textile conservation treatment

1. Treatment of a Nuuchaanulth Ceremonial Curtain Rebecca Pavitt Fine Art Conservation www.fineartconserve.com

2. Before Treatment Many large areas of loss, preventing display at UBC Belkin Gallery. Water stains and discoloration are not a concern.

3. Details of holes The edges of the holes are very irregular, with many cuts. The overall tone of the fabric support is irregular due to water damage.

4. Cotton fabric custom dyed Mordanted and rinsed 10% tannin followed by 20% alum/6% washing soda followed by 0.5% iron Dyed and topdyed 50% black oak top dyed with 1% cutch. Immersion times were very brief to control color.

5. Test Strips Small squares of fabric were test dyed to get the right color, before dyeing the yardage. In this photo, test squares are lain on cotton sheeting and draped over the ceremonial curtain to judge color. The square at the far right was the best match.

6. After Mending Front Reverse

7. Detail of mend, viewed from reverse. Mending fabric and curtain lain on foamboard, pinned, and stitched with a fine curved needle. At times a window was cut in the foamboard, allowing a straight needle to be used.

8. Curtain lined and given top hanging sleeve Curtain smoothed onto fabric covered board. Lining, with fold down top pocket, smoothed and pinned in place. Flipped, re-smoothed and pinned to ensure proper hang.

9. Lining stitched to curtain Curtain with pinned lining taken down from vertical fitting position and stitched. Separate fittings were made before stitching side hems and loose bottom hem.

10. Lining fit to sizevertical fittings made before each hem stitched Fitting for right side hem Fitting for bottom hem (loose to prevent possible bagging)

11. After Treatment