tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67981886536158440912024-03-18T13:20:58.831-06:00Unraveling ThreadsThis blog is a collection of my thoughts on textile history.Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.comBlogger255125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-55892675809064545772020-10-22T09:19:00.000-06:002020-10-22T09:19:12.249-06:00Magic Cloths of Power<p> This year has been one not to be imagined: uncontained forest fires, hurricanes and floods and contentious politics. As if that were not enough to dismay one's soul, we are hit with the worst medical disaster in modern times. Not just us here, but everywhere!! The morbidity and mortality rates continue to be staggering. But I don't have to remind anyone, we are all too aware. But what if I told you of a magical, powerful textile, that when worn might help to prevent the spread of this plague to you and your family?</p><p>Why, given past hyped products, it would sell out in mere minutes, only to reappear on Ebay at outrageous prices, so that only the very rich could afford its protection. Think about it. A small piece of ordinary cloth covering our nose and mouth when out in public. Readily available at many stores and, of course on the internet , it can also be made in minutes right at home with ordinary supplies. A very small inconvenience , the rewards may be life-saving. Of course, I am writing about facial coverings: masks, bandanas, scarves. Never in the history of textiles has a bit of cloth held such importance.</p><p>I pray you are safe, staying at home when you can and wearing you magic cloth when out in public.</p>Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-42458495783305742452020-08-28T12:53:00.000-06:002020-08-28T12:53:01.718-06:00Therese de Dillmont<p> Therese de Dillmont (Oct. 10, 1846 - May 22, 1890) </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-goapkiJo81w/XzbnVw9xjnI/AAAAAAAAPT4/o5Pv8nOlAb89UW1gULjR80VnL8HVv7D2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s638/Dillmont%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="553" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-goapkiJo81w/XzbnVw9xjnI/AAAAAAAAPT4/o5Pv8nOlAb89UW1gULjR80VnL8HVv7D2gCLcBGAsYHQ/w277-h320/Dillmont%2B5.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>She was an outstanding needleworker and embroiderer with over 100 books attributed to her and her niece on the subject. She attended an embroidery school founded by Empress Marie-Theresa as a young woman, having been educated in Vienna. She established her own embroidery studio with her sister, Franzisha and later moved to Paris where she wrote "Encycolpedie des ouvarages des damas" (Encyclopedia of Needlework) which featured thousands of textile designs from many countries, including China Turkey, Bulgaria and translated into 17 languages.<p><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o95wy406YAc/XzboBbHSLmI/AAAAAAAAPUM/R9PCtlYap4cjO-9c_dBbjVztB-G0j32JACLcBGAsYHQ/s1650/Dillmont%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="1217" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o95wy406YAc/XzboBbHSLmI/AAAAAAAAPUM/R9PCtlYap4cjO-9c_dBbjVztB-G0j32JACLcBGAsYHQ/w236-h320/Dillmont%2B2.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Embroidery on Lacis or Net Canvas as worked with D-M-C Persian silk (soie de Perse)</div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k7ETgfiqKGs/XzbpiZ3Tv4I/AAAAAAAAPUk/uXUQHoh5vIwO97h_sBEKDrPigbMzIwojQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1469/Dillmont%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1469" data-original-width="1059" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k7ETgfiqKGs/XzbpiZ3Tv4I/AAAAAAAAPUk/uXUQHoh5vIwO97h_sBEKDrPigbMzIwojQCLcBGAsYHQ/w288-h400/Dillmont%2B3.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Applique Embroidery on Damask Ground, worked with D_M_C Persian silk (Soie de Perse)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0tBQCyKypY/XzbqSAaBsoI/AAAAAAAAPUs/S-_1OxxG__YbouED4uBKu2dhUh52cHKZACLcBGAsYHQ/s1368/Dillmont4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="859" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0tBQCyKypY/XzbqSAaBsoI/AAAAAAAAPUs/S-_1OxxG__YbouED4uBKu2dhUh52cHKZACLcBGAsYHQ/w251-h400/Dillmont4.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><p></p>I<p></p><p>In 1878 she met Jean Dollfus-Meig at the Universal Exposition. Recognizing her importance and the potential contribution she would bring to his company, DMC , manufacturer of fine threads and yarns, he invited to tour his factory in Mulhouse. She then moved to the neighboring town of Dornach, establishing a school of needlework, cooperating with DMC in 1884. With Dillmont's assistance DMC became known for their publications with clear instructions and illustrations. Even following her death in 1890 DMC continued to publish books under her name.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5x0EbRS3TbM/XzbqpHp9S8I/AAAAAAAAPU0/_hvMbCEPXwA8PRU6CKfw_PU0Qny_Jbp3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s554/Dillmont.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="554" height="336" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5x0EbRS3TbM/XzbqpHp9S8I/AAAAAAAAPU0/_hvMbCEPXwA8PRU6CKfw_PU0Qny_Jbp3ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h336/Dillmont.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>DMC is offering on their website free copies of Dillmont's designs. www.dmc.com</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-10413104807144809922020-08-19T13:14:00.000-06:002020-08-19T13:14:08.749-06:00Wm. E. Wright & Sons Co.<p> It all began with bias tape. Designed to enclose raw edges, bias tape can be made from a single piece of fabric , obviously cut on the bias into strips. It can be single folded or double folded. However, bias binding can be found in the notions section of any fabric store. It is available in a wide range of colors and several widths, along with a plethora of trimmings for any home sewing need.</p><p>Manufactured bias tape was the brain-child of Wm. E. Wright.<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_pcOPq2BF_g/Xz11XF4S6WI/AAAAAAAAPV4/gdILJ6QftlkaVu3lIYHvqNhjZGHCQ8ZsACLcBGAsYHQ/s535/bias%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="532" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_pcOPq2BF_g/Xz11XF4S6WI/AAAAAAAAPV4/gdILJ6QftlkaVu3lIYHvqNhjZGHCQ8ZsACLcBGAsYHQ/w199-h200/bias%2B2.jpg" width="199" /></a> </p><p>Following a career as a traveling dry goods salesman, Wright moved to NYC and partnered with William Nagel to establish a business , W & N, to manufacture prepackaged, folded bias tape for home sewers. In 1897 they formed Wm.E. Wright Co. Following Nagel's death, Wright bought his late partners shares.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BXkpy6gnLlY/Xz12N0XuAtI/AAAAAAAAPWA/M3g2EKkMnd0xjRXTBp_8q0sA957RhS_TgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/bias%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1344" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BXkpy6gnLlY/Xz12N0XuAtI/AAAAAAAAPWA/M3g2EKkMnd0xjRXTBp_8q0sA957RhS_TgCLcBGAsYHQ/w263-h400/bias%2B3.