Category: General

Recently, I’ve been getting a lot of requests for detailed instructions for how to clean vintage assiut.  There are a few guidelines I would like to share with you, but I have to begin with a disclaimer.  Antique assiut can be extremely fragile.  Before you clean, think about the value of the piece for you.  In antique textiles, sometimes the most gentle forms of cleaning can be destructive.  So before you have a go at cleaning it, consider your skills and if you are prepared to accidentally destroy the garment or shawl.  As a historian, I recommend using the least invasive and potentially destructive methods for care and cleaning.  Below is an excellent resource for cleaning vintage and antique textiles.  My personal process echo this detailed .pdf.

• Treat for dust mites by putting in a ziplock bag and freezing for a week.
• Pat clean with tepid water first to remove dust mites and debris.
• Evaluate condition to consider for further cleaning, if it’s delicate and has lots of tears I stop.
• Hand wash with gentle cleanser.  I personally use Orvis or Restoration.
• Always dry flat.
• Store in a loose bundle in an acid free box. Avoid storing in wood and plastic.

Cleaning is a lot like cooking – everyone has their own methods, strategies, and recipes.  The goal is be realistic about your skills, the condition of your piece, and how much you are willing to spend on products.

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/fcs2/fcs2707/fcs2707.pdf

Today is the last day of my Kickstarter campaign!    As I type this, I have a mere 21 hours left and the frenzy of the last month will be over.  It’s been quite an experience, like an exhilarating thrill ride.  We made our minimum amount for funding in a mere 42 minutes.  I’m completely gobsmacked over the results and the final tally exceeds 6K.  The outpouring of support from the community has given me a tremendous sense of belonging, and I’m so happy that there are so many folks interested in the same subject, assiut cloth from Egypt.

Everyone who has donated to the Kickstarter campaign are listed in our sponsors page, both in the book, here on this website and in the upcoming magazine edition of Costumer’s Notes.  I consider everyone who pledged money to be part of this grand collaboration!  There are dozens of model/dancers, photographers, and fashion designers who have contributed images and designs to this book in concrete and tangible ways.  The people who choose to back me via Kickstarter, are taking an even bigger risk, on a sight-unseen book.  Each and everyone of you have helped me make this book better, by subsidizing the purchase of resources, photography, and computer resources.  I’m looking forward to finishing this publication, and I invite you all to check back here on the Costumer’s Notes blog, to follow along with the project from where it stands today, until it is ready to ship sometime in late fall.

Thank you so very much for your continued support!