Handling
It goes without saying that fragile and/or valuable textiles should be handled with care, and as little as necessary in any given circumstance. However, should handling be necessary, there are precautions which can be taken to ensure the safety of the textile.
Because our hands contain oils and acids in the skin, clean cloth gloves should be worn when handling textiles. If gloves are unavailable, then frequent hand-washing should be undertaken to ensure that no damage is caused. For similar reasons, the working, display, and storage areas should be free of food, drink, and cigarette smoke, which can also stain or damage the fabric. Finally, to avoid ink stains, only pencils should be used for writing or sketching in the work space.
To avoid snags and pulls, remove any jewelry that may catch in the fabric’s weave, and wear clothing free of large buckles or other objects which may snag the textile. Long hair should also be tied back to allow a clear view of the working area, even when the head is bent over the table.
When working with the textiles, it should be placed on a clean, flat surface which is larger than the textile itself, so that the whole piece is supported evenly. Although it is supported, never place anything on top of the textile while it is in the flat position.
When moving the textile, it is important to maintain the flat, even support of the work space. If the piece is small enough (a handkerchief or sampler, for instance), it may be placed on an acid-free board or similar support and carried as if on a tray. If the piece is too large for this (a carpet or tapestry, for example), the piece may be rolled around an acid-free tube and carried by two people to its new location.
Finally, antique costumes and clothing should never be worn, as the mere process of putting the clothes on and taking them off will cause damage. Additionally, the model may not fit the costume precisely (remember that clothing was for a long time made to fit a specific person, not mass-produced in approximate sizes), causing strain where there should be none and slack where there likewise should be none.
Read more about this topic: Textile Preservation
Famous quotes containing the word handling:
“That a good fit between parental handling and child temperament is vital to help children adapt to the imperatives of their society is a crucial concept that can be applied to other cultures.”
—Stella Chess (20th century)
“Many more children observe attitudes, values and ways different from or in conflict with those of their families, social networks, and institutions. Yet today’s young people are no more mature or capable of handling the increased conflicting and often stimulating information they receive than were young people of the past, who received the information and had more adult control of and advice about the information they did receive.”
—James P. Comer (20th century)
“It is curious how instinctively one protects the image of oneself from idolatry or any other handling that could make it ridiculous, or too unlike the original to be believed any longer.”
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)