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>When two of his sons joined the firm in 1905 ( later many relatives would become involved) the firm's name was changed to Wm. E. Wright & Sons. It was following WWI that Wright was able to purchase color fast dyes from Germany, with a guaranty printed on each package. He also expanded his products into the British Commonwealth counties of Canada, Britain and New Zealand. Wright died in 1926 and the company remained in the family. To remain solvent prices were reduced from 15 cent tapes to 5 cents and sold their products to such stores as Woolworth and Kresge. The company also moved to a more fiscally favorable location of West Warren MA. </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R1XZJXY25w8/Xz13gvp03ZI/AAAAAAAAPWU/q46mN6TqQ-sB4VcP-F8ZfZJb8Gjna1NZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Bias%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1394" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R1XZJXY25w8/Xz13gvp03ZI/AAAAAAAAPWU/q46mN6TqQ-sB4VcP-F8ZfZJb8Gjna1NZQCLcBGAsYHQ/w273-h400/Bias%2B4.jpg" width="273" /></a></p><p><br /></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br /></div></blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vtk2OnbzpME/Xz13126M9kI/AAAAAAAAPWc/HD_FcRqckYMKvoRF-QMBbUWL4T-Z9LSlgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/bias%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="2048" height="252" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vtk2OnbzpME/Xz13126M9kI/AAAAAAAAPWc/HD_FcRqckYMKvoRF-QMBbUWL4T-Z9LSlgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h252/bias%2B5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patterns from Supplement No.1<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GQ1SCUo5YRw/Xz14WR0FXVI/AAAAAAAAPWo/av9Nr0gd51orpXpLp-VxDZRtHPOrnbcUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/bias%2Btape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1766" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GQ1SCUo5YRw/Xz14WR0FXVI/AAAAAAAAPWo/av9Nr0gd51orpXpLp-VxDZRtHPOrnbcUgCLcBGAsYHQ/w345-h400/bias%2Btape.jpg" width="345" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some examples from my sewing notions collection<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Following the move the company introduced rickrack and novelty trims. The family owned company entered into a series of acquisitions and limited partnerships. In 2001 Conso-Simplicity buys Wrights and the company name is changed to W.m. Wright Co. </p>Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-29152251561641302552020-08-12T13:11:00.001-06:002020-08-13T08:01:29.354-06:00The Disappearing Department Store<p> In a recent article in the WSJ (Wed. Aug. 5, 2020) Suzanne Kapner described the downward spiral of the iconic American department store. The list of stores filing for bankruptcy includes, J C Penney, Neiman Marcus and the latest is Lord and Taylor. Perhaps the reason for this business debacle is not so apparent, it began in the 1980's says Kapner. Long before the big-box stores, before Amazon and online shopping and way, way before the Covid-19 crises, corporate executives somehow lost sight of what the typical American consumer expected from the retail establishments. What consumers do not want, apparently, is the same stores in every mall in every city. They do not want the same merchandise in every store in every city. Why drive, attempt to find a reasonably close parking place if it will not be a pleasurable and unique experience.</p><p>I grew up in a very small town. Our one room (there was also a loft) "department store" had burned down when I was quite young but I remember the town was quite devastated by this event. It meant having to go to the next town (somewhat bigger) to buy the most basic of household items. Of course, a drive of about one hour brought one to a bigger city with a real three story department store. It even had a restaurant , of sorts, more like a tea room. The attendants wore gloves, and a type of uniform. Best of all, their windows on the street level were gloriously decorated for holidays. Now this was a true shopping experience.</p><p>Which brings me to the beginnings of the era of big city shopping. Paris was the birthplace of Bon Marche, which opened in 1852. The growth of prosperous, urban populations who were aware of the possibility of a pleasurable , rather than a merely functional chore embraced the idea. The late 18th and early 19th century saw stores like Liberty's, Selfridges and Harrods of London become retail innovators. Clientele was almost exclusively women and they were catered to with amenities such a ladies restrooms and salons. Tea rooms enabled customers to spend an entire day. Harrods and Selfridges offered large food emporiums. Emile Zola called department stores"cathedrals of commerce". </p><p>America, especially NY City, had their share of grand-designed department stores: Lord and Taylor (Est. 1826 , in 2016 had 50 locations), Macy's (Est. 1858, with now nearly 730 stores), B. Altman (Est.1865, closed 1989), Bonwit Teller (Est. 1895,closed 1990), Saks Fifth Avenue (Est. 1902, sold to Hudson Bay Company), Gimbel's (Est 1910, closed 1986).</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="220" height="221" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j2RUuGDUhP8/XzQ5-1gMHhI/AAAAAAAAPTI/85HZj4V7u3wsElkl_g1CkOmBj8RwRyEFACLcBGAsYHQ/w275-h221/220px-B._Altman_%2526_Co.%252C_Fall_and_Winter_catalogue_number_one_hundred_ten%252C_1914-15_%2528cropped%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="275" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">B. Altman<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-46qIS45aZ3Y/XzQ69Fgds6I/AAAAAAAAPTU/SYLH28_bMaIg6fryVxq9QiKcpDR2El6kQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/Bonwit%2BTeller.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="773" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-46qIS45aZ3Y/XzQ69Fgds6I/AAAAAAAAPTU/SYLH28_bMaIg6fryVxq9QiKcpDR2El6kQCLcBGAsYHQ/w242-h320/Bonwit%2BTeller.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonwit Teller<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="179" data-original-width="282" height="254" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rGNJVMjmrlg/XzQ7rrMXwEI/AAAAAAAAPTc/PSEOIKyIkuk3qPM2WtnFuyTrX9qiUv4zQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h254/Gimbels.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gimbles<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6PbGkojAhTY/XzQ2xt5DbgI/AAAAAAAAPSU/BbXE0gJwvgcIjF7pGgpISca7G09Ys0r_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/Bonwit%2BTeller.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="text-align: right;"> </span></a></div><p>Kapner's article quotes Rachael Shechtman, once a Macy's officer "Two things that made stores great were amazing customer service and great merchandise that you couldn't find elsewhere. It's almost impossible to name a store that does that today."</p><p>It is obvious that CEO's and other executives have to have a major rethink. Fairly paid staff must know their customers and their merchandise. Perhaps there may come a backward shift in shopping habits, this remains to be seen.</p><p><br /></p>Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-74027806686565735572020-08-03T11:15:00.000-06:002020-08-03T11:17:48.703-06:00A New Edition to Collections<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />A new edition to Collections<div><br /></div><div>Several years ago Cinnamon Studio.com produced a two volume set of interactive CDs which featured the history of feedsacks along with several hundred visuals of actual vintage feedsack fabrics.</div><div><br /></div><div>During this stay-at-home period we produced another two set volume of CDs. This time my collection of Indonesian textiles is the star accompanied by a bit of Indonesian history and a look at the techniques that produce these magnificent textiles.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fx7EUjB0Rxo/Xyg_BnqHX_I/AAAAAAAAPQU/g7s2EnD1yAkkRpU3FtBEUnDY_tk5a-55gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20200520_140710162.