Silk scarves are one of your favorite textiles to frame!
Sharing Tips on Framing Textiles:
November Workshop Collab with Jenniffer Powers / @collectingmontpelier
Sharing Tips on Framing Textiles:
November Workshop Collab with Jenniffer Powers / @collectingmontpelier
I was thrilled to recently host Jenniffer Powers, Collections Manager at James Madison's Montpelier earlier this month for a workshop on TEXTILE CONSERVATION AND FRAMING during a membership drive for the FRALIN MUSEUM OF ART at UVA.
Jenniffer is an inspired and super enthusiastic member of the team at Montpelier and was happy to share her knowledge, tips and tricks about antique textiles with us on this day.
Jenniffer and I have worked on some special projects together: being able to draw on local historic resources and learning opportunities like these has been really valuable!
Jenniffer and her team spend the days installing exhibits and taking care, cleaning, checking and making sure the current collection of artifacts and items at the museum are properly handled, stored and displayed.
She gave us tips and tricks on storing and displaying our own inherited treasures, and I hope this information will also help you along the way!
BELOW: Jenniffer unboxes a pair of riding jodhpurs owned by the DuPont's.
Jenniffer is an inspired and super enthusiastic member of the team at Montpelier and was happy to share her knowledge, tips and tricks about antique textiles with us on this day.
Jenniffer and I have worked on some special projects together: being able to draw on local historic resources and learning opportunities like these has been really valuable!
Jenniffer and her team spend the days installing exhibits and taking care, cleaning, checking and making sure the current collection of artifacts and items at the museum are properly handled, stored and displayed.
She gave us tips and tricks on storing and displaying our own inherited treasures, and I hope this information will also help you along the way!
BELOW: Jenniffer unboxes a pair of riding jodhpurs owned by the DuPont's.
From cross stitches and old samplers to antique tapestries and shoes, gloves, veils or garments, Hermes silk scarves or kilim rugs: textiles span the gamut and preserving their history, value and stories means a lot to many of us.
Jenniffer gave helpful tips on storage and display of antique textiles, and she had some great stories to share about the origin of the museum's collected items.
Here are just a few of our collective tips:
STORAGE: chose a humidity controlled space (Jenniffer suggests a bedroom closet).
Attics and basements are usually not a great idea as they are home to insects and the temperature and humidity tend to fluctuate drastically.
Do not wrap your pieces in plastic: while that protects from water damage in storage, it also traps moisture and prohibits the piece from breathing. Acid free tissue and an acid free museum box are recommended (find them online at GAYLORD or AMAZON).
MOVE YOUR PIECE at least EVERY 6 MONTHS. Jenniffer and her staff re-fold each piece every few months to prohibit fibres from breaking and creases from forming. Rolling tapestries is a great way to keep this from happening.
DISPLAY: Every temperature change, humidity change and vibration has an effect on the fibres in textiles. While this effect may not show up instantly, over time you will be able to tell. UV light is another HUGE influence on your textiles. UV light (all rays of it) fade your textiles and make them brittle, and any time you expose anything to light, it is wise to choose a UV protective glazing option for your piece.
Avoid hanging your art on an outside wall as the temperature and humidity here fluctuate constantly.
BUGS ... these guys and their insatiable appetite are your textile's biggest enemy. Keep silver fish and carpet beetles at bay, preferably with toxin free methods that will also protect your textile.
CLEANING: Gentle does it! Use toxin free, gentle cleaners, a vacuum with a special attachment, or solicit professional help to avoid bleeding of dyes or any other damage.
While you and I may not frame pieces that are 200 plus years old every day, we are very much interested in preservong and displaying our pieces in a way that honors them, makes them look amazing and will make them last, right?
Simple tips and tricks in the mount and method of displaying your piece make all the difference, and a marriage of function and aesthetics is usually a great blend. Superior glazing options, UV protection, acid free materials etc. make all the difference. Check with your framer on how they will mount your piece to ensure as little stress on the fabric as possible. Have fun designing your piece, it will be with you for a long time to come and there are so many design options to choose from!
I have had the privilege of being entrusted to frame some outstanding pieces, and textiles have often been the most challenging but also the most rewarding projects.
BELOW: This contemporary silk painting was mounted, using silk pins and displayed using UV glass and a spacer between the silk and the glass. Custom color acrylic frame by PRISMA.
On this rug below, we chose to use silk pins to evenly mount and distribute the weight of the tapestry in the frame and to make it easy to remove in the future. A linen liner matching the linen backing was used to space the glass away from the piece to make sure the air was able to rotate and not to compress the rug.
FYI: pollutants collect on the inside of the glass, so allow your framer to open your art every 10 - 15 years to clean the inside!
FYI: pollutants collect on the inside of the glass, so allow your framer to open your art every 10 - 15 years to clean the inside!
Padding your pieces with acid free tissue or muslin in framing aids in putting less stress (gravity) on your piece
and also makes for a more authentic look. Bring in your own fabric to use to line the box and add an extra personal touch!
and also makes for a more authentic look. Bring in your own fabric to use to line the box and add an extra personal touch!
Thanks so much to Jenniffer for sharing her knowledge and collaborating on this workshop! I love framing textiles and there are so many wonderful ways to do it!
Visit us for ideas on how to frame YOUR textiles: Get them out of storage and share their story, we are happy to help you get them up on the wall!
CAVALLO GALLERY & Custom Framing
117 S. Main Street, Gordonsville VA (540) 832.3701 Follow us for inspiration at @cavallo.gallery on Social Media
117 S. Main Street, Gordonsville VA (540) 832.3701 Follow us for inspiration at @cavallo.gallery on Social Media