Lots of collectables are easy to display. Textiles aren't among them. Here are a few ways to display your collectable textiles:

Display scarves by stretching them over an artist's canvas...

You'll need:

-A collectable scarf
-A stretched artist's canvas about 4" to 5" smaller then your scarf (Fig. 1)
-A staple gun

Start by laying the scarf face down on a flat surface, then place the canvas over it, also face down (Fig. 2). Next wrap the centers of the sides of the scarf around the edge of the canvas and staple them down (Fig. 3). Pull them so the scarf is taut, but not tight. Once the centers are stapled down you can work out to the corners, keeping an even tension on all sides. When it's all stapled down flip the canvas over and there you have it (Fig 4).

This is not an archival way to display scarves. The staples will more then likely ruin the scarf for future wearing. If you want to display a scarf in this way but don't want to ruin it you can stitch the scarf to the artist canvas by hand with silk thread.

You'll need:

-A collectable scarf
-A stretched artist's canvas about an inch larger then your scarf all around
-Straight pins
-Silk thread to match or coordinate with the scarf
-Needle

Start by pinning the scarf on with straight pins along each edge (starting at the centers again and working out, then stitch it down using a back stitch (a back stitch is like two steps forward and one back - the needle enters the fabric behind where it emerged from the previous stitch). We use silk thread because it doesn't leave marks on the fabric when it's removed.

You can also display scarves, napkins and other small textiles in a curtain panel:

You'll need:

-An unlined curtain panel in a solid color to fit your window
-Various scarves or other small textiles to feature
-Sewing machine
-Thread to coordinate with your scarf
-Fray check or white glue
-Scissors

Start by laying out your curtain panel on the floor or a large counter or table and then laying out the scarves on top of it to create a pleasing effect. Then pin them down so they're square. Using your sewing machine, stitch them down to the panel around all edges as close to the edge of the scarf as you can get. Flip the panel over and, using the fray check or white glue, trace a line along the inside of the stitching. This will keep the cut edge behind the scarf from fraying. Once your glue is dry you can cut the curtain panel away from behind the scarf, being careful not to cut the scarf itself. I like to use chiffon scarves for this purpose because the chiffon is transparent and the curtain panel is opaque so the scarf creates a window in the panel.

Episode 201 Main Page