Deborah J. Nelson: Finding Aids : MNHS.ORG


	Creator:	Nelson, Deborah J., creator.
	Title:	Deborah J. Nelson papers.
	Dates:	1970-2019.
	Language:	Materials in English.
	Abstract:	Consists of papers of Deborah Nelson, the founder of Satin Stitches costume shop in Coon Rapids (Minn.). Papers include: client files; photographs; work samples and design sketches; press clippings; articles written by Deborah Nelson; dance tournament programs with marginalia from Nelson; historical and biographical information; and digital files that document Nelson's extensive client base and Satin Stitches history.
	Quantity:	3.75 cubic feet (4 boxes and 1 oversize folder in 1 partial box), 1 master video file: MOV (1.5 GB), 1 user video file: MP4 (38.9 MB), and 58 compressed file directories containing 8,862 digital files.
	Location:	See Detailed Description for shelf locations.

Deborah Nelson graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design with a degree in fashion design in 1974. She later founded the fashion and costume design business Satin Stitches, Ltd. in Coon Rapids, Minnesota in 1978. Her company initially focused on wedding and pageant gowns, but evolved in the 1980s to focus primarily on sequined and athletic dance team competition uniforms. Her firm eventually became the predominant outfitter of Minnesota high school dance teams, and outfitted teams regionally as well. In addition to dance teams, Nelson's client base expanded to a national audience with the design of numerous professional cheerleader squads, including the Minnesota Vikings, and the design of costumes for prominent figure skaters, ballroom dancers, and other performers.

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These papers are organized into the following sections:


	Analog files

	Digital files

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Access Restrictions:

Select zip file directories in copyright in this collection are not available online, but can be accessed upon request for use in the Gale Family Library reading room. Please consult reference staff for more information.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Deborah J. Nelson Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 17,726; 17,744

Location of Master Files

Digital master of the video material is maintained on the Society's secure digital collections storage servers and is managed and preserved in accordance with archival best practices.

The original videocassette was disposed after the material was digitally reformatted into a MOV file.

Processing Information:

Legacy Amendment logo

Processed by: Leif Kopietz, October 2019 and January 2021

Digital video transferred from the master videocassette by the Minnesota Historical Society for preservation purposes (November, 2019).

Digitization was made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008.

Catalog ID number: 9989773039804294

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Location

Box

118.A.3.4F

1

Northwest Creative Designers Association phone directory, 1980-1981.

Minnesota Association of Dance Lines programs, 1984-1994. 2 folders.

Minnesota Association for Dance Teams programs, 1995-1996.

Work samples in publications, 1993-2014. 3 folders.

Professional cheerleader and dance team work samples, 1990s.

Minnesota State High School League State Tournament programs, 1997-2019. 5 folders.

Designer update, 1993-2006.

Newsletter for Satin Stitches.

Kiss Me Kate Costume Bible, approximately 1973. 1 volume.

Includes Nelson's design sketches, notes, and fabric samples for dress designs done for a play production.

Design sketches, undated.

List of costumes produced for schools, approximately 1981-1999.

Correspondence and notes, approximately 1980-2007.

Photographs, undated.

Articles by Deborah Nelson, approximately 1990s-2010s. 2 folders.

Location

Internet

Satin Stitches: From fabrics to fabulous, undated. 1 master video file (6 minutes, 44 seconds): MOV (1.5 GB) and 1 user video file: MP4 (38.9 MB).

Digital video

Location

Box

118.A.3.5B

2

Articles by Deborah Nelson, approximately 1990s-2010s. 2 folders.

Articles by Deborah Nelson in Minnesota dancing times, 2012-2013. 2 folders.

Articles by Deborah Nelson in Dancer universe blog, 2008-2010.

Press clippings, 1970s-2010s. 5 folders.

Marketing materials, 1970s-2000s. 2 folders.

Client files:

Includes fabric swatches, patterns, design sketches, notes, and client invoices and correspondence.

Nicole Dumonceaux, March 1992.

Barbara Carlson, January 1996.

Bea Beddor, September 1988.

Nora Elleraas, July 2002.

Derrick Dukes, 1999-2000.

Miss North Dakota, Beth Dennison, September-December 2010.

Erin Callahan, January-February 1998.

Erica Berg, 2004-2009, 2014. 2 folders.

Caroline Brost, June-July 2011.

Sarah Ahmed, April 2002, 2007. 2 folders.

Location

Box

118.A.4.1B

3

Celia Ahmed, September 2012.

Anderson, Scott and Amy, 1986-1992.

Skip Devol, 1983.

Kayla Evans, 2003-2008, 2014.

Goddess dress, 2003.

Sandler pilot, 1995.

Brenda's venture, 1999. 2 folders.

Schiek's Sexlet, 1998.

Steve Schumacher, 1984-1985.

Mike Killa, St. Paul Winter Carnival, approximately 1984.

John Kinnard and Company, July 1, 1988.

Franca Abbatiello, June 9, 1994.

Amy Nelson, 1989-1990.

Stripper patterns, undated.

Dance spirit magazine advertisement dress, 2010-2016. 3 folders.

Location

Box

118.A.4.2F

4

Miscellaneous samples and costumes, undated, 2003-2010.

Vikings top, September 22, 2005.

Cheer Explosion, 2007.

Survival Guide sample, May 25, 2004.

Chicago Dance Spirit, April 7, 2003.

Samples, 1999-2003. 3 folders.

Anoka County Historical Society and Minnesota History Center, undated, 1967, 2019.

Includes Satin Stitches history, Nelson's biographical information, sketch samples, and photographs brought together by Nelson for both organizations.

Paper history, undated, 1990s-2000s.

Miscellaneous articles by Nelson, publications, clippings, and advertisements.

[0.20 cubic feet empty, legal sized]

Location

Box

108.D.10.3B-2

5

Oversized press clippings, 1990s.

Professional cheerleader and dance team work samples, 1991, 2012.

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Includes 58 ZIP file directories containing digital photographs, video, text documents, and other digital files that document Nelson's client base of high school dance teams, ballroom dancers, figure skaters, choirs, collegiate cheerleading and dance teams, professional sports cheerleading squads, and more. The digital files also contain promotional material, historical background information for Satin Stitches, and some of Nelson's personal files.

The directory and file names of the original creator have been retained within each downloadable ZIP file. A pdf index is available for each ZIP file, which provides detailed information on directory structure, file names, and file formats.

Location

Internet

1 A New Photos. 1 ZIP file (791,570 KB).

DEBORAH J. NELSON:

OVERVIEW

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

ARRANGEMENT

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

ANALOG FILES

DIGITAL FILES

CATALOG HEADINGS