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While watching the news coverage of the storm, Sandy, I can only imagine how I would feel if my home were flooded or worse.  I have never gone through a disaster of that magnitude.  The closest I have come was a small flood in my basement.  In the next several months repairs to homes and businesses will take time.  The first part of the recovery process will include what to do with the rugs, bedding, quilts, clothes, etc., that have been water damaged.  Rescuing textile items instead of discarding is an option for some keepsakes such as favorite quilts, children’s prized blankets, special needlepoint pictures and even sweaters made by Grandmother.

Museum Textile Service Disaster Response has instructions for saving many types of textiles from quilts to garments to needlepoint to framed silk to hats.  The various pamphlets available include Salvedge At A Glance, Textile Salvedge Charts as well as step-by-step instructions for both wet textiles and textiles that have been dried after water damage.

In addition to donating cash to the Red Cross and Salvation Army, printing out these helpful instructions and mailing or handing to friends may help another person to not feel so overwhelmed.  Reading these hand outs now so you can learn what to do just in case a disaster happens to your home just might prevent loss of your important keepsakes.