Lecture and Class Descriptions of Corsets & Cravats In-Person Conference in Oxford, NC August 7-8, 2026. Registration will open March 13, 2026.
Lectures
Getting Your Foot in the Door: Obtaining Access to Museum Collections
Nicky and Susan Hughes
Friday August 7th 9:00 AM
Whether you are just starting to collect, or have been collecting for many years, you will eventually want to study original items held in institutions. Museums, libraries, historical societies – public and private – hold items that can help you learn more about your own collecting interests.
This presentation will concentrate on how to approach these institutions and gain access to their collections. There are right – and wrong – ways to make that approach. There are also right – and wrong – ways to behave once you are there.
Nicky and Susan Hughes
Friday August 7th 9:00 AM
Whether you are just starting to collect, or have been collecting for many years, you will eventually want to study original items held in institutions. Museums, libraries, historical societies – public and private – hold items that can help you learn more about your own collecting interests.
This presentation will concentrate on how to approach these institutions and gain access to their collections. There are right – and wrong – ways to make that approach. There are also right – and wrong – ways to behave once you are there.
Museum-Level Collections Management for Non-Museum-Professionals
Katie Donnelly
Friday August 7th 10:30 AM
After almost 20 years of collecting antique clothing and 10 years of working in small
museums, I’ve learned several techniques to keep collection storage and maintenance budget-
friendly AND safe. Traditional museum-grade storage can be cost-prohibitive, meaning many
personal collections are relegated to pillowcases inside cedar chests or (yikes!) cardboard boxes.
However, these “good enough” practices can lead to insect damage, deterioration, and other
long-term irreversible damage to priceless antique textiles.
It doesn’t have to take the budget of the Metropolitan Museum of Art or decades of
training to preserve and protect your antique clothing collection. All it takes is some basic
conservation knowledge and some ingenuity to keep your collection safe for years to come.
This session will combine “conservation 101” tactics, such as defining “acid free;” “buffered” vs.
“unbuffered;” proper storage and handling; and nonconventional resources for materials to create
a guide for non-museum-professional collectors. This session will also be helpful for small, low-
budget museum collections.
Katie Donnelly
Friday August 7th 10:30 AM
After almost 20 years of collecting antique clothing and 10 years of working in small
museums, I’ve learned several techniques to keep collection storage and maintenance budget-
friendly AND safe. Traditional museum-grade storage can be cost-prohibitive, meaning many
personal collections are relegated to pillowcases inside cedar chests or (yikes!) cardboard boxes.
However, these “good enough” practices can lead to insect damage, deterioration, and other
long-term irreversible damage to priceless antique textiles.
It doesn’t have to take the budget of the Metropolitan Museum of Art or decades of
training to preserve and protect your antique clothing collection. All it takes is some basic
conservation knowledge and some ingenuity to keep your collection safe for years to come.
This session will combine “conservation 101” tactics, such as defining “acid free;” “buffered” vs.
“unbuffered;” proper storage and handling; and nonconventional resources for materials to create
a guide for non-museum-professional collectors. This session will also be helpful for small, low-
budget museum collections.
Introduction to Using Ethafoam for Mount and Mannequin Construction
Paige Myers
Friday August 7th 1:15 PM
Kit Fee: $25 (Kit recommended but not required. Materials list will be provided for those not purchasing kit.)
In the museum world, extruded expanded polyethylene (ethafoam) is a useful tool for creating all types of mounts and supports. Since ethafoam is inert, it is a perfect material to use with textile and clothing artifacts. It can be carved into almost any shape which makes it ideal for creating custom forms for 19th century garments.
This class will talk about the types of ethafoam, how it is carved to create forms, how it is padded and covered to protect artifacts, and how it can be easily attached to a pole or other support for exhibition. In addition to ethafoam, other useful materials such as Vivak, fosshape, needle punch batting, and acid free board will be discussed and how these all interact to create a safe and effective display for textile objects.
Participants will observe demonstrations of carving a simple form and mount for display, how to cover these forms with archival materials, and securing artifacts to the display mounts. Other techniques will be demonstrated as time allows.
