Most of the archive dates from the late 17th to the early 19th century, a period of remarkable fertility in European textile design, shaped both by advances in printing and textile manufacture and by the continuing influence of Indian and Far Eastern trade goods. McIvor reads her antique textiles as a historian, using them as evidence of how colour was used, how repeats were constructed and how a particular printing technique determined the character of a design, building upon this knowledge to create Cloth & Clover’s collection.

Cloth & Clover does not simply reproduce its sources, but works from them, preserving the character, individuality and handmade qualities of the original while making thoughtful adjustments to composition, scale and colour where necessary. Some designs are closely republished, while others require more extensive reworking, but all seek to retain the spirit and authenticity of their source while finding a place in the present.