diff --git a/exampledata.py b/exampledata.py
index 34cbd27..31ee6d9 100644
--- a/exampledata.py
+++ b/exampledata.py
@@ -1,17 +1,22 @@
 import numpy as np
+from plotdesc import PlotDescription
 
 
 X = np.arange(100) / 10
 
-exampledata = {
+exampledata_raw = {
     "sine":   [X, np.sin(X)],
     "cosine": [X, np.cos(X)],
     "exp":    [X, np.exp(X)],
     "log":    [X, np.log(X+1)]
 }
 
-# due to the appending of xy pairs, data needs to be transposed
-exampledata = {k: zip(*v) for k, v in exampledata.items()}
+
+exampledata = {}
+for k, v in exampledata_raw.items():
+    pd = PlotDescription(title=k, xlabel="x", ylabel="y")
+    pd.xs, pd.ys = v
+    exampledata[k] = pd
 
 
 
diff --git a/mainwin.py b/mainwin.py
index 31a5353..2e5a8d0 100644
--- a/mainwin.py
+++ b/mainwin.py
@@ -5,19 +5,20 @@ import assets
 from dictlist import DictList
 from mdi import MDIArea, MDISubPlot
 from rpcserverthread import RPCServerThread
+from plotdesc import PlotDescription
 from exampledata import exampledata
 
 
 class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
 
-    sig_make_new_plot = pyqtSignal(str, list)
+    sig_make_new_plot = pyqtSignal(str, PlotDescription)
 
     def __init__(self, *args, title="grum", **kwargs):
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
         self.setWindowTitle(title)
         self.setWindowIcon(assets.icon())
 
-        self.lst = lst = DictList(exampledata)
+        self.lst = lst = DictList(exampledata, factory=PlotDescription)
         lst.setAlternatingRowColors(True)
         lst.doubleClicked.connect(self.on_select_list_item)
         self.setCentralWidget(lst)
@@ -40,19 +41,24 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
 
 
     def append(self, name, xy):
+        pd = PlotDescription(title=name)
+        x, y, pd.xlabel, pd.ylabel = xy
+
         lst = self.lst
         show_it = (name not in lst.data)
 
-        lst.append(name, xy)
+        if show_it:
+            lst.add(name, pd)
+
+        lst.append(name, (x, y))
         for sub in self.mdi.subWindowList():
             if sub.windowTitle() == name:
-                data = lst.data[name]
-                data = list(zip(*data))
-                sub.plot.setData(*data)
+                pd = lst.data[name]
+                sub.plot.setData(pd.xs, pd.ys)
 
         if show_it:
-            data = lst.data[name]
-            self.sig_make_new_plot.emit(name, data)
+            ps = lst.data[name]
+            self.sig_make_new_plot.emit(name, pd)
 
 
     def on_select_list_item(self, index):
diff --git a/mdi.py b/mdi.py
index f33d7bd..c838226 100644
--- a/mdi.py
+++ b/mdi.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class MDIArea(QMdiArea):
 
 class MDISubPlot(QMdiSubWindow):
 
-    def __init__(self, title, data, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, title, desc, *args, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
         self.setWindowTitle(title)
         self.setWindowIcon(assets.char())
@@ -73,11 +73,8 @@ class MDISubPlot(QMdiSubWindow):
         # without this, the SubWindow is not removed from the subWindowList
         self.setAttribute(Qt.WA_DeleteOnClose)
 
-        data = zip(*data)
-        style = pg_plot_style()
-
         plt = pg.PlotWidget()
-        self.plot = plt.plot(*data, **style)
+        self.plot = desc.make_plot(plt)
         self.setWidget(plt)