Paige Myers
Friday August 7th 1:15 PM
Kit Fee: $25 (Kit recommended but not required. Materials list will be provided for those not purchasing kit.)
In the museum world, extruded expanded polyethylene (ethafoam) is a useful tool for creating all types of mounts and supports. Since ethafoam is inert, it is a perfect material to use with textile and clothing artifacts. It can be carved into almost any shape which makes it ideal for creating custom forms for 19th century garments.
This class will talk about the types of ethafoam, how it is carved to create forms, how it is padded and covered to protect artifacts, and how it can be easily attached to a pole or other support for exhibition. In addition to ethafoam, other useful materials such as Vivak, fosshape, needle punch batting, and acid free board will be discussed and how these all interact to create a safe and effective display for textile objects.
Participants will observe demonstrations of carving a simple form and mount for display, how to cover these forms with archival materials, and securing artifacts to the display mounts. Other techniques will be demonstrated as time allows.
From Their Images. In Their Own Words
Jessica Craig
Friday August 7th 3:00 PM
Once you have a collection, how can you use it? I have been collecting CDVs for many years and it has grown to around 2,000 images. Flipping through binders was not an efficient way to find inspiration photos, notice trends or hone in on details. I had thought about building my own database, but didn’t have the time or talent to get that done, so I partnered with a friend who was building a broader database with this purpose.
The Research Arsenal was created in 2018 to build a searchable database focused on the material culture of the mid-19th century. While its initial focus appears to be on military history research, there is so much stored in here that relates to civilian life during the mid-19th century. My entire collection of CDVs is stored in this easily searchable database. There are close to 12,000 images in total from large (such as the Library of Congress) and small collections. There are nearly 15,000 letters and diaries included in this database, all transcribed and keyword searchable. Most of these letters are part of the Shared and Spared collection, which is available online, but in this database it is keyword searchable. The database also includes transcribed and keyword-searchable ordnance reports, muster rolls, clothing ledgers, and several more military related resources. It’s a treasure trove of primary source research!
The session will introduce this database, with an exclusive focus on collections relevant to civilian research. We will go through the database's features by performing sample searches from “real-life” research projects. I will demonstrate how to search the collections to find details, trends, and patterns within the collection of CDVs and other images. I will also show how keyword searches of the transcripts of the letters and diary collection can uncover some great tidbits of information from the hands of people who lived in the mid-19th century. This is one way of making a collection work for you in an efficient and useful way.
All attendees will receive a code for 50% off an annual subscription to the Research Aresenal.
Jessica Craig
Friday August 7th 3:00 PM
Once you have a collection, how can you use it? I have been collecting CDVs for many years and it has grown to around 2,000 images. Flipping through binders was not an efficient way to find inspiration photos, notice trends or hone in on details. I had thought about building my own database, but didn’t have the time or talent to get that done, so I partnered with a friend who was building a broader database with this purpose.
The Research Arsenal was created in 2018 to build a searchable database focused on the material culture of the mid-19th century. While its initial focus appears to be on military history research, there is so much stored in here that relates to civilian life during the mid-19th century. My entire collection of CDVs is stored in this easily searchable database. There are close to 12,000 images in total from large (such as the Library of Congress) and small collections. There are nearly 15,000 letters and diaries included in this database, all transcribed and keyword searchable. Most of these letters are part of the Shared and Spared collection, which is available online, but in this database it is keyword searchable. The database also includes transcribed and keyword-searchable ordnance reports, muster rolls, clothing ledgers, and several more military related resources. It’s a treasure trove of primary source research!
The session will introduce this database, with an exclusive focus on collections relevant to civilian research. We will go through the database's features by performing sample searches from “real-life” research projects. I will demonstrate how to search the collections to find details, trends, and patterns within the collection of CDVs and other images. I will also show how keyword searches of the transcripts of the letters and diary collection can uncover some great tidbits of information from the hands of people who lived in the mid-19th century. This is one way of making a collection work for you in an efficient and useful way.
All attendees will receive a code for 50% off an annual subscription to the Research Aresenal.
