Karen and Greta Putnam at Buckingham Palace after the Investiture ceremony. Karen holding her OBE.

  • Fellow of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (FIIC), 1962 (Honorary Fellow 2004)
  • Honorary Senior Lecturer, Courtauld Institute of Art, 1975-86
  • Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), 1976
  • Emeritus Member, Embroiderers’ Guild, 1980
  • Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), 1984
  • Honorary Founder, Textile Conservation Centre, Hampton Court Palace, 1986
  • Award for Lifetime Service to the Arts, National Art Collection Fund (NACF), Jun 1987
  • Dedication of Karen Finch Library and Reference Collection, Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton, 1993
  • Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt), University of Southampton, Jul 1999
  • Festschrift titled ‘Textiles Revealed: Object Lessons in Historic Textile and Costume Research’ presented by colleagues and friends, 2000
  • Honorary President, Knitting History Forum (KHF), 2006
  • Karen Finch Bursary Fund established by the Textile Conservation Foundation (TCF), Dec 2012
  • Karen Finch Prize established by the Textile Conservation Foundation (TCF), Aug 2015
  • Balfour of Burleigh Tercentenary Prize for Exceptional Achievement in Crafts, Nov 2015
  • Awarded Lifetime Membership, National Trust

Other roles

  • Member of council, Leather Conservation Centre (LCC), UC Northampton (formerly Nene College), 1978-
  • Teaching branch committee member, Royal School of Needlework (RSN)
  • Costume committee member, International Council of Museums (ICOM)
  • Member, Early Textiles Study Group (ETSG)
  • Member, Centre International d’Etude des Textiles Anciens (CIETA)
  • Founder member, Costume Society
  • Founder member, Friends of Fashion, Museum of London