The second of Julia’s two three-part* series dedicated to the gentleman. If you missed my first post on ‘man-centric’ textiles – you can read it here. Here are a few more of my favorites: *NOTE from Julia: I found so many great guys in our collection, I’m planning a third installment of this blog…stay tuned! Sailors’ […]
The Technological Significance of Textiles
Today I’m thrilled to share with you an amazing article by critically acclaimed author Virginia Postrel. An exploration of the technological significance of textiles, Virginia examines fabric’s cultural importance – whether buried in antiquity, hidden in our language, or glamorized in glossy periodicals. It’s a fascinating read that is sure to leave your head spinning! […]
Looking Through The Eye of a Needle
Let’s get to the point… Needles are a textile conservator’s best friend. We stab them through wool, tunnel them through tapestry warps, and tenderly ply them through lace and silk. Needles are our partners in constructing ladders and herringbones, our tools for figure-eights, and our means of tacking down loose embroidery. Archeological evidence suggests that […]
Jakarta Post 3#: I am BECOMING batik!!
I am BECOMING batik! It’s my daily language, looking at patterns, learning the names, asking millions of questions, feeling the soft cotton, learning about maestros such as Go Tik Swan -who I now want to make a film about. Everyone at the Museum Tekstil is so knowledgeable about batik, symbolism, history and ritual. It’s […]
Crazy Crazy Quilt
Spring is finally here, and the explosion of blooms outside is mirrored in the studio in a crazy quilt with many of the season’s beauties—lily of the valley, dogwood, scilla, violets, virginia blue bells or maybe forget me nots…. Popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, crazy quilts were an excellent way for […]
Wedding Fantasies and Planning
During these cold winter days, (some days as low as 5 F) we dream ahead, of sleeveless or backless dresses, lightweight silks and chiffons, eyelet frocks and lacy veils. As spring fast approaches (we saw a snow drop the other day), wedding season is on the mind of many young ladies. Here at Caring for […]
Hidden Quilt History
The exterior of this quilt may look like any other, but there is something quite special going on under the surface here—it is two quilts in one (one quilt surrounding an even older quilt). We think the outer quilt was made between 1920-1940, when feed and flour sacks were commonly repurposed into dresses, towels, quilt […]