Caring for Your Personal Collection: An Intro Guide to Basic Conservation Techniques
Paige Myers
Saturday August 8th 9:00 AM
Kit Fee: $25 (Kit recommended but not required. Materials list will be provided for those not purchasing kit.)
Many collectors love their collections but are sometimes unsure of the ways they can protect them better. Hiring a private conservator can be cost prohibitive and time consuming. This class seeks to introduce the private collector to the world of the textile conservator.
Participants will learn what a conservator does, what materials they use, what methods of storage are appropriate, and how the collector can use those skills to care for their collection.
Participants will see how different types of stitching, support fabrics, and basic cleaning methods can be useful in maintaining the health of their private collections. Discussed will be choosing and dyeing support fabrics, conservation stitches and how they are used, spot cleaning with solvents, basic handling, considerations for removing or not removing elements of a textile, how to treat embellishments (trimmings, beading, metallic thread, etc.), and considerations for mounting on a mannequin. Other basic skills will be addressed as time allows.
Paige Myers
Saturday August 8th 9:00 AM
Kit Fee: $25 (Kit recommended but not required. Materials list will be provided for those not purchasing kit.)
Many collectors love their collections but are sometimes unsure of the ways they can protect them better. Hiring a private conservator can be cost prohibitive and time consuming. This class seeks to introduce the private collector to the world of the textile conservator.
Participants will learn what a conservator does, what materials they use, what methods of storage are appropriate, and how the collector can use those skills to care for their collection.
Participants will see how different types of stitching, support fabrics, and basic cleaning methods can be useful in maintaining the health of their private collections. Discussed will be choosing and dyeing support fabrics, conservation stitches and how they are used, spot cleaning with solvents, basic handling, considerations for removing or not removing elements of a textile, how to treat embellishments (trimmings, beading, metallic thread, etc.), and considerations for mounting on a mannequin. Other basic skills will be addressed as time allows.
Life as a Barn Rat: How Volunteering in a Historical Society Helped Me Manage My Collection
Carolann Schmitt
Saturday August 8th 10:30 AM
Most of us collect something; some of us collect many things – many, many things. We all have a collection of sorts, some more organized than others. Serving as a volunteer for the Adams County (PA) Historical Society showed me how I could use museum collection management practices to organize and manage my personal collection instead of it managing me.
We’ll use my experiences as examples of the tools you can use to manage your collection. Learn how to establish a simple collection management policy, setting parameters to help you expand and enhance your collection without it taking over your house and life. We’ll review various ways to keep track of your ‘stuff’: how to create a numbering system; how to find or create a collection management program that works well for private collectors and collections.
Other topics will include how to physically organize your artifacts, proper storage and storage materials, basic conservation techniques, pest management, sharing and displaying your collection. We’ll briefly discuss intellectual property rights, and how to plan for the future of your collection when you wish to donate or deaccession.
This will be an interactive discussion. Participants are encouraged to bring specific questions or issues to share with the group, or submit them to the speaker in advance to make sure they will be discussed. A list of references, sources, and materials focusing on and/or useful to the private collector, will be provided.
“Only a collector understands how much you need to know in order to recognize how much you don’t know.” – Elizabeth Ann Coleman
Carolann Schmitt
Saturday August 8th 10:30 AM
Most of us collect something; some of us collect many things – many, many things. We all have a collection of sorts, some more organized than others. Serving as a volunteer for the Adams County (PA) Historical Society showed me how I could use museum collection management practices to organize and manage my personal collection instead of it managing me.
We’ll use my experiences as examples of the tools you can use to manage your collection. Learn how to establish a simple collection management policy, setting parameters to help you expand and enhance your collection without it taking over your house and life. We’ll review various ways to keep track of your ‘stuff’: how to create a numbering system; how to find or create a collection management program that works well for private collectors and collections.
Other topics will include how to physically organize your artifacts, proper storage and storage materials, basic conservation techniques, pest management, sharing and displaying your collection. We’ll briefly discuss intellectual property rights, and how to plan for the future of your collection when you wish to donate or deaccession.
