronological order in this post. We will cover some … Continue reading

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Textile Conservation: Victorian Tea Cosy, 3, Beading

Continuing from our earlier post on searching for beads… The cosy has two sides, arbitrarily labeled “A” and “B” for reporting and discussion sake in the report. Some of the areas of the tea cosy have disintegrating linen warp and … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag: Painting

We left off with eyes following me around the room, above, and a day of oiling out. The background is a blend from left to right of phthalo, sap, olive, and chromium greens, as we illuminate George from behind on … Continue reading

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Textile Conservation: Victorian Tea Cosy, 2, Beads

Continuing from our earlier post… The difficulty in finding beads to match vintage beads is astounding! Clients and those creating new works are unaware that every day our commerce is trying to save cash by only stocking what is popular. … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag, Oiling Out

Note: The images are at an angle so the powdery textures and oil can be better seen. Taking a break from painting George to discuss a procedure that will be performed on the finished product, and the testing day. We … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag: Prepping Flag Blanks

We left off with my final finished draft on silk, above. I wished I’d take a photo of the room with the green silk along one wall — Beautiful color to work in for the next two months of painting! … Continue reading

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Textile Conservation: Victorian Tea Cosy

We have several interesting textile projects in the studio this year, and one of the most challenging is this Victorian Tea Cosy for a private client who has generously allowed the process to be shared. There are five posts to … Continue reading

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Crown Chair, Ca 1955, Los Angeles

The chair was made in Los Angeles, California, by the father of our client. He was an  upholsterer at the Crown Company in downtown lalaland. All the innards were cleaned and restored exactly as they were originally. The new showcover … Continue reading

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Thursday Throwback: A Family of Lawsons Graces the Farm

This is our continuing Throwback series where we post items that were in our studio before we had the blog. Grandpa’s Lawsons are born again for an orchard in Southern Oregon; Grandpa was on hand for delivery day, and even … Continue reading

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Modern Textile Art is Often Not Created for Conservation

One of the biggest challenges in conservation is when the artists were not thinking about their pieces being loved and collected, and eventually, cleaned and conserved, and work in mediums that are experimental (as in the case of early acrylics). … Continue reading

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To the Dogs!

They raise Labrador Retrievers; they want nice furniture; slips are the answer! These slips are made of strong sanded cotton twill with gingham accents peeking out, and a touch of feminine hiding in the back! All easily removed and sent … Continue reading

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Windsor Rocker

A sweet mid-nineteenth century faux bamboo Windsor sported touches of gold paint in the crevices of the “bamboo”. We do not know if it was original or added later. The chair had no breaks, and he joints were quite stable.  … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag, Second Drafts, Silk

We left off with the finished drafts on paper, above. New tracings from our master tracing are created each time so the tracing paper doesn’t wear and the marks are fresh, not fat and sloppy. Silk was primed using Gamblin’s … Continue reading

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American Mahogany Seignouret Chair

The Seignouret chair appears to be an actual Empire striped mahogany “gondola” chair made by Francois Seignouret in Louisiana circa 1830-1850, though it could also be a later version of the signature chair (design attributed to Seignouret) created by Prudent … Continue reading

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Sketching to Communicate with Clients

Does anyone create lovely sketches for their clients anymore? We often create amazing decorative pillows to accompany a conserved item. Kate created design sketches from images and samples, so that we could better talk with our client about ideas for … Continue reading

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Throwback Thursday: Child’s Rocker

This week may be children’s week, as I am posting a throwback to a child’s rocker as well. The mother grew up with this rocker, but had made a new needlepoint for the seat. She wanted the old needlepoint cleaned. … Continue reading

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Heirloom Child’s Chair

The chair came to us through the heiress (hereafter called LB) to the Frank Crowe Mason Monterey Collection. The sweet chair was made by her grandfather… Someone had recovered it, but thankfully the original stuffings were intact! She wanted it … Continue reading

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Textile Conservation: Victorian Beaded Angel Needlepoint

One of the sweetest pieces we ever treated. A widow had several items conserved for the children in the family. This lovely beaded needlepoint had many condition issues: dozens of moth-eaten areas, ripped or broken canvas, a good deal of … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag, First Drafts, Paper

Beginning with the test sheets, I created test paintings of oil on paper. The paper was primed with shellac to prevent oil seepage. New tracings from our master tracing are created each time so the marks are fresh. My first … Continue reading

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Frances Normandin’s Bell Hanger

Frances Normandin, great-grandmother to our clients, designed and created the needlework bell hanger (ca 1930-1940) as a gift for her 15-year-old son,  Fred Louis Normandin, Jr., or “Bub.”  Fred was named after his father, the first grocer in the Mount … Continue reading

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Victorian Firescreen Textile Treatment

This Victorian firescreen, circa 1890-1910, is a family heirloom, created from petitpoint, needlepoint, and cross-stitching, quite lovely when new. Originally it might have attached to a wooden or metal stand, standing in front of a fireplace to shield the family … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag, Mixing Paint

I created test sheets for oil versions of George. Two coats of shellac seals the paper for the oil paint. It is nice to use up old shellac which can no longer be used on furniture! Phthalo Green and Chromium … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag, Tracings

The Flag Room is staged for the duration of the project. Black foam-core lines the walls waiting for the silk to be stretched upon. The silk will be attached to the foam-core for stability. The center table, currently used to … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag: Gamblin Paints

I might’ve struggled through trail and error and testing on many phases, but thankfully, we are fortunate to share Portland as our home base with Gamblin Artist Colors, home to both the best oil paints and also, home to Gamblin … Continue reading

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Lianne’s Linen Sampler Ca 1806

Lianne’s Great-great-great-GREAT grandmother, Hannah Epes, completed this sampler on June 26th, 1806, when she was 10 years old.  It came to us in the sweet old handkerchief box her grandmother kept it in, above, a keepsake. I like hearing the … Continue reading

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Texaco Fire Chief Gasoline Banner

Growing up in Southern California, the home of the automobile, I remember fondly this emblem as a kid! The Texaco Fire Chief Banner was in excellent condition, but dirty and creased. The back appeared to have been dropped into dirt, … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag, Testing and Our Finalist!

Never underestimate the benefits of testing materials. I am by nature an impatient artist and tend to dive into art materials and experiment when it is my own art processes, however, with clients, I read, I test products, and it … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag, “So you say you have contenders…”

A caveat in posting a rant, however humorous. There are some excellent showrooms, and we are grateful and support them whenever we can.  The rant below is a glimpse into what can happen and does happen when two seasoned professionals … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag, NEVER Say “No Problem”

A whopping four decades I’ve been in the business — even though I am ONLY going on fifty 🙂 — and gads if this hasn’t taught me a huge lesson. Never, ever, ever tell a client something is going to … Continue reading

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Washington State Flag

The historic flag, above hanging on the wall of the Reception Room, a grand ballroom, is not the flag in its original form, but seen with modifications. How does that impact the replication process?  The decision has to be made … Continue reading

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