For many years I have been working on accumulating photographs and data in order to publish a comprehensive guide to identifying these often-baffling fabrics. It took a long time because there is so much, and it is so difficult to write it accurately, concisely, yet in such a way as to not put the reader to sleep!
My research was greatly aided by the awarding of a Winterthur Research Fellowship for 2004-2005. I have signed a contract with Kent State University Press, with late 2012 as the expected date of publication.
Current status: November 2011 - The manuscript has been revised as suggested by reviewers Nancy Rexford, Martin Bide and Philip Sykas, and has been returned to the publisher for copyediting, which is expected to be completed before Christmas 2011. The next step is making the corrections and sending it back for the layout process.
Thank you for following this progress of this book. The slow speed is painful at this end, too!