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fx7EUjB0Rxo/Xyg_BnqHX_I/AAAAAAAAPQU/g7s2EnD1yAkkRpU3FtBEUnDY_tk5a-55gCLcBGAsYHQ/w240-h320/IMG_20200520_140710162.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div><div style="text-align: right;"></div></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="1864" height="203" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LoRo4YtgJtI/XyhBfcblwYI/AAAAAAAAPQ4/Sod2XK0FOvwluIQZ4cx-UlSQt47Yq2CFgCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h203/IMG_20200621_122228089%2B%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ship Cloth<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="617" height="328" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HaMCNSU6AWU/XyhD9ulY2vI/AAAAAAAAPRI/Ab0sH71pg1A6IynzitsxjoX7oAfenmd6wCLcBGAsYHQ/w243-h328/lecturea%2B001.tif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="243" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ikat dyeing<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>For information on Collections please see my web site:www.cinnamonstudio.com<div><br /><br /></div>Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-16555006156897650512019-06-27T13:50:00.000-06:002019-06-28T07:33:05.739-06:00Homes for Travel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Homes for Travel<br />
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Before the existence of RV's, double-wide mobile homes and "tiny "houses which can be towed by pickups, nomadic peoples throughout the world constructed shelters which they could easily dismantle and take with them.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">The nomadic pasturalists of Central Asia lived, according to the Chin</span><span style="text-align: left;">ese, in the "Land of Felt" as their world was dominated by a single fabric:woolen felt. Felt was used for clothing and in the construction of yurts (called "gers" in Mongolia). Since the 5thC, Central Asian nomads have used round, felt-covered yurts with collapsible wooden frames as portable housing when herding sheep, horses and cattle. Pasturalist nomads are not constantly on the move as we understand the word "nomad". They move their herds from winter to summer pastures and live in semi-permanent camps. Some kept both locations and moved their livestock between them. The yurt while capable of being transported by cart (now by truck) was constructed on site. The walls are made of hand-hewn willow and poplar branches that are joined by leather thongs. Wooden door frames are hung with intricately carved doors and there is a domed smoke hole in the roof's center. Following erection of the frame the yurt ids draped in wool felt mats and an outer covering of reed mats which provide protection and insulation. Light-weight, yet sturdy, they are earthquake resistant and provide excellent protection from wind and cold. Ordinary yurts are plain grey, those used for weddings and other ceremonies are white and lavishly decorated. The yurt's interior is surprisingly large with specific areas for eating and communal activities and others for sleeping.</span></div>
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The Lavvu is a temporary structure used by the Sami people of Northern Scandinavia enabling them to follow reindeer herds. It is constructed by three or more evenly spaced poles which are notched forming a tripod for support, then ten or more straight poles are laid up against the tripod. There is no need for stakes or ropes or center pole to provide stability. Reindeer hides were used to cover the lavvu until the mid 1800's until British textiles were made available. Inside the living quarters of the lavvu there is a fireplace in the middle which is used for heating with a smoke hole at the top of the structure which is usually left open.<br />
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The Plains Indians of North America erected tipis as they followed herds of bison. Using multiple "lodge" poles 12-15 feet in length which are tied together at the end and raised upright and adjusted on the ground, the tipi is nearly ten feet in diameter. Tanned (and untanned) buffalo skins are sewn together and their lower edges are secured to the ground by tent pegs. There is a central fire pit and an extra skin at the top to be opened to facilitate the escape of smoke. Tipis were easily set up and dismantled to allow camps to be moved. The poles of the structure were used to assemble a dog pulled travois upon which additional poles and the coverings were placed. <br />
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-2650061338257677452019-06-10T12:17:00.000-06:002019-06-10T12:17:50.073-06:00Tactile Textiles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The first of our senses, when appreciating textiles, is usually thought to be sight. We perceive color in all variations, we note pattern and size. However another sense is equally important: touch.<br />
This past weekend I experienced two examples of the importance of tactile experiences.<br />
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While watching the final rounds of the French Open tennis championship I sorted a huge collection of possible reference materials which had been collecting next to my reading chair in our great room. Among newspaper clippings and correspondence I came upon an old copy of a quilt magazine. What jumped out as I page through it was an article by Julia Caprara (making a textile surface). "Texture is irresistible to all who work with textiles. Just spend a few minutes watching yourself when confronted by a new stash of fabrics or threads and notice how your fingers are immediately drawn to the surface qualities. We touch, tease and handle fiber and cloth, 'seeing' it in a tactile way". This quote by the author was accompanied by a beautiful photo example . I cannot imagine anyone not tempted to cautiously (perhaps surreptitiously) touch this textile.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julia Caprara, Quilting Arts Magazine, Winter 2005</td></tr>
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<br /><br /><br />My second experience this weekend with the subject of tactile textiles came with a visit to the International Folk Art Museum 's annual Flea Market. Every year thousands of items donated by members are sold to the general public as a fund raiser for the museum. My husband's box of treasures included a carved wooden pig, a pottery wine cask and a Mexican oil pitcher. I restrained myself and only purchased several Guatemalan embroidered bags, just the right size for glasses or cell phones or credit cards. Just because I didn't purchase great quantities of cloths, embroideries, rugs and linens doesn't mean that I didn't take time to examine what was offered. I came upon a woven throw of some age. The color was a dull brownish -grey with an embroidered design of the same hue. Now this was the type of article that would normally not draw a great deal of attention, but it had a great "hand". It was soft, and apparently well-loved, although in very good condition. <div>
What I found interesting was that nearly everyone gathered around this table of many brightly, some exotic textiles, actually touched this piece, some examining it closely. When I returned for a final perusal, just in case I missed the bargain of the day, the throw was gone. I hope it went to a loving home in a box with other treasures found at the market.</div>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-47787290174556650552018-12-24T07:53:00.000-07:002018-12-24T07:53:20.319-07:00Holiday Greetings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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However you celebrate, I wish you Peace</div>
Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-50411515499842271222018-10-23T10:20:00.001-06:002018-10-23T10:20:41.507-06:00Satinet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Satinet - A Nineteenth Century Fabric<br />
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While at the Textile Society of America Biennial I attended a presentation by Peggy Hart, a weaver and author of Wool: Unraveling an American Story of Artisans and Innovations, 2017.<br />
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The subject of her paper was a fabric manufactured in the early industrial period in the mills of 18 cities in New England, called satinet. Production began in 1820 in the Capron Mill located in Uxbridge, MA. According to Hart, the fabric was woven commercially from 1820 to the 1860's with a cotton warp and woolen weft. Initially woven on hand looms and then on modified cotton power looms in NE mills with production spreading westward . Production was usually locally marketed as fabric for whaling and sea-going outer wear and later for water-proof military uniforms and workingmen and women's clothing. Suddenly available machine spun cotton for warp and the introduction of Merino wool in 1820 for the wool weft increased the availability. However the invention of woolen looms that could produce all wool fabrics, said Hart, gradually replaced satinet with flannel, kersey and other woolen fabrics.<br />
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Constructed in a satin weave with a smooth, somewhat luxurious hand, but unlike satin with its cotton warp and wool weft. The weft or filling threads form the face of the fabric. It is finished as a wool and undergoes a fulling process.<br />
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One of the benefits of attending this large symposium is the opportunity to acquire information on a huge variety of subjects on which one might not be familiar. Thank you Peggy.</div>
Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-41830807099413190882018-09-26T09:46:00.000-06:002018-09-26T09:46:44.058-06:00TSA 16th Biennial Symposium<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Textile Society of America<br />
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I just returned from Vancouver, Canada having attended the 16th Biennial Symposium of the TSA. Although many papers are presented on various subjects there is always an underlying theme to the symposium. This year was entitled "The Social Fabric: Deep Local to Pan Global".<br />
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Deep Local, "defined as knowledge, beliefs, resources and practices that are profoundly anchored in particular communities and places, which reflect not only the cultures of the original inhabitants but also those of later settlers." The intent of the discussions was to "probe the impact and influence of settlers and immigration on an already long-inhabited land, and how textile traditions have been influenced, changed, and/ or adapted through and by cultural contact." (Program Guide)<br />
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Globalization is a critical factor in our lives. It affects commerce and trade, economic and job development and our ability to connect with peoples throughout the globe. Introducing the concept of globalization to those communities strongly rooted in the traditions of the Deep Local is a challenging endeavor, but one of great importance, not only to that local community but to the greater whole. We can no longer claim the superiority of our particular beliefs and customs when there is so much to be gained by sharing with others. There is a wealth of knowledge to be explored and technology is available to enable us to discover and engage with those who may enrich our lives.<br />
We must not allow political, bureaucratic policies to obstruct our endeavors to merge local traditions with global interests. </div>
Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-62403018079512511702018-08-05T13:00:00.000-06:002019-07-09T13:02:01.443-06:00Paracas Necropolis and the Paracas Mantle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-Hispanic loom and Textile of the Paracas culture of Southern Peru</td></tr>
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Paracas Textiles<br />
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Paracas, from the Quechua language of the Quechua people of Peru and parts of Bolivia, Chile, Equador, Colombia, comes from "para-ako" which means "sand falling like rain". The Paracas flourished on the south Pacific coast of the central Andes in Peru around 600-150 B.C.E. It is one of the earliest known complex societies in South America.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SM5IduVlq5I/W2c9Cl5IuNI/AAAAAAAAFZk/Z1booYBvm40do9E4oRMYhiV_SXLtdmbIACEwYBhgL/s1600/funeral%2Bbundle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1237" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SM5IduVlq5I/W2c9Cl5IuNI/AAAAAAAAFZk/Z1booYBvm40do9E4oRMYhiV_SXLtdmbIACEwYBhgL/s400/funeral%2Bbundle.jpg" width="308" /></a>In the ancient burial grounds on the Paracas Peninsula the dead were wrapped in layers of textiles into "mummy bundles". The largest and richest bundles contained hundreds of brightly embroidered textiles, feathered costumes and jewelry, as well as food offerings.<br />
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Over the course of several years the noted Peruvian archaeologist, Julio Tello, recovered 394 such bundles. Because of the hot, dry nature of the peninsula everything they found was in a remarkable state of preservation.<br />
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The Great Paracas Necropolis was discovered by archaeologists during the 1920's. This vast communal burial site held 420 bodies.<br />
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The Paracas Textile is a complex mantle or cloak, most likely a ceremonial object. It measures 58 1/4 x 24 1/2 in.made from camelid fiber and cotton. Mantle consists of 90 individual, colorful figures decorating a border. the border of 3 dimensional figures are embroidered in cross-knit looping. The interior cloth is simple, possibly of an earlier date. Cross-loop stitch flowers join the border to the central cloth.<br />
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There were, of course many other textiles excavated from the Necropolis.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paaracas Necropolis Embroidery, a mythological demon carrrying a trophy head<br />
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-85193097172331621982018-08-01T12:36:00.001-06:002018-08-01T12:37:16.723-06:00Burial Cloths- The Paracas Textiles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Burial Cloths</div>
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Textiles are fragile, ancient textiles
are exceedingly so. It is remarkable that there are any extant,
ancient textiles surviving to tell their story. These fragments of
cloth were created from natural materials, which suffer from climate
variations, moisture and the ravages of insects and vermin. So where
is it that these survivors were, and still are, being found? One
source is burial sites. The mummies of Urumchi, and their coverings,
were preserved, according to Elizabeth Wayland Barber, by being
buried during the winter months in the Asian desert, sort of
“freeze-dried”. Some early burials in Europe were preserved in
peat bogs which prevented oxygen from penetrating the corpse bundle.
