The two days of Forum presentations, on July 13-14, are supplemented this year by pre- and post-conference workshops, tours, and other events. The Forum, co-sponsored by the New York State Historical Association (NYSHA) in Cooperstown, NY, is open to anyone interested in textile studies. A Coverlet and Quilt Discovery Day on Sunday, July 15, sponsored in part by the Farmer’s Museum and NYSHA, is open to the general public.

This year’s speakers include Richard Candee, Boston University, who will discuss the English domination of the cotton hosiery industry; Celia Oliver, the Shelburne Museum, who will speak on the influence of the Gothic Revival on American needlework; Virginia Gunn, University of Akron, who will present a study of the Hartmans, a family of coverlet weavers from Ohio; and Alexandra Kowalski, the Costume Institute, Metropolitan Museum, who will look at the influence of the 1925 Paris Exhibition on American textile design. In addition, Suzan Friedlander, independent curator, will consider the connections between two Star of Bethlehem quilts in the NYSHA collection; Jacqueline Atkins, New York University, will discuss the Japanese influence on late nineteenth-century American textiles; and Liz Cherry Jones, Monticello, will look at tow cloth and its historic use in eighteenth-century Virginia.

Other presentations of special interest include a study by Camille Breeze, Museum Textile Services, on the signature quilts of Harvard, Massachusetts; a paper by Saundra Altman, Past Patterns, on the evolution of the corded petticoat as seen through patent records; a discussion by Rabbit Goody, Thistle Hill Weavers, on the hand-weaving of cotton shirting in North Stonington, Connecticut, in the nineteenth century; and research by Gayle Begnaud, weaver, on the Acadian blankets of Louisiana.

The Forum will also feature a special computer work session, presented by Susan Greene, on the use of Filemaker database software and digital images for storing and sharing information.

Two Roundtable discussions will focus on an administrator’s responsibilities in management of textile collections, presented and moderated by Michael Smith, American Museum of Textile History, and responsible reuse of historic textiles, presented and moderated by Wendy Christie, textile collector and dealer. Both topics are expected to draw out lively audience participation and commentary.

A Works-in-Progress session will give researchers who have not yet completed formal papers an opportunity to sharetheir work with participants. Last year’s works-in-progress session was a lively highlight for registrants as they asked questions, gave input, and met with presenters for further discussion of the topics. Other informal discussions will take place around "Show and Tell" tables and "What’s this Treasure?" a new feature that will allow participants to show items or post photos and descriptions of intriguing pieces they have seen in collections or private hands.

On Thursday, July 12, Forum participants will have the opportunity to visit the costume shop of the renowned Glimmerglass Opera and the conservation studio of Susan Crozier Jones. There will also be behind-the-scenes tours of the New York State Historical Association’s collections of clothing, coverlets, quilts, and textile technology. Objects from the collections of both the Fenimore Art Museum and the Farmers’ Museum will be used to illustrate presenters’ talks during the Forum.

A special half-day pre-conference workshop on "Identifying and Dating Historic Textiles" will be conducted by S. Rabbit Goody on Thursday, July 12th. The workshop will be held at the Thistle Hill Weaving Mill in Cherry Valley, 20 miles east of Cooperstown.

On Sunday, July 15, there will be a meeting of the American Coverlet Society and a Coverlet and Quilt Discovery Day. Both events are open to the public and sponsored in part by the Farmers’ Museum and the New York State Historical Association.

Registration for the four days is $225 and includes admittance to all Textile History Forum sessions, visiting privileges to the Fenimore Art Museum and the Farmers’ Museum, a copy of the Forum Proceedings (to be available at the time of the conference), and participation in the tours and visits scheduled for July 12th. A one-day registration for Friday, July 13, or Saturday, July 14, is available for $110. A $50 deposit is required to reserve a space for the Forum, and participation is limited. An additional fee is required for participation in the textile identification workshop. Full registration and housing information can be found on the web at www.rabbitgoody.com. Click on the Textile History Forum button on the home page.