Friday, September 29, 2006
Machine made lace (beginner?) samples
Both of these pieces are about 6" x 6", maybe a little less. Neither of them are especially lovely, but to me they represent someone trying to achieve something - and are rather like early things I tried for myself without really beginning at the right point or having someone knowledgeable to show me
how to really start.In the first one the planning or layout is poorly done, even the central motif is odd and puzzling. It might not be meant to represent anything in particular, but like reading the stars or the tealeaves, one could read something into it.
The second one is interesting for the filling and the border, but the 60's stylised flower is soooo heavy and inappropriate for the surrounding delicacy, IMHO. However at a cost of a peso or two only, I could afford to collect these as reminders of anti-design, if nothing else.
Someone recently asked me what I am going to do with all these little textile samples I collect. I don't recall what I said exactly, but it would have included the thought that I don't feel I have to do or make anything with them, they have a value to me just as they are. I wouldn't want a whole tablecloth's worth of most of them, and I do use the pieces that still have some practical value such as table mats, cloths and serviettes. Sometimes I come across some that have been ripped out of sample books, like these two, and wish they were still in amongst notes & teacher comments.
Labels: lace textile, sample
samples of 'lace' - details.
Of course, closer inspection shows both these samples to be machine made, and not very well done at that -reminding me of my first efforts using Golden Hands the weekly craft magazine that was published in UK around 1970. and although I really don't know how the above filling was achieved, with it's delicacy, I do know I could manage this kind of filling to holes, making 'lace', althougn for the moment I am not planning in heading off in that direction. There is some amazing machine made lace art being made by several prominent Australian textile artists including Dijanne Cevaal. I might have to take a workshop from her some time.
Labels: lace textile, sample
Irresistible - how I love glitter!
From the San Telmo B.A. markets last sunday ( and they were full of interesting stuff) -this set of twelve serviettes, silk damask fabric interwoven with silver metallic threads, rarely if ever used, and in a bundle tied up with an old silk ribbon.I just love glitter, and these really appealed to me. Even when washed and ironed, if they aren't miraculously absorbent (as is linen for example) they would never be as bad as the ghastly modern polyester or acrylic table cloths and servies many people and restuarants use nowadays. The secret behind their popularity is that they come in an amazing range of decorator colours, and of course, they wash and wear like, well, rags. Cotton, linen and other natural (absorbent) fibers require actual ironing - but are soooo much nicer to use. I'd almost rather have a piece of kitchen paper towel than a non-absorbent serviette/napkin. Come to think of it, we often do...
Labels: glitter
Monday, September 25, 2006
Greetings from Aus: Jungle Prints Q
......
but by the time you read this I will have been back in Montevideo 24 hours, unpacked, re-packed a much smaller bag, and enjoyed 3 days in Buenos Aires watching the Davis Cup semi-finals in which the Argies wiped the clay court with our Aus team, who played dismally - that's all that can be said about their effort. While it was no real joy watching our team get beaten, there were other sightseeing and cultural experiences to savour, and when I down load some of the textile snippets I picked up at yesterday's San Telmo markets, I will begin showing them on the blog.Today's textile note therefore must relate to this photo taken a week ago in Australia, and brings to the forefront a style question that has been bothering me for a while. Apart from anything else you may note about my 'style', I must confess to being quite a Jungle Print fan.... and my current 'holdings' include this pictured jacket with jungle cat print in black on steel-grey background; I also have several scarves, head gear for most seasons, socks, a summer shirt/coverup; in our living room are several chairs upholstered in JP; I use a checkbook cover printed in JP, and have tweezers, scissors and toothbrush featuring JP's on the handles; add a candle, some paper serviettes, quite a few under- and night-wear items, a range of gift wrapping papers and tissues, and probably several other things I just forget right now) Some of these have been deliberate choices, some the thoughtful gifts of others who know I like JP's.
Showing perhaps my longest wearing and most often used JP item: the photo shows Yours Truly, poised above the state line NSW/QLD at Tweed Heads, where I was visiting a sister for a couple of days before leaving Aus to return to Uruguay. The jacket is black and grey jungle cat-printed polyester plush, lined with showerproof fabric; it crumples down into a double handful, and despite maybe 8 or 9 years' wear shows almost no sign of wearing out. I must say it is the best US$29 worth I ever got from one of my fav. haunts, an outlet mall in northern Colorado near DD's home.
Jungle Print style question: will they ever go out of fashion, or have they gone and I've just not noticed? (I hate to be too far behind the times - but the last time I looked in a fabric shop I noticed some there, and furniture stores have yardage or upholstered pieces in stock) After we enjoyed some wonderful antique shops yesterday and especially one carrying only art nouveau and art deco stuff - totally gorgeous - DH said to me "So when did AD go out of style?" Without actually knowing my history of design very well, I don't know that it has ever 'gone', but think it has morphed into the clean lines of very modern design and imho, AD antiques go wonderfully with drop-dead modern. I am wondering if Jungle Prints in general will enjoy the same long run - I'm sure a neighbour of my mother's about almost 5 decades ago had some kind of jungle or zebra print in her living room - she was a very chic, paris-influenced interior deorator, and lived in a house I always loved - which I now understand was a very high quality example of Art Deco architecture - which of course went way over the head of an 8 or 9 year-old Australian, but I always knew I just loved it. Perhaps it was partly her theatrical sense of decor, too....
What I am reading is currently "Letter From America" an anthology of some the best scripts from his very long running weekly radio progam in the US by the late Alastair Cooke, whose progams I often heard and always enjoyed. I am way behind with the Economist but my last but one is featuring a review of the current state of thinking and knowledge on global warming, and so far very interesting. After almost a month of peramublating with very little internet time or availability, and very little reading time, I am looking forward to re-establishment of a more normal routine.
Labels: jungle prints, syle question