We are familiar with the ancient Egyptians whose mummification
practices and burial tombs survived for centuries.
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All these sources remained intact until
the arrival of tomb raiders and looters. Naturally, one would
choose to collect jewelry, pottery, coins and such rather than
fragments of cloth. After all, the looters had to satisfy their
clients with display-worthy trophies. But if you are thinking that
these bands of entrepreneurial ghouls , in the dark of night,
risking all to eke out a living for their families are the only
culprits, you are ignoring the professional grave robbers, many
archaeological expeditions of the past.</div>
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Universities and their museums depend upon wealthy patrons. In the past patrons gained much social status by donating collections as well as monies for buildings to house them to which they appended their name. The people of the Victorian age were extremely interested in natural history, as witnessed by the overwhelming number of objects displayed in drawing rooms, libraries and almost everywhere there was an open surface. Definitely a "more is more" philosophy. The excavation of the tomb of King Tut brought "amateur archaeologists" and their families in droves to dig sites, often supervising the sites themselves with little knowledge about proper catalogue procedures. The result of their efforts were trunk-loads of artifacts removed from the site to their homes. Government-sanctioned expeditions "invaded" countries and , in the name of preservation and education literally stole the heritage of the native people. This looting continues today.</div>
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The reason for this blog is my research into Pre-Hispanic textiles of Peru Some burial sites contain hundreds of textiles. One of the most famous is the Paracas Necropolis. The Great Paracas Necropolis was discovered by archeologists in the 1920's, a burial. site containing 420 bodies, dating 300-200 BCE . Julio Tello, the Peruvian archaelogist began excavating Paracas after witnessing looted textiles in the Lima antique markets.However, in 1930 he was forced to abandon Paracas to the looters who exported antiquities illegally abroad. It is reported that the Swedish Consul General in Peru exported textiles to Sweden to form what is known as the Gothenburg Collection. Due to questionable exhibition and storage conditions many of these textiles are in very poor condition. Although Peru wants these textiles returned, like many countries seeking to reclaim their properties, this is not going to happen.</div>
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Next blog we will look at the famous Paracas textiles.</div>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-51667822727377538072018-06-23T13:03:00.000-06:002019-07-09T12:48:09.935-06:00Laundry Woes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Cleaning My Closet</div>
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We are finally renovating our master en suite, the workers
are due this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one problem is
that we are also replacing the carpeting in our walk-in closet with tile
flooring to match the bathroom tiles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What this means is that everything in the closet needs to be removed,
with the exception of the highest shelves, which should be ok covered with dust
cloths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some garments we will place in
the guestroom closet (where we will be the guests for 3 weeks),<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others we will hang, covered, on<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>portable garment racks in the garage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am confident that it will be necessary to
place the overfill on the bed, covered with sheets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter how protected there will be dust and a certain amount
of garment cleaning will be required.</div>
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This situation has led me to consider how laundering was
done in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When my mother was a
young housewife laundry was<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>much more
of a chore ( of course I never did understand her need to iron absolutely
everything, with the exception of bath towels).</div>
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I turned to America’s Housekeeping Book as a reference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This small volume is packed with information
any homemaker post-WWII would need to consider in keeping the perfect
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is an entire section
dedicated to LAUNDERING which includes laundry equipment, soaps, water
softeners, ironing procedures and treatment of spots and stains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are recipes for making bluing, starch
and bleaching liquids.</div>
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One of my favorite references, Fashion Victims, tells of the
dangers of women wearing street-length clothing which attracted not only dust
from the streets but also a myriad of nasties, including organisms responsible
for many diseases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All this detritus
was brought into the home and cleaning was done by brushing<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and spot cleaning with damp clothes.</div>
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Allison Matthews David, Bloomsbruy, London, 2015 </div>
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Then I retreated further into history reading Women of the
Renaissance. Washing clothes ( and, apparently bodies) was undertaken once a
month or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those without house-hold
help drew water from the city wells for washing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soap was made from lye and animal fats. Outer clothing was rarely washed but linen undergarments were "aired" after each wear. Those that were washed were dried on patches of grass. Linens dried on grass for up to 4 weeks resulted in permanent bleaching.</div>
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University of Chicago Press, 1991</div>
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Before there was access to city wells, laundry was taken down to the river for washing. In rural areas the waters were probably fairly clean, especially those upstream from farms, but those near higher populations were heavily contaminated as raw sewage was thrown out into the streets and washed away by rain ( into the the streams).</div>
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After all this research I have come to the conclusion that I am very fortunate to have a large white metal appliance into which I can put my laundry , add a soap pod, and push a button.</div>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-16779217839925027572018-06-09T12:38:00.000-06:002018-06-09T12:38:07.520-06:00Synthetic Microfiber Pollution.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As Fibers Seep into Water, States Seek Warning Tags</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By Lindsey Rupp</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bloomberg News</div>
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I have written before about the contents of the book
“Fashion Victims” in which author Alison Matthews David<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>writes of the "dangers of dress, past
and present".</div>
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I think many are not aware that there are dangers in the
clothing we purchase and wear. Perhaps, we assume that care and warning labels
are sufficient, although I would guess not many buyers are even aware they
exist (unless they are scratchy, and then they are snipped from the
garment).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or it may be that the
government with its thousands of protective concerns for us and the
environment<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>may be cognizant of dangers
and are actually doing something proactive (not that I believe that!)</div>
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I read the above article this morning and have never
considered the problem of shedding microfibers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems that researchers have been finding these synthetic
escapees in our water supplies and are placing the blame on "garments made
of polymer-based cloth" which, when washed, can actually shed as many as
1,900 fibers with each washing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
tiny devils are less than 5 millimeters in length and are not filtered by your
washing machine nor water filtration plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are known to have been found in sea water and aquatic life, and you
may not want to hear this, but are found in bottled water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much for the crystal clean water found
