Floral Korean Jacket (Jeogori)

Accession Number: A.8416.64-2a


Label: Woman’s Costume, Korea, c.1960’s, Gift of Miss Younghee Choy


This traditional Korean garment is usually worn with a large skirt (chima). Together, the two items are known as a Hanbok.

This particular jeogori was originally paired with this chima.

This silk jeogori is made of a tan fabric woven with pink and light blue flowers. The cuffs of the sleeves are made of a dark red silk woven with a medallion pattern. The garment ties in the front with two strips of the same dark red fabric (Gorem). The collar of the coat is white silk stiffened with paper. The garment is completely lined with light blue silk.

When deconstructed, the lining was removed, as were most seams. Although the finished sleeves have a semi-circular lower edge, they were made from rectangles of fabric and left untrimmed, with the original corners hidden behind the lining.

A pattern was drafted and used to cut two identical pieces of the blue lining silk. Two pieces of crinoline were also cut. Each piece of blue silk was placed onto a piece of crinoline and hand sewn in place with a black thread, thus forming the front and back panels of the eye patch. A 16” piece of thin black elastic was cut and the ends were sewn to opposite sides of the back panel. A cardboard insert, slightly smaller than the pattern, was cut from the back of a Nature Valley brand Sweet and Salty Nut Granola Bar box. This insert was sandwiched between the front and back panel of the eye patch, crinoline sides inwards. The panels of the eye patch were hand sewn together around the outside edge.

The accession number has been embroidered on the front of the eye patch.

John Anthony Coat (3rd Use)

Accession Number:  M.75.129.1
 

Label 1: Coat, USA, John Anthony, C 1970
 
Label 2: John Anthony
 

Note:  This project is not considered complete until every scrap of deaccessioned fabric has found a use.  Often this means that a single deaccessioned garment may yield raw materials for multiple new items.  In this instance, the garment has previously yielded a child’s lion costume and ear muffs.
 
This form-fitting coat is made of thick, felted, cream-colored wool.  Both the cuffs of the sleeves and the large padded collar are covered with spotted white fur.  The coat is lined with a heavy synthetic white fabric and there are pockets located in the side seams.  The coat has no buttons, zippers, or other closures.
 
During previous deconstruction, the fur was removed and all seams and darts were picked out.  During this process, a partial interlining of thin cotton canvas was discovered.  This underlining was three pieces roughly sewn together, one piece for each side of the coat and a third for the bottom hem.
 
A discarded pine branch was obtained from a back corner of the garden and all needles were removed.  A piece of fabric approximately 9” by 38” was cut from the interlining and folded in half lengthwise.  One end was then secured to the wider end of the branch using a metal thumbtack.  The fabric was tightly wound around the end of the branch and secured with two small nails.  The fabric end of the torch was soaked for approximately 30 minutes in an accelerant.  The torch was lit.
 
The accession number has been carved into the torch handle.

Large Guatemalan Textile (2nd Use)

Accession Number: TR8616-20


Label 1: Conley, 11/4/86

Label 2: Guatemala, 12/86, Conley


Note: This project is not considered complete until every scrap of deaccessioned fabric has found a use. Often this means that a single deaccessioned garment may yield raw materials for multiple new items. In this instance, the textile has previously yielded a length of rope.

This is a 14’ length of hand-woven cotton fabric. It has a deep red ground with a black and white check woven in. It is an unworked piece of fabric and the selvage edges are intact.

After the previous use of this textile, there remained 12 strips of fabric, each approximately 2 3/4” wide by 8 1/2” long. Two of these were placed right-sides together, pinned, and sewn together on three sides. This was repeated. Both pieces were turned right-side out to form long, narrow envelopes of fabric. A thin strip of polyester batting was wrapped around a wooden hanger. The fabric envelopes were then stretched onto each side of the hanger, covering both the wood and the batting, and sewn together in the middle, just below the metal hook. Another strip of fabric was folded into thirds lengthwise and the long sides topstitched. This strip was then wrapped around the center of the hanger, covering the seam, and hand sewn into place, completing the padded hanger. The process was then repeated for a second padded hanger.

The accession number has been embroidered on the front of each hanger.