Q: I have a needlepoint sampler made by my great-grandmother, and it’s showing its age. Who can (super-carefully) clean it?—Deborah Breeding, Jackson Heights
A: Needless to say, this probably isn’t something you’d send out to your local dry cleaner. The Textile Conservation Workshop (3 Main Street, South Salem, New York; 914-763-5805) in Westchester has been in the trade for 26 years, and now has ten graduate-trained artisans who restore needlework, lace, quilts, and more. The nonprofit has repaired everything from Jimi Hendrix’s leather jacket to the flag used to cradle the dying Abraham Lincoln’s head. Be prepared to spend at least $300, and likely more, depending on what’s needed. Another option is the Textile Conservation Laboratory at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (1047 Amsterdam Avenue, at 112th Street; 212-316-7523), where the hands that care for the church’s rare tapestries will tend to your heirloom. Cost is $150 to $250 for the initial report and $75 per hour thereafter.