only in the Rockies, or maybe France.</div>
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So what is being done about this pollution?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems as though 2 states, California and
New York are proposing bills that would require a warning tag on all garments
with more than 50% synthetic fiber content.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course, this approach has not been endorsed by the retail
manufacturing industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that it
would be an inducement to return to natural fiber clothing for the multitudes
buying synthetic clothing.</div>
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There were listed 3 temporary solutions promoted by the
advocacy group, 5Gyres Institute.</div>
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Firstly, wash you clothing less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is true we go a bit overboard with
cleanliness, grabbing our alcohol-based hand cleansers at every opportunity but
I shutter to think of that effect on my yoga class.</div>
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</span>Secondly, use a front-loading washing machine (why this is better, I
don’t know) but they are much more efficient and use much less water per load.</div>
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</span>Thirdly, there are, somewhere on the market, additional filters that can
be added to your machine to catch microfibers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But then, what do you do with them once they have been captured?</div>
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Knowing a problem exists is only the beginning and I doubt
the person who tosses (no recycling!) plastic water bottles everywhere and
drinks with plastic straws would even care, after all the fibers are only 5
millimeters long!!</div>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-63577933284236052392018-05-12T13:07:00.000-06:002018-05-12T13:07:16.171-06:00Camelid Fiber - Part Three<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Meet the Camelids – Part Three</div>
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In my previous blogs I discussed the members of the camelid
family: camels, vicunas and guanacos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Two other species belong to this tribe, alpacas and llamas.</div>
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Like vicunas and guanacos, alpacas and llamas are
descendents of the Limini branch of the ancient camelids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While vicunas and guanacos are both wild
tribes, the alpacas and llamas have long been domesticated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alpacas were domesticated nearly seven
thousand years ago, llamas shortly after, both in the Peruvian Andes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Originally it was thought that both alpacas
and llamas were descendents of guanacos, however DNA evidence has shown that
the ancestor of llamas is the guanaco, the ancestor of alpacas is the vicuna.</div>
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Llamas are used primarily as pack animals and there are
three types of SouthAmerican llamas in existence today, the wooly type, the
non-wooly type and an intermediate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While some llamas shed their wool, others have to be shorn and because
their fiber tends not to be consistent, it has less of a commercial use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frequently their fiber is blended with sheep
wool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Alpacas are smaller than llamas and are bred for their
fiber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two types of alpaca,
the Huacaya and the Suri.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The huyaca
or “ wooly “type is the most prominent, while only less than 10 percent is suri
with long, sleek fibers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Processing in
Peru includes sorting the fibers for natural color shades (22) and several
quality grades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nearly half the yield
is graded as super fine. Each animal will produce 7-10 pounds of fleece per
year.</div>
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Alpaca textiles are light-weight woven fabrics, stronger
than sheep woolen fabrics with a silky luster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Frequently alpaca fibers are combined with manufactured fibers.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uulMZTpY-sM/WvSU-bCLZ6I/AAAAAAAAFXQ/jzGOJCjbUtcdUZAWYU6wXQiRd7230ztngCEwYBhgL/s1600/alpaca%2Bscarf%2B3%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="580" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uulMZTpY-sM/WvSU-bCLZ6I/AAAAAAAAFXQ/jzGOJCjbUtcdUZAWYU6wXQiRd7230ztngCEwYBhgL/s400/alpaca%2Bscarf%2B3%2Bcopy.jpg" width="345" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute, eh!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5xgtnhIDjzo/WvSUyhtJxLI/AAAAAAAAFXI/zHuT6ZU1JXUkUbzGcL-osfj0x3a7S_1KgCEwYBhgL/s1600/alpaa%2Bscarf%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1413" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5xgtnhIDjzo/WvSUyhtJxLI/AAAAAAAAFXI/zHuT6ZU1JXUkUbzGcL-osfj0x3a7S_1KgCEwYBhgL/s400/alpaa%2Bscarf%2B1.jpg" width="351" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpaca scarf</td></tr>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-34838455425542425272018-04-28T10:17:00.000-06:002018-04-28T10:17:14.524-06:00Camelid Fibers Part Two<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Meet the Camelids –Part two</div>
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In Meet the Camelids (part one – 4-15-18) I discussed the
origins of members of the camelid family, namely old world camelids, bactrian
and dromedary camels who are descended from a tribe of North American animals,
the Camelini.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These animals migrated to
Asia across the Bering Land Bridge and became the camels of Asia and Africa.</div>
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Today I wish to present the second tribe of the now extinct
North American camelids, the Lamini.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This tribe was to become the South American camelids, vicuna, guanaco,
llama and alpacas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original
ancestor Limini gave rise to two independent and distinct populations, both
wild: Vicunas and Guancos.</div>
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Vicunas, the smallest of the camelids, arrived in South
America nearly two million years ago on the altoplano of the Andes
mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the European invasion
of South America occurred it was estimated that there was nearly 2 million
vicunas, however, over the ensuing years the population dwindled to nearly extinction
due to hunting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The down of the animals
is amongst the most expensive in the world and was a forbidden export for
international trading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now due to the
efforts of Peru, Argentina and Bolivia and Chile the numbers have increased to
the extent that natives of the Andes are allowed to hand gather the wool and
export it legally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is some
farming of the animals taking place in Argentina, while other countries depend
upon gathering the wool from flocks in the wild.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is possible for vicunas to breed with South American alpacas
producing Paco-Vicuna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is rare and
is not permitted to happen (if it can be avoided) by those wishing to keep the
vicuna breed pure and from further extinction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Since it is thought alpacas are descended from vicunas there has been
DNA research to find animals that are alpacas but with vicuna traits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since vicunas cannot be exported these
animals are being bred instead in North America..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are also called Paco-Vicunas but are , in reality specially
bred alpacas.</div>
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Vicunas are the smallest of the camelids with brown body and white bib and underbelly</div>
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Guanacos live in the high plains of Chile and Argentina and
to a lesser degree in the mountain regions of Equador, Bolivia and Peru.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As with the vicunas they suffered from the
Spanish emigration, now numbering around 400,000-600,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although they are considered wild, they are
easily tamed and can be found in US zoos and private farms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are double-coated, like llamas with
soft downy undercoats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their fiber,
