DNA from Hair Quilt Identifier

[Mitzy]

That is a weird title.
I was reading an article on stolen quilts in Australia at the doctor's office yesterday when I saw this sidebar. People sew a small patch on the back of their quilt with a small bit of their hair inside the pouch. Then if the quilt is stolen, there is DNA proof of ownership. I thought that was pretty cool. And clever.

[AprilElf]

Wow, that's interesting!
:) And very clever.

[suicides_eve]

wow that does sound neat. i wonder how effective it is ?

[Anje]

I imagine the hair needs root tags for this to work. The hair itself isn't made of cells and therefore won't have DNA on its own.

[gossamer]

I imagine the hair needs root tags for this to work. The hair itself isn't made of cells and therefore won't have DNA on its own.

SCIENCE! <3

[Bene]

What's to stop the quilt thief from cutting the pouch off? It would make more sense to sew the pouch inside the actual quilt.


Also, would someone go through all the trouble of getting the quilt tested?


Also, who would steal a quilt? :laugh:

[Panth]

I imagine the hair needs root tags for this to work. The hair itself isn't made of cells and therefore won't have DNA on its own.

It probably does need root bulbs to work. But....

hair IS made of cells. They're just cells that have fused to their neighbours and undergone a special form of cell death that leaves them full of keratin and able to be part of a hair. That process means you aren't getting any DNA from the cells of the hair shaft, but it doesn't mean that they aren't cells.

[PrincessBob]

It probably does need root bulbs to work. But....

hair IS made of cells. They're just cells that have fused to their neighbours and undergone a special form of cell death that leaves them full of keratin and able to be part of a hair. That process means you aren't getting any DNA from the cells of the hair shaft, but it doesn't mean that they aren't cells.
:crush: I just don't know what more to say...

[Gnomentum]

I would have thought it would make more sense to sew the hair into the quilting, if you were quilting by hand. As in, use it twined in with the thread. Harder to remove. Though I agree, who would steal a quilt?

[jasper]

I think I accidentally sew my hair into projects like that. I know I have painted it into paintings by mistake. If I become a famous and sought after artists, the conservators and museums can authenticate my work by the hair samples.

As to stolen quilts, I picture that happening at competitive quilt shows.

[kittymallow]

a little creepy, but also really smart;P

[Carolyn]

Quilt theft is more common than you might think. There are quilts that are valued at tens of thousands of dollars. I've been involved in the quilt community on the state level for over 30 years and somewhat less on a national level. I assure you quilts do get stolen. You do realize just the fabric for a queen size quilt could be several hundred dollars? Quilt fabric is over $10 per yard now.

There would be several ways to invisibly insert a little package of hair into a quilt. One way would be to put it inside in the outer border before it's quilted. No one but the maker would know if done right. It could also be slipped into an applique piece.

Stitched labels can be taken off. I've written in indelible ink on the back of some of my quilts. Unfortunately I didn't on the quilt I made for my son when he was growing up and on the baby quilt I made for my grandson. They both disappeared when son and DIL were splitting up. I'm sure they were sold on Craigslist. I'm sure we'll never see them again. I do have pics of them but I doubt that would get me anywhere.

[Amber_Maiden]

That's pretty neat!