A Cloud of Witnesses
This old photograph captures the essence of what I try to preserve in this blog – ordinary people, finding a sense of competence in knowing a skill of handwork — maybe even finding… Continue reading
Category Archive: Historic Clothing
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Textiles at the Briscoe Museum
As many times as I’ve been to San Antonio, you’d think I would have seen every attraction in the city. But when I was there last week, I noticed the Briscoe Western Art… Continue reading
If Wishes Were Plane Tickets
Oh mighty Textile Ranger! When you picked up and polished the magic thimble, we, the members of International Textile Fairies, Pixies, and Genies Local 42, became your loyal servants. We hereby grant you… Continue reading
Maine-ly Textiles
I know many of you are sick to death of winter, but living in Texas, knowing that days – weeks – months of 100 degree heat are about to descend upon me, I… Continue reading
A Medieval Love Story – with Carding and Spinning!
Here’s a little Valentine for all you textile and book aficionados! A few months ago, while researching for my post on a medieval herbal image, I came across some intriguing images of a… Continue reading
Textile Time Travel – the Middle Ages
It’s not often that we get the kind of bleak rainy weather we’ve had lately, so I’ve been glad for the excuse to stay inside and lose myself in some wonderful books and… Continue reading
Flourishing in Flour Sacks
A year ago I did a post about a child’s flour sack dress that I picked up at an antique store. The dress intrigues me because the front and back are highly contrasting,… Continue reading
“Dynamiting” Silk
In my last post I talked about the process of creating silk thread from cocoons. To me, silk has always had an aura of leisure and luxury, but in reading about it I… Continue reading
Silk – the Basics and a Little Beyond
Humans have been fascinated with silk for thousands of years. The oldest piece of silk cloth found to date is just a tiny fragment, found near Shanghai. It dates back to about 2750… Continue reading
400 Years of Silk in America – Scruples and Scandals
Lustrous, colorful silk has beckoned to people in America over the centuries. Some saw it as a way to achieve self-sufficiency, others as a way to build wealth, and still others as an… Continue reading