while sparse, is secondary in fineness to vicuna.</div>
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Guanacos are the size of a medium llama with brown coats and white underbellies and gray faces.</div>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-1768422535274763002018-04-15T12:18:00.000-06:002018-04-15T12:18:20.027-06:00Camelid Fibers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Meet the Camelids</div>
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The Camelid family originated in North America around 50
million years ago, and one would have thought that camels and their relatives
came from Asia or Africa!</div>
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Over the years the camelid family branched into two main
groups, known as tribes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One tribe, the
Lamini, gave rise to New World camels, which migrated to South America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original Lamini tribe became extinct in
North America nearly 12,000 years ago and we see their South American
descendants as alpacas, llamas, guanacos, and vicunas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second main tribe, known as the Camelini
(Old World camels) migrated to Asia across the Bering Land Bridge and became
the Bactrian and Dromedary camels of Asia and Africa.</div>
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Of interest to us textile folks are the camelid fibers, each
unique.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today we will look at camels.</div>
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The Bactrian ( 2 humped ) camel perhaps originated in
Afghanistan which was called Bactria in ancient times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its tan to dark brown hair, as long as 10
inches in length, is shed once a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are both domesticated and wild Bactrian camels, although the wild
population is considered engangered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are differences between domesticated and wild Bactrians, including
some differences in their DNA.</div>
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The Dromedary camels (single-humped) are adapted to hot
climates and can survive for long periods without water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, they produce less useable fiber
than Bactrian, although Arvana dromedaries can produce up to 7 pounds of
fluff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wild dromedaries are extinct
so that all dromedaries are domesticated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In Australia there are large herds that have gone feral, their
domesticated parents were brought to Australia in the late 1800’s to access
desert areas. </div>
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Camels are double-coated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The coarse hair is very strong and suitably used for ropes, halters
etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The undercoats are down that can
be gathered by hand in the spring or by combing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Wool Products Labeling Act classifies camel hair as
wool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is usually combined with other
wool fibers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fabric called camel hair
is often a twill weave with a deep nap ( or may have a flat finish) and is very
soft with a luxurious draping quality.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cTrZT-h69Bg/WtOWq9SSIlI/AAAAAAAAFVw/TpZ9STb6WA4Aox32U2-4KAuBNnP4wyrHACLcBGAs/s1600/camelid%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="1600" height="321" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cTrZT-h69Bg/WtOWq9SSIlI/AAAAAAAAFVw/TpZ9STb6WA4Aox32U2-4KAuBNnP4wyrHACLcBGAs/s400/camelid%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some camel friends I met in Morocco</td></tr>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-35069760287496586942018-03-13T14:21:00.000-06:002018-03-13T14:21:31.946-06:00Hubert de Givenchy 1927-2018<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hubert de Givenchy<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>1927-2018</div>
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Givenchy has died at the age of 91.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The House of Givenchy released a statement
lauding the founder as “ a major personality of the world of French haute
couture and a gentleman who symbolized Parisian chic and elegance for more than
half a century”.</div>
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“Le Grande Hubert” promoted the concept of upscale
ready-to-wear mix and match separates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Probably his most famous “look” was called “the little black dress” , a sleeveless,
black evening gown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think Audrey
Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s with long, black gloves and a necklace of
pearls.</div>
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For information on the rise of the House of Givenchy you may
refer to my blog “ The House of Givency” 12/19/17.</div>
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“A piece of material has a life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You must never upset it, if you want the material to speak.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hubert de Givenchy</div>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-15670224562764847242018-02-26T14:51:00.000-07:002018-02-27T07:37:18.429-07:00Levis -King of Apparel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today marks the birthday of Levi Strauss (Feb.26,
1829),<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the creator of the most widely
used article of apparel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Levis, the
first of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>many denim pants, can be found
throughout the world, from the far East to Oceania and all of the Western
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Strauss was born in Buttenheim, Bavaria, in a family of 2
older brothers and 2 older sisters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
emigrated to the US with his sisters, joining his brothers who had established
a wholesale dry goods business in NYC.</div>
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In 1853 Levi left New York for San Francisco where he began
his own dry goods business, Levi Strauss & Co<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, in Reno Nevada a tailor named Jacob Davis had been
making work pants using rivets at points of stress for durability and wished
Strauss as a partner. In May 1873 they received a patent<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for the copper revited pants.</div>
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The first material used was a heavy canvas cloth, later
denim became the cloth used which was dyed blue with indigo. Denim is a stout,
serviceable, twilled cotton fabric.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Standard denim is made with indigo blue-dyed warp and gray filling
yarn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the most important fabric
of the work clothing group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, we
are all aware that denim now plays many roles in the realm of fashion.</div>
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During his lifeime, Strauss was well known as a philanthropist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he died in 1902 he left an estate of
nearly $6 million dollars and the business continued as a family concer.</div>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-55793385936269689362018-02-07T09:12:00.000-07:002018-02-08T07:59:28.062-07:00Shoddy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Shoddy</div>
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Today, this word often means poor quality, poor
workmanship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the term “shoddy”
is actually a textile term.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Callaway
Textile Dictionary defines it as wool fibers that have been made into yarn or
fabrics, torn apart and made ready for use again”. This is made possible with
the use of a “shoddy or rag picker”, a machine for tearing apart wool rags ,
clippings, etc., reducing the to a fibrous condition suitable for carding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The machine consists of a pair of strong,
fluted feed rolls between which the material is slowly passed to be acted upon
by a large, rapidly rotating cylinder studded with sharp pointed steel teeth or
spikes.</div>
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In the field of recycling this is what happens to fabrics
too worn or damaged to be used again in their present state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A commentary by Adam Minter in the Santa Fe
New Mexican, Monday, January 22, 2018, “No One Wants the World’s Used Clothes”,
cites the fate of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>over 200
