The Broderers' Guild uses a variety of approaches and techniques in their work. Textile items requiring treatment are carefully assessed and the treatment aim identified and agreed with the client according to
- the type of textile being treated
- its condition
- the purpose for which it is being restored or repaired.
Treatment aims
The main aim of any treatment is to stabilise the existing condition and protect against further deterioration.
Treatment outcomes for ecclesiastical textiles, which are intended to continue being used, may be very different to the treatment outcomes for textiles expected to be put into long-term museum storage.
It is important that the treatment aim should reflect this different need to enable a textile item to continue being used and enjoyed, by the church and its congregation, until it comes to the end of its useful life.
Common problems and treatments
The three most common problems treated by the Broderers’ Guild are
- cracked and split background fabrics
- worn silk floss embroidery
- gold work that has 'popped'.
Cracked and split background fabrics
Silk background fabrics are easily damaged by light, initially leading to fading, but then after many years, to cracks, splits, and then break up into little fragments and dust. Weak background fabrics may be mounted onto calico for support and take the strain of any future stitching and reframing. Cracks and splits are couched down and then covered in couched, colour matched conservation net where required. In certain circumstances, it may be more appropriate, to remove existing embroidery panels and replace these onto new fabric, as an alternative to carrying out extensive repairs on a badly damaged background.
Worn silk floss embroidery
Fine silk floss embroidery has usually been rubbed away through friction, so fibres may need smoothing and careful couching down to preserve what is left of them. We do not attempt to restore the embroidery to its original condition by adding new threads, as these are difficult to match, inevitably look wrong and would be out of keeping with the overall faded condition of the original piece. If a client wanted full colour to be restored, we would probably suggest making a copy of the piece of work using new materials.
'Popped' gold work
Gold cords are formed by wrapping gold coloured paper around a central silk core. 'Popping' of gold work occurs when the original silk thread used to couch down the gold cord has rotted, allowing the gold cord to spring away from the background. This gold cord will then pull on other stitches, causing them to break as well, and thus allowing yet more cords to spring away from the background. Evidence of popping in one area generally indicates a far more widespread problem. Although isolated cords can be couched down again individually, there is a tendency for the needle movement to disturb other weak stitches. Therefore, often, the best course of action is to replace all couching in an affected area using polyester thread. Couched, colour matched conservation net may be applied as required to the frontal or vestment before making up with new interlinings and linings.