In addition to the clothing, the Hermitage collection had all sorts of sewing paraphernalia (yes, notions) like darning eggs, glove stretchers, that great cloth book of lace samples, and sewing roll-ups. A roll-up is an old-fashioned way to carry needles, scissors, etc, each in a pocket, which all rolls up neatly. I took their items, and added in some of mine, and displayed them in another case:

Here's an embarrassingly bad photoshop mash-up of the area around that case:

On the left side of the case is a pair of black pants on pants stretchers. When I was a child, my mother would hang my father's washed pants on stretchers like these to help eliminate wrinkles. Hanging on the walls are Markers: pieces meant to honor different areas of textile-related work. Each is presented on a pants stretcher. Some detail images are at the end.

The red one has all sorts of Notions - darning eggs, scissors, buckles, snaps, etc - embedded under silk. The black one is Mending, with patches and darning and instructions for how to mend. The orange one is Laundry, with images of an old wringer-washer, irons and clothespins. 

From Left: Knitting, with sections of sweaters and round sleeve-ends. Lace has samples sewn between fine layers of white silk, printed with the names of different lace patterns. Crochet is last, with various overlapping samples and printed instructions on the background cloth.

From Left: Embroidery has a wealth of embroidery styles, overlapping and cut out, with the names of various stitches printed on the cloth. Dressmaking is more subtle, in shades of gray-green, with lines of bound buttonholes and loops. Technical terms, printed on strips of cloth, are  seen falling out of place along the waist. Last is Quilting, with lines of yo-yo-s over a patchwork of vintage fabrics. And here's some detail images, for a closer look:

There's one more piece seen in that photo-mash-up. A Treasure Chest resting on one of the Hermitage tables. This was an old jewelry box, which I painted and waxed to look more like an old locker.

Inside, you find the world's only collection of upholstered thimbles.

Closet Archaeology continues on Monday