Re: index system for historic textile samples

[Joan Kiplinger <jkip@xxxxxxxxx>]

Elizabeth -- many thanx for sharing your system and taking the time to itemize.
Your methodologly will be very helpful when I devise my storage project.

"Richards, Elizabeth" wrote:

> A system we use for non-artifact samples is a file folder made out of
> nonwoven nylon or polyester.  The file folder is made like a normal file
> folder (i.e. it hangs on metal rods which we purchased from a file folder
> manufacturer) but a Mylar sheet is sewn (by machine) to the front hanging
> section.  The samples are sewn by hand to the inside of the folder.  Some of
> the samples are small and some are folded in order that we have a print
> repeat.  The Mylar sleeve holds a descriptive sheet and any labels or other
> information that came with the samples.
>         These samples are mainly 20C samples.  Samples earlier than this
> tend to be artifacts and are numbered and treated quite differently.  Many
> of these are mounted, ready for presentation in frames.  We have tried to
> standardize the mount sizes.  Some of the very special fabrics, or
> particularily fragile fabrics have special book mounts so you can look at
> both sides of the fabrics (by closing the mount and turning it over, like a
> book).  These take a long longer to prepare than the unmounted 20C fabrics.
>
> In my personal quilting fabric samples (20 c) I use polyethylene photograph
> sheets.  I find that they come in various sizes and I can simply slip the
> fabric into the slots.  This way the fabric isn't sitched down - so it's
> simple and quick.  I have them organized in decades in color groupings.  I
> haven't written material on any of them - although if I get reference
> material I could just put it in next to the fabrics.  Many of my fabrics are
> quite small and I have them in the slide holder size sleeves.  This way you
> can look at lots of fabrics very quickly.  They aren't in binders, just in
> hanging file folders - but they could be in binders.  I like them because
> when I talk to quilters they can look at the samples but not touch the
> fabrics.
>         My 19c quilting samples are blocks and fabrics.  They are
> interleafed with nonwoven fabrics and stored in tote boxes.