manufacturing plants in Paniput, India which for decades was the world’s
largest recycler of woolen garments, a $4 billion trade in used-clothing.</div>
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The shoddy was made into cheap blankets for disaster relief,
making over 100,000 blankets each day.</div>
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What would seem to be a good, as well as worthwhile solution
to the glut of useable, but unwanted, fibers has hit an economic snag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Minter estimated that between 2000 and
2015, global production of clothing had doubled, however the average number of
times the clothing was actually worn declined by 36 percent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This appears to be good news for the shoddy
recyclers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enter the Chinese
manufacturers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems that using
modern techniques, the Chinese could produce more blankets, in various colors,
selling the new polar fleece blankets for $2.50 (the recycled blankets retailed
for $2.00).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So now, Panipat is changing.</div>
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The crux of this environmental disaster is that even with
production of shoddy at its highest peak there would still be a growing deluge
of used clothing entering the market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now, with cheap, new fabrics available, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>textile manufacturers are attempting solutions by creating new
fibers from recycled materials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
a long process and quite a challenge.</div>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-60398924258729321162018-01-16T12:56:00.000-07:002018-01-16T12:56:16.117-07:00F is for Fortuny<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Mariano Fortuny</div>
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Recently, well known mystery writer Sue Grafton died at the
age of 77. She titled her books with an
alphabetic device – “A is for Alibi”, for example. I borrowed her idea for several of my blogs. Today,
“F is for Fortuny”.</div>
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Spanish-born textile and fashion designer Fortuny
(1871-1949) studied many of the arts: painting, sculpture and photography. His
interest in the effects of lighting led to creating stage sets for opera and
the theater. Between 1901 and 1934 he
registered more than 20 inventions for stage lighting systems and machinery for
the production of textiles.</div>
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His fascination with textiles came from his father’s
collection of fabrics-including samples of antique materials- and his mother’s
preference for the textures and colors of Morocco.</div>
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Attuned to all aspects of fabric printing he produced many
of his own dyes and stencils, never using the exact design and color palette
twice. Most of his work was
monochromatic-the most notable exceptions were block-printed or stenciled designs
with gilt or silver pigments. His
material of choice was silk because of its quality, texture and variety of
forms and his simple, classic designs were functional as well as
non-restricting, which was far removed from the fitted gowns of his contemporaries. </div>
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With doubt his most famous design (1907) was the Delphos
dress, a simple, pleated, satin silk that he reproduced for over 40 years. The finely pleated silk material was sewn in
a cylindrical shape with holes for arms and head. All dresses reached the floor, covering the feet. An optional belt could be worn at the waist
or under the bust. These dresses were
stored by being rolled lengthwise, twisted from both ends creating a coil and
placed in a small hat box, which preserved the pleating. He patented this pleating process in 1909,
building a factory in 1922 which is still in operation today.</div>
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Similar in design are these lamps created by
Ayala Serfaty in 1984. They were made of hand-dyed, custom crushed Indian silk
in a range of rich colors and neutrals and featured in an article “Leading
Lights” by Polly Guerin in Art and Antiques magazine, June 2006.</div>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-89123403371076823942017-12-25T10:27:00.000-07:002017-12-25T10:27:17.579-07:00A Christmas Wish<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">I wish you peace</td></tr>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-42089948337043888642017-12-19T10:15:00.000-07:002017-12-19T10:15:44.660-07:00The House of Givenchy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A Change at the Top</div>
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This year Clare Waight Keller, an English-born designer. was
hired by Philippe Fortunato, chief executive of Givenchy, to become the first
woman to hold the position of Artistic Director of women’s and men”
ready-to-wear, haute couture and accessory collections.</div>
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Hubert de Givenchy
was a student of the Beaux-Arts, studying and working with other famous
designers at a time when noted fashion houses
used their designs as property
of the “company”. Young designers , in
order to gain recognition, began
creating collections of their own and showing their collections at various
venues much smaller in scale than the lavish “fashion week” showings offered by
the “big” houses.</div>
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In 1952 Givenchy founded and launched a collection called
“Les Separables”, the first designer to create luxury ready-to-wear. The
collection received great acclaim from sources such as Vogue, NY times and
Album du Figaro. It was at this time
when middle class buyers were demanding high quality and the same fashion aesthetic
accorded to couture clothing, which was, of course, sold at a much greater
price point. Realizing the potential of
this new purchasing market would change the face of international fashion as it
was known at the time. Fashion houses
were being combined under the auspices of financial entrepreneurs, commonly
called “kings”, and the pressure was now profit driven.</div>
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In 1969 the House of Givenchy developed a fashion line for
men and further diversified with shoes, jewelry, table wear and upholstery and
in !976 established their flagship store in New York on 5<sup>th</sup>
Avenue. </div>
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In 1988 Givenchy joined the powerful and influential LVMH
(Louis Vitton, Moet and Hensley).</div>
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Hubert retired from
the company in 1995.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interlink Books, Northampton, MA, 2014</td></tr>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-47838344588402306302017-11-19T14:16:00.000-07:002017-11-19T14:16:07.931-07:00Giving Thanks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This week in the US we celebrate Thanksgiving Day.<br />
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798188653615844091.post-64452471343142209042017-11-09T13:57:00.000-07:002017-11-09T13:57:00.862-07:00Celebrating Italian Design<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A Tribute to Italian Design</div>
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While we were in Milan ( see my blog on Milan fashion week) wandering and window
shopping I spied the most awesome store front in the plaza across from the
famous La Scala Opera House. The first
floor of a block-long building showed the interior of a high-end haberdashery
shop. Through the windows the public
could see stacks of fabrics, masses of buttons, zippers and all manner of
sewing accessories. This display was so
realistic that many people tried to enter the building. I admit, I would have spent days and days
within. But, of course, none of this
wonderment was real. It was the most
clever façade celebrating Italian design.
There were other public displays to be found around the city featuring
design in many areas.</div>
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This is another Italian Design display found in the Galleria
Vittorio Emanuele II. This ornate
shopping arcade has a floor plan on the shape of a Latin cross. Mosaics represent the continents of Asia,
Europe, America and Africa and the glass and metal ceiling was the first in Italy to be structural rather than merely decorative. This display, in front of the Prada flagship
store, featured Italy’s great reputation as jewelers to the world. Renaissance figures adorned billboard-sized
panels, dressed in finery, and, of course, their fabulous jewels. The jewels were showcased in three dimensions
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You just never know what you might encounter.</div>
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Margy Norrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11778178881550579791noreply@blogger.com0