What is a textile conservator and when do you need to contact one? Textile conservation is the caring for and repairing of textile objects. These objects can be everyday garments or important historical flags. They can be a tapestry that is hundreds of years old or a quilt stitched a few decades ago. They can be art pieces worth thousands of dollars or a childhood toy that has great sentimental value. Textile conservators work on a wide variety of objects but always try to change or alter as little as possible and preserve the essential nature of the piece. When do you need to contact a textil ..read more

Have you ever opened your yarn stash to see a moth fly out or noticed that your favorite sweater has small bites taken out of it? Read my latest article in PieceWork Summer 2023 to learn more about preventing moths. The internet and old wives’ tales are rife with advice on how to prevent a moth infestation, but how many are actually true? My article discusses often repeated methods of moth deterrence. I explain which ones are true and which ones are simply myths. You can find PieceWork Summer 2023 here online or at your local craft shop. I also discuss moth infestations in my two part series W ..read more

I recently attended the Connecticut Sheep, Wool, and Fiber Fest. I went thinking I would only buy washed and prepped wool, but walked away with a six pounds (2.7 kg) Corriedale/Cormo/Romney cross raw fleece. A raw fleece is any fleece that has not been washed or otherwise prepared for crafting. Raw fleeces have only been sheared off the sheep and skirted to remove the unusable sections. Have you recently bought a raw fleece and are wondering what to do next? Everyone has their own techniques of cleaning wool depending on their circumstances and fleece. However, this is my method of transformin ..read more

When you walk the streets of Glasgow, Scotland you’ll be struck how much the city loves the local architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. However, Mackintosh’s wife Margaret Macdonald was also a wonderful artist. I believe that she should be recognized for her contributions to the distinctive Glasgow Style. My latest article in PieceWork examines her influence on Art Nouveau and Glasgow style, her collaborations with her husband, and her embroidery and printed textile design. If you would like to learn more about Margaret Macdonald, please read my article in the Summer 2022 issue of PieceWork mag ..read more

The new issue of Spin Off is available now which includes my latest article, Conservation of Color. My article clarifies the science behind color in textiles and how dyes attach to fibers. Have you noticed your lovingly handmade textiles fading? I also explain why dyes lose their vibrancy over time and how you can reduce this in your past and future projects. If you would like to learn how to keep your hand spun yarns colorful check out the Spring issue of Spin Off online here or at your local craft store. The post Conservation of Color (Spin Off, Spring 2022) first appeared on Rossi Conservat ..read more

My latest article is now out in the Spring issue of PieceWork magazine! It focuses on the Salt-Box shoe, a small child’s boot that was found in the ruins of a house in Shelton, Connecticut. But how did the shoe survive the elements for almost one hundred years and why was it thought to bring good luck? Learn about the mystery of concealed textiles, garments that were purposefully hidden in the structure of homes. Why did people hide clothing in their walls, under floors, and over doorways? And what can we learn about the past from these objects? If you would like to learn more about the Salt-B ..read more

This post is an extension of my recent article in PLY magazine, “Dyeing Tips from a Textile Conservator.” In this article I discuss how important it is to take notes on your dyeing to improve your consistency and accuracy. Today I’ll show you how I take notes on dyeing and show how you can do the same! My Dyeing Notes Every time I dye something for conservation I take notes on what I’m doing. This serves several purposes. First of all, I need to complete calculations on the ratio of dyes, the amount of different additives, and how much fabric to weigh out. It’s useful to have this information ..read more

It’s finally autumn because the Fall issue of PLY came out today! Does your hand dyed fabric have splotches? Do you struggle to dye your yarn the same shade every time? Do you want to improve your consistency in the dye pot? Then read my latest article in PLY magazine! My article offers advice on dyeing that from my textile conservation training and experience. I discuss when textile conservators need to dye materials and why it’s so important that we do so consistently. I explain why I always use synthetic dyes rather than natural ones to get dependable dye lots. I also emphasize the importan ..read more

Beginnings One of the first hurdles to becoming a textile conservator is knowing that the field exists at all. Many people have interests in museums, art, craft, history, or science but have no idea that they could channel these passions into textile conservation. Very few people (including several of my family members) known what textile conservation is. Most hear the word “conservation” and assume I do something with the environment. I am very lucky that my mother is a museum curator who also has a love for textiles. As a small child she taught me how to cross stitch, hand sew, and explore m ..read more

Although it’s still summer, the Fall issue of Piecework is arriving! This issue follows stories of how textiles have acted as “Threads of Change.” My article follows the history of the New Lanark textile mill which eagle eyed readers may recognize in my banner photograph! I explain how the nineteenth century social reformer Robert Owen used the textile mills to test out his ideas on how to improve society. Although the commercial mill closed in 1968, the site is now a nature preserve and a museum about the historical importance of Robert Owen’s social experiment. The Clyde River powered the sp ..read more