When I was a very young adult the idea that there could be beauty in age was absurd. That was before I met some remarkable people who had quite a few miles on the odometer. (Of course, family didn't count in this equation.) As I matured, I was able to see with more discerning eyes and recognized the timeless quality of fine workmanship in items and in people.
Recently I came into some beautiful vintage fabrics. These items were both garments, and household textiles as well as elements -lace, trim, etc. Going through them I was in awe of the fine quality of the fabric itself in most of these items. We don't normally see that level of softness, natural fibers, and drape in modern, mass produced textiles. Another wonderful reminder of a past era was the quality of workmanship in most of the pieces. Whether they had been entirely made by hand or embellished by hand, they had painstakingly crafted detail in them. Handling them evoked the effort, pride and love which went into their construction and use. A toddlers dress had intricately detailed tucks, smocking, lace, etc. It also had been darned by hand to cover a hole. It made me wonder what that little one did to damage that dress. I hope she was having fun when she did it.
I'm sure that many people would have seen that box of stuff and tossed it out with out any thought. Yet to me it was a portal to another era of beautiful workmanship created by many women's' hands in the past.
If you have a scrap of fabric, a piece of a dress, a part of a quilt or even something far more substantial which has been handed down to you, you can turn that into a piece of art for your home. Some items need to be protected by acid free paper and sealed enclosures such as a frame, but they can be a great reminder of both the handcrafting of others and the beauty of fine work. Having that connection to your family can be an added value. And it is something you can share with your children and grandchildren.
If you didn't get some stuff from your Aunt Minny's attic, check around at thrift stores, estate sales and flea markets. There are some lovely items out there to be discovered by someone who appreciates them. Don't just think in terms of value but find things that you like. Some people really enjoy the styles from the mid 1900s instead of the mid 1800s.
Don't be confused with old versus antique materials. Antique or vintage items need to be handled with special care. And if you have something which is dirty but you are not sure of it's value, don't toss it into the washer and dryer. You can get information on how to clean and care for fabrics, and/or to check out some of the history of fashion, by going to http://doloresmonet.hubpages.com/hub/VintageFabricsLivingWithAntiqueTextiles. I found this source delightful.
Another thing you might want to check out is your local museums. The curators of most museums often have to handle vintage fabrics and some locations have wonderful textile museums. Museums can be wonderful inspirations and a source of information. I remember a fascinating exhibit in NYC of ancient Egyptian fabrics. Imagine having textiles which have survived for thousands of years!
