Reddit reviews Saving Stuff: How to Care for and Preserve Your Collectibles, Heirlooms, and Other Prized Possessions
We found 4 Reddit comments about Saving Stuff: How to Care for and Preserve Your Collectibles, Heirlooms, and Other Prized Possessions. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Touchstone
The Smithsonian's Saving Stuff is a pretty decent resource for people looking to preserve family treasures like these.
This is a great collection your grandma passed down OP!
Another resource I have found helpful is "Saving Stuff" by Don Williams.
https://www.amazon.com/ Saving-Stuff-Collectibles-Heirlooms-Possessions/dp/0743264169
It assumes no conservatorial knowledge and covers a wide range of materials.
It might be repairable, maybe with an added piece of mesh a little larger than the hole added behind and carefully hand stitched into place.
However I feel compelled to say this: an almost 90 year old dress is, at this point, a collectible piece and not a wearable one. From a historical standpoint, it's probably best to keep it in good shape and that doesn't include wearing it (body oils, smells, moisture/humidity, stains, general wear and tear, sunlight, things happen...). On the restoration/conservation debate, I tend to lean toward conservation (stabilize, don't alter original materials) and trying to preserve items as much as possible. (Can't help it, I've spent my whole life with my Dad the art conservator, so I know too much about old things.) The further away from this time period we get, the fewer things we have left from it, thus the need for care now.
If it is in good condition, you may be able to display the dress. You might consider contacting a local museum or the AIC for more information. Here's a link from the AIC on textiles: link, and there is this book Saving Stuff that covers care and storage of household things and includes a chapter on vintage textiles.
I hope I've provided you with some useful information.
In general, for this and similar questions that might lead to more, I recommend people take a look at Don William's book Saving Stuff: How to Care for and Preserve Your Collectibles, Heirlooms, and Other Prized Possessions. It covers material culture as well as paper, so if you end up with medals, uniform parts, knives, photos, etc. the answers for everything can be found within.