Re: padded hangers

[Talita Fourie <talitaf@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Please send me a hand out to the address: Talita Fourie, National Cultural
History Museum, PO Box 28088, Sunnyside, 0132, South Africa.
Thank you,
Talita

At 10:06 AM 7/20/00 -0400, you wrote:
>I've made padded hangers several ways over the years, and I still like to
>use more than one method.  Garments from different periods have different
>shoulder slopes, so for proper support you should match the slope of the
>hanger to the garment.  For really straight shoulder lines, I use those
>simple wood bar hangers, coated with water-borne polyurethane, lots of
>needle-punched polyester batting, and muslin or cotton surgical stockinette.
>
>I've also been using polystyrene hangers in a technique that I picked up in
>Minnesota (I believe it was developed by Susan Heald).  These hangers, which
>come in only one shoulder slope that I know of, have a great advantage over
>wood hangers in that they are formed with a broad shoulder surface, reducing
>the need for padding.  The other truly great thing about this method is that
>it involves no sewing and a hanger can literally be made in a minute.
>Needle-punched batting is cut with a rotary cutter and wrapped around the
>hanger.  The outer covering of the hangers is cotton surgical stockinette,
>washed, that is simply pulled over the hanger and tucked in at the ends.
>This method lends itself very well to a production line approach, and it's
>great when volunteers or other personnel don't sew.  The way I understand
>it, polystyrene is a stable material if it is protected from light, so this
>use of it is ideal.
>
>I've written a handout describing the technique and including a suppliers
>list - if anyone would like one, send me your street address and I'll gladly
>send one out.
>
>Deborah Bede
>Stillwater Textile Conservation Studio
>196 Old Warner Road
>Bradford, NH 03221
>(603) 938-2310
>(603) 938-2455 fax
>stillwaterstudio@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
>
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* Talita Fourie
* Head of the Textile and Synthetic Material Sub Divisions
* Textile and Synthetic Material Conservator   
* Northern Flagship Institution                                 * 
* National Cultural History Museum             Tel      : 27 (0)12 324 6082   *
* PO Box 28088                                 Fax      : 27 (0)12 32851735   *
* SUNNYSIDE                                    Email    : talitaf@xxxxxxxxxx  * 
* 0132                                         Cell	: 082 375 8032        *

* Chairperson SAMA Gauteng North
* Chairperson SAMA School of Conservation Northern Branch
* Secretary SAPCON National

* African Window
* c/o Bosman- and Visagie Streets                                             *
* Pretoria                  Website : http://www.paperless.co.za/public/nchm/ *
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