By Kaitlyn Munro In my recent dive into historical sewing instruction manuals, I was emotionally struck by a passage in The Ladies’ Hand-book of Plain Needlework written by H.G. Clarke in 1842. It puts best into words every feeling that I have about sewing and the importance of conserving even the most unlikely of everyday household […]
In Fond Memory of Olive B. Graffam
Olive B. Graffam, Curator of Collections, Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Museum It is rare and wonderful to work with the same client for nearly 20 years…and over this time a treasured relationship developed; tender, deeply thoughtful, and professional. We got to know each other’s families, and grandchildren by name, and shared our challenges […]
Looking Through The Eye of a Needle
Let’s get to the point… Needles are a textile conservator’s best friend. We stab them through wool, tunnel them through tapestry warps, and tenderly ply them through lace and silk. Needles are our partners in constructing ladders and herringbones, our tools for figure-eights, and our means of tacking down loose embroidery. Archeological evidence suggests that […]
