Textile conservation project

Volunteers roll up their sleeves to help conserve MERL’s textiles

Museum of English Rural Life’s historical textile collection should now have a longer lease of life, thanks to work undertaken by two nimble-fingered volunteers, Betty Simmonds and Jan Butler.

Seamstresses, Betty and Jan, have been busy stitching new calico coat hanger covers to replace those used to display MERL’s 120 delicate smocks, mourning dresses, coats and jackets in their gallery store.

The volunteers have been working alongside MERL’s conservator Fred van de Geer, who initiated the project. He said, “The previous coat-hangers incorporated polyurethane foam padding, which doesn’t last long. As the foam deteriorates it loses its padding and in some cases disintegrates into a powdery, substance and this could potentially damage the garments.”

In response, a new system has been devised to make hangers using all conservation grade inert materials. The new wooden hangers are varnished before being covered with aluminium foil, polyester wadding and finally unbleached calico covers. Betty and Jan answered the appeal for volunteers to help fix and stitch the wadding and calico covers so the new hangers could be put into use.

Fred was full of praise for Betty and Jan’s efforts. He said, “With the help of volunteers, Jan and Betty, this project has really taken off. The hangers have been made up more quickly than I had anticipated especially after Betty persuaded her local patchwork group to make some of them! “

Jan Butler, who stitched up a large number of hanger covers, is also working with Fred on a second project to improve the storage and display conditions for the Museum’s large collection of fragile lace caps and bonnets.