The Forum, now in its third year, brings together textile historians, curators, researchers, and enthusiasts from around the country for a lively exchange of ideas and information in the form of an open scholarly meeting. The Forum, co-sponsored this year by the American Textile History Museum in Lowell, is open to anyone with an interest in textile studies.

The Forum features juried papers by noted textile authorities and scholars, reports on research currently in progress, roundtable discussions, and workshops. Presenters this year include Gloria Seaman Allen, independent researcher and former curator of the DAR Museum in Washington, DC, who will speak on " Gender Division in Hand-weaving on Chesapeake Plantations"; Judy Bessette, American Textile History Museum, whose topic is "A Rhode Island Textile Mill Village"; Virginia Gunn, University of Akron, Ohio, who will discuss "The Meily Family of Coverlet Weavers"; Kyra Hicks, an independent scholar from Arlington, VA, who will speak on "African American Quilters & Fabric Purchasing"; Amber Judge, a doctoral candidate at Texas Christian University, Ft. Worth, TX, who will present her research on "Indigenous Guatemalan Textiles of the 19th-20th Centuries"; Diane Joyce Montenegro, Boston, MA, who will look at "The Textiles of Dan Cooper, American Designer (1901-1965)"; Aimee E. Newell, Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, MA, who will discuss "Embroidered Quilts and Coverlets in 19th-Century Rural New England"; Susan Oelette, independent researcher, New Hamshire, who will speak on "Imported Cloth, Provincial Cloth in 17th- Century America"; Jessie Ravage, independent researcher, Cooperstown, NY, who will discuss her work on "The Account Book of Ransom Williams, Tailor"; and Jay Ruckle, The Glove Museum, New York City, who will talk about "Handwear in the 18th Century."

The program will also include a workshop on Pennsylvania bedding styles by Wendy Christie, a roundtable on reproduction textiles that will include Nancy Errico and Caroline Brooks, and a Works in Progress session, with current research presentations from several other well-known textile scholars.

Additional pre- and post-conference events will also be available to Forum participants. On Thursday, July 11, tours will be given of the collections of nearby museums and other institutions, including the New England Quilt Museum, Lowell National Historic Park, and the collections facility of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA). Tours of the American Textile History Museum, the venue for the Forum, will be given throughout the day on Friday, July 12, and Saturday, July 13.

On Sunday, July 14th, the American Textile History Museum will host a Coverlet and Quilt Textile Discovery Day open to the public as well as Forum participants.

New Forum events this year include a dinner for participants, show-and-tell sessions, and a silent auction. Housing will be available for Forum participants at Merrimack College, allowing for after-hours opportunities for further exchange and discussion.

As in past years, Forum proceedings will be available to attendees as part of their registration packet. Copies will also be available for purchase by the general public.

The two-day Forum registration fee of $195.00 includes admittance to all Textile History Forum sessions, admission to the American Textile History Museum, a copy of the Forum Proceedings (available at Forum registration), and lunch both days. A one-day registration for Friday, July 12, or Saturday, July 13, is available for $100. Nominal fees will be charged for pre-and post-conference events. A $50 deposit is required to reserve a space for the Forum; participation is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Full registration and housing information can be found on the web at www.rabbitgoody.com or by writing to: