The Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation (FAIC) presents the "Analysis of Weave Structures in Museum Textiles: Textile Basics and Non-Woven Structures" workshop October 8 - 10, 2018 at The George Washington University and The Textile Museum in Ashburn, VA. The workshop will be instructed by Elena Phipps and organized by Maria Fusco.

Documenting the weave structures of ancient, historic and ethnographic textiles, is one of the most important contributions textile conservators can make to the body of knowledge about works of art in the museum context. This workshop will address the basics of textile structural analysis including the examination of yarns, identification of selvages and finishing treatments for textiles from a range of periods and cultures, and will focus on those textiles particularly composed with non-woven structures such as felting, looping, cross-looping, knotting, linking, twining, complex braiding and sprang, used by various cultures. Though among the most ancient methods of composing fiber-made objects, they can prove to be a challenge for many textile specialists.

The workshop will combine lectures on history and development of textiles and their analysis, practical exercises in the analysis of weave structures and the production of sample structures, as well as the first-hand examination of selected textiles in the museum collection.

The course will be followed by the "Simple Weaves and Complex Structures" workshop in April 2019. These workshops are supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Scholarships are available to support costs associated with attending these workshops. For more details and registration information, visit URL:http://www.conservation-us.org/textile-basics-and-non-woven-structures