The Embroideress

Once in a blue moon a museum mounts a very specialized exhibit centered on a rather narrow family of textiles.

In 1973 the Musee des Arts Decoratifs assembled from their extensive collection an exhibit comprised of 506 braids, fringes, tassels, decorative motifs and every other sort of opulant decorative excess the French so adore and at which they excell in production and application.

The catalog of the exhibit is both eye candy and an excellent reference. It is mostly illustrated with black and white plates of such a crisp resolution that they are still a delight. The color plates are of the same quality. There is a glossary and illustrations of various tassel molds and the descriptions of the examples as well as all of the text is in French. The examples extend from a few dated 16th century to contemporary wonders.

There are copies of the catalog to be found on a used book search (I used http:/www.addall.com) in various prices. It can be found by title des Dorelotiers aux Passementiers.

Labels: Bands, Braids, Fringes, Tassels, Textile Collections

I'm often on my soapbox about becoming involved in the culture and historic timeline surrounding the textiles we examine, discuss and struggle to understand.

Sooooooooo currently I'm reading Geoffrey Barraclough's The Origins of Modern Germany . This survey study covers the period 800-1939 CE.

My head is swimming folks. I'm feeling as if I'm watching a synchronized swimming event. The participants seem to be swimming together, touching, in distinct patterns but then they separate only to form new clusters and groups and come together again in different patterns.

Confusing yes, but fascinating. My historic atlas of Europe is getting a thorough workout as well.

Labels: German History

It's getting warm enough here that if I didn't have air conditioning, I would be setting aside any wool fibers or bulky projects.

Just as we used to eat foodstuffs in season, we used to put down unseasonable knitting, crochet, quilting, stitchery or crafts of any sort during the height of winter or summer.

In warm humid months wool yarns and fabrics tended to make us cranky. In the winter months, they brought us comfort and an extra cuddle and comfort. Nowadays we have lost that very real sense of time passing and indulge in any sort of project any time of year. Well, except for those who live surrounded by "real weather."

Labels: Seasonal thoughts

When you see me on a soapbox railing against faux paint finishes for walls and chairs and tables (let alone crackle which has crept back) you know I've been watching too much interior design TV.

I thought we left some of that creepy stuff behind in the 60's but apparently it has been lying dormant and we now have a resurgent epidemic.

The only faux technique I've ever admired was some of the 18th/19th century imitation flame grain created on early American furniture.

Best faux finish I've spotted to date. The Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. It belongs, it works and it is well done.

Labels: Faux finishes, interior design

No, I haven't been blogging. So, what has been going on here. A series of ailments to tedious to discuss and the ongoing task of downsizing. UPS has been busy lately hauling things away to new homes and I've found an AMVETS thrift store that will swing by and carry away away a box now and then.

The most encouraging progress seems rather trivial in some respects but (1) I now have a table reassembled and available as workspace. What a lovely luxury after spending several years without that amenity. And, (2) I have found a Chinese restaurant that delivers. Perhaps not gourmet Chinese but it comes hot, well packaged and reasonably priced. A real step up for a person who doesn't get out to restaurants and is not the biggest pizza fan in the world.

Labels: Life the Universe and Everything

Did you ever get so used to using a particular fiber for something that you don't even consider using another ? When it comes to reversible blackwork I have typically used Shantung Silk from Texere in Northern England. In my hands it doesn't fuzz or shred as it has a pretty firm twist.

But a few days ago Dena Lenham, the designer contact at Kreinik, e-mailed me to check on why I'd taken such a vacation from designing. I explained I was just beginning to get busy again and that my first project would be a blackwork 6 Wives sampler. I'd really never used Kreinik silks as I like Dinky Dyes silks for samplers, Texere Shantung Silk for Blackwork and Madeira silks for silk shading. Believe it or not, thread does reach the point of taking too much storage so I try to stick to a few tried and true lines for day-to-day use and then add accents of interesting new fibers to add richness to the mix.

BUT, Dena offered to send me some samples of Silk Serica, Silk Bella and Silk Mori to try. So it's stitching sample bits time. The blacks arrived today. I'll report on how they perform for me.

Labels: Dinky Dyes, Kreinik, Silk threads, Texere

Kent State University is the home of a fashion/textile design department and their well done webpage can keep you busy for ages. I popped in at the Dictionary of Fashion but then was enticed to flip pages both up and down their visual exhibits (past, present and future). What a delight. Don't however blame me if enter there and forget something in the kitchen until you've scorched a pot to perfection.

Labels: Costume embroidery, Costume history

If I bought lottery tickets and if one of them was a winning ticket, I'd be in Parma, Italy May 8-10 (and undoubtedly a few extra days) for the 2009 Forum Italian Invita

I'd be taking a workshop; I'd be examining antique textiles; I'd be engaging other embroidery history addicts in discussion and I'd probably be spending far too much on stash.

AND can you imagine asparagus season combined with excellent Parma ham. Oh! Oh! Oh!

Not this year folks but perhaps the next forum in 2011.

I have a copy of the publication produced by the 2005 forum -- Merletti e Ricami Italiani, Italian Laces and Embroideries. ISBN 88-89262-06-0 Done in side-by-side Italian/English with excellent essays by topnotch experts. Lots of beautiful photography of antique examples derived from modelbuchen and new examples stitched for the forum using a small group of first printing modelbuchen. They have included early lace examples as well. Eye candy enough to send my eyeballs into diabetic coma.

The book is worth what I paid, but it seems you can obtain it from the group's website at a much more tolerable cost.

Labels: Historic Needlework, Italian Needlework, Modelbuch