One of the latest conservation projects in the studio was the treatment of two jackets owned by Harry Lauder. Read on to learn about the history of the objects, their condition issues and how the costumes were preserved for future display. Who was Harry Lauder? Harry Lauder was an early 20th century music hall performer. […]
conservation
Book Review: A New Guide For Costume Mounting
I’ve been preparing to teach an upcoming workshop on costume mounting, and looking for approachable resources to recommend to people with limited experience. Conveniently, Janet Wood’s book Creating the Perfect Form: How to Interpret and Display Historic Dress was just published on 27 June 2024 by Bloomsbury. Summary This new book starts at the very […]
Moth Myths: Protecting Your Textile Treasures (PieceWork, Summer 2023)
Have you ever opened your yarn stash to see a moth fly out or noticed that your favorite sweater has small bites taken out of it? Read my latest article in PieceWork Summer 2023 to learn more about preventing moths. The internet and old wives’ tales are rife with advice on how to prevent a […]
Conservation of Color (Spin Off, Spring 2022)
The new issue of Spin Off is available now which includes my latest article, Conservation of Color. My article clarifies the science behind color in textiles and how dyes attach to fibers. Have you noticed your lovingly handmade textiles fading? I also explain why dyes lose their vibrancy over time and how you can reduce […]
A Textile Conservator’s Guide to Dyeing Notes
This post is an extension of my recent article in PLY magazine, “Dyeing Tips from a Textile Conservator.” In this article I discuss how important it is to take notes on your dyeing to improve your consistency and accuracy. Today I’ll show you how I take notes on dyeing and show how you can do […]
My Journey to Textile Conservation: Past, Present, and Future
Beginnings One of the first hurdles to becoming a textile conservator is knowing that the field exists at all. Many people have interests in museums, art, craft, history, or science but have no idea that they could channel these passions into textile conservation. Very few people (including several of my family members) known what textile […]
Fabulous Fibers: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral (and Synthetic too)
As I discussed in my last post, textiles are all made out of fibers. But what are fibers? Fibers are the small units that make up textiles. If you pull out a single strand from a clump of wool, you’ve got yourself a wool fiber. Animal Fibers Fibers are categorized by their origin. Animal (also […]
What is a textile? Tapestries, shoes, and more?
I’ve already explained what a textile conservator is, but what exactly is a textile? The meaning seems obvious until you try to clearly define what is a textile. A tapestry is clearly a textile, but what about a shoe? Does it matter if the shoe is made of silk or leather? Should you bring it […]
When Moths Attack Part II: Eradication and Prevention
Haven’t read When Moths Attack Part I: Introduction and Identification? Click here! Now that you know what types of moths cause damage and how to identify them, I’m going to cover how to eradicate them and prevent them from coming back. However, as always, please don’t use these methods with historic textiles! They are very […]
When Moths Attack Part I: Introduction and Identification
Introduction One of the scariest things for a textile crafter is seeing a moth fly out of your precious stash of fibers and yarns. But how do you know if you have a moth infestation, how do you get rid of it, and how do you stop it from happening again? The enemies are the […]