This will be an interactive discussion. Participants are encouraged to bring specific questions or issues to share with the group, or submit them to the speaker in advance to make sure they will be discussed. A list of references, sources, and materials focusing on and/or useful to the private collector, will be provided.
“Only a collector understands how much you need to know in order to recognize how much you don’t know.” – Elizabeth Ann Coleman
An Introduction to Working with Fosshape for Exhibition Support
Paige Myers
Saturday August 8th 1:15 PM
Kit Fee: $30 (Kit recommended but not required. Materials list will be provided for those not purchasing kit.)
In the early 2010’s museums became acquainted with a new material called fosshape. It had been well known in the theatre world as a material with properties that made it excellent for constructing hats, armour, and other shaped costume pieces. The museum world soon adopted this heat-shaped, moldable material as a way to create low-cost forms and accessories for exhibition.
While these forms are fairly simple to create, there is a learning curve working with the materials for the first time. Because fosshape uses heat to create the desired form, it can be difficult at first to know exactly how much heat is enough to create a sturdy form. The more one experiments with fosshape, the easier it becomes to make usable shapes for custom garments.
This workshop will introduce the types of fosshape, the materials needed to create custom forms, padding and shaping an existing mannequin to create a more custom look, finishing the fosshape for a more polished look, how to create a standing support for larger garments, and working with unusual shapes.
Paige Myers
Saturday August 8th 1:15 PM
Kit Fee: $30 (Kit recommended but not required. Materials list will be provided for those not purchasing kit.)
In the early 2010’s museums became acquainted with a new material called fosshape. It had been well known in the theatre world as a material with properties that made it excellent for constructing hats, armour, and other shaped costume pieces. The museum world soon adopted this heat-shaped, moldable material as a way to create low-cost forms and accessories for exhibition.
While these forms are fairly simple to create, there is a learning curve working with the materials for the first time. Because fosshape uses heat to create the desired form, it can be difficult at first to know exactly how much heat is enough to create a sturdy form. The more one experiments with fosshape, the easier it becomes to make usable shapes for custom garments.
This workshop will introduce the types of fosshape, the materials needed to create custom forms, padding and shaping an existing mannequin to create a more custom look, finishing the fosshape for a more polished look, how to create a standing support for larger garments, and working with unusual shapes.
Could Your Collection Kill You? Recognizing Potential Dangers in Your Antique Clothing and Book Collections
Heather Bigwood Stevens
Saturday August 8th 3:30 PM
Lead. Mercury. Arsenic. Danger.
Owning a material culture collection, no matter how small, is extremely rewarding. Perhaps the best reason for ownership is that it is an excellent way to study historical detail up close and personal for oneself. However, many antique clothing and book collectors have little to no idea of the toxins that are likely lurking in their collections, causing themselves potential unsuspected harm.
This class goes beyond the casual warning of green arsenic dye to educate the new, experienced, or potential collector alike of up-to-date toxin scholarship in the world of collecting antique textiles and books. Students will be first familiarized with historical manufacturing processes of these items, many of which included use of toxic substances that do not diminish over time. Next, the common practice of adding poisons post-manufacture to objects for the sake of preservation will be discussed. Finally, advice will be shared on how to best interact safely and yet still enjoy the collection so lovingly acquired.
Heather Bigwood Stevens
Saturday August 8th 3:30 PM
Lead. Mercury. Arsenic. Danger.
Owning a material culture collection, no matter how small, is extremely rewarding. Perhaps the best reason for ownership is that it is an excellent way to study historical detail up close and personal for oneself. However, many antique clothing and book collectors have little to no idea of the toxins that are likely lurking in their collections, causing themselves potential unsuspected harm.
This class goes beyond the casual warning of green arsenic dye to educate the new, experienced, or potential collector alike of up-to-date toxin scholarship in the world of collecting antique textiles and books. Students will be first familiarized with historical manufacturing processes of these items, many of which included use of toxic substances that do not diminish over time. Next, the common practice of adding poisons post-manufacture to objects for the sake of preservation will be discussed. Finally, advice will be shared on how to best interact safely and yet still enjoy the collection so lovingly acquired.