I have mentioned before the wonderful online catalogue of the University of Leeds International Textiles Archive (ULITA to its friends). If you weren't reading the blog back then I recommend you set aside an hour or two to take a look.
The history of ULITA is fascinating in itself. Acquisition of items began in the late 19th century thanks to two professors in the Department of Textile Industries of the Yorkshire College, later to become the University of Leeds. In 1892 the collection was of such size and importance that the Clothworkers' Company gave a donation towards the provision of a Museum. The collection is now housed in an innovative design of a 'conservation ark', a textile-specific environment constructed within the 1863 chapel of the old Leeds Grammar School. Apparently the protective cocoon of the silk worm was the inspiration for the adaptation of the building.
For those within visiting distance, there is a new exhibition 'celebrating the culmination of a major documentation and conservation project' which has been ongoing since 2008. Seven major international collections have been documented and conserved, and to celebrate the conclusion of the project the exhibition will present highlights from the collections alongside details of how the work was undertaken. Full information about the exhibition, and more detail on the history of the collections, on the ULITA website.
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