This collection contains notes, correspondence, photographs and typescripts of articles. It is arranged into the following subjects:
- Styles of needlework
- Needlework pictures and colifichets
- Tapestries
- Furnishings
- Chair covers
- Costume
- Vestments
- Needlework in country houses
- Holyroodhouse
- Mary, Queen of Scots
- Needlewomen
- Sources of designs
- Canadian and American work
- Miscellaneous subjects
- Correspondence
- Student and early notes
- Bibliographical notes
- Articles by Margaret Swain
- Articles by other authors
- Outlines for talks and lists of slides
- Personal papers
- Single volumes and boxes
- Printed books with annotations or enclosures