​Digital Preservation and Documentation Conservation from Your Own Heirloom Collections

 

 

Some Ideas:

• Historical Research

• Reunions

• Family Album Chronicling

• Gala Events

• Geneology

• Literary Collections

• Artwork

• Correspondence

 

 

 

I began quilting over 30 years ago and have enjoyed the process of transforming fabric into movement of color and light.  In recent years, with the passing of family members, I have been inundated with left-over items from their lives: clothing, antique linens and doilies, old dresses and suits, neckties, etc.  In addition, many deceased relatives left behind numerous scrapbooks of photographs dating back to before the Civil War, as well as boxes of corresponding correspondence!  These items were beautiful and valuable in their vintage quality, though not practical nor applicable for present use.  They had been completely forgotten by the living relatives, imprisoned in the destructive devices of their storage.  I decided to resurrect, restore and rennovate the collections; bringing the past back to the present for everyday use and enjoyment.  

 

Hence, the journey of 'memory quilts' and 'digital scrapbooks' began.  Using the textiles from the various collections, I began creating quilts with custom patchwork designs reflective of the original owner's personality.  Once completed, the results were then redistributed to various, appreciative relatives.  With all the varying array of colors and textures from the fabrics, the results revealed stunning, new patchwork creations instead of languishing, forgotten, in closets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most scrapbooks and pictures tend to stay on shelves, or vanquished to mildewy basements and/or critter-infested attics.  Left alone to the ravages of time, they can incur irreparable damage.  Digitally archiving the images proves a wonderful way to clear-out the storage mass while saving and protecting the value of the collections.  In digitally archiving 17K photographs and various documentation from my ancestor's scrapbooks, I was able to re-create, save and protect the quality of my family's heirloom material.  Consolidating boxes of paper images into lipstick-sized USB drives allows for easy accessibility and distribution to others; passing on their integrity, value, and beauty for everyone, all the while honoring the wonderful memories by-gone days.

 

In addition to rediscovering the antiquity of the items, the elimination of the massive amount of storage space collections of relics can monopolize proves paramount.  'Down-sizing' was the added reward in creating custom, revitalized memorabilia. Creative recycling and preservation of pictures and fabric revamps the masses of left-over items into artwork and an easily accessible database of family heritage.

 

So, whether due to a death of a loved one, or simply a move to a new home, consider dakota indigo quilts in assisting you with the process of organizing and de-cluttering your currently unusable, inaccessible memorabilia.  Please contact dakota indigo quilts if you would like assistance in researching the history of your collections and their future preservation and display, for your further enjoyment.

 

 

 

Unique Custom Patchwork from Your Own Heirloom Collections

 

 

 

 

Some Ideas:

• Sweaters

• Vintage Table Linens

• Prom Dresses, Wedding Gowns, and Formal Wear

• T-Shirts

• Baby Clothes

• Neck Ties

• Blazers, Tweed Jackets, etc.

• Men's Dress Shirts

• Academic Gowns and Honorary Degrees

• Antique Doilies