Have you preserved your wedding dress?
When I ask friends and family this question, I’m usually met with the same reaction: embarrassed guilt.
(looks away) “Oh yeah, I need to do that…
“You mean that white box thing?” (looks confused)
“I never even got mine cleaned – and wine spilled on it!”
“We’ve been married twenty years and it’s still just hanging in my closet.” (looks embarrassed)
Does any of this sound familiar?

Here’s a question we hear every so often: “Can I wear my wedding dress after it’s preserved?”
Unfortunately, most of the time the answer we’re told is a big ol’ “nope”.
<insert sad trombone sound.>
But guess what? Yes you can!
<cue peppy marching band music.>
Remember: what you do with your dress depends on you and what you want to do with it.

Do padded hangers prevent shoulder bumps?
Yes!
Padded hangers are a must-have for every closet. They support and protect heavy garments by evenly distributing the weight across the shoulders. But even lightweight garments benefit from padded hangers. Have you ever put on a dress shirt or sweater and noticed little bumps popping up from your shoulders?
Yikes!

I am excited to announce that I will be teaching three online textiles & clothing workshops for the Iowa Museum Association in early 2022. Here’s a little more about what to expect:

What is the difference between vintage and antique, anyway?
Have you ever walked through an antique store grumpily mumbling to yourself because you found your favorite childhood toy for sale on the shelf?
These Legos are definitely vintage. We still have - and play with - most of them.
“How is this allowed?” you exclaim to no one in particular, with teeth clenched and ego deflated.