Penelope's weaving 2 comments

23 Jan 2007 @ 07:53, by Nigella Wraye Antique embroidery from the Aegean, continuing the thousands' year old tradition of weaving and embroidery. Weaving surely hope for safe return, or better still no campaigns at all. Why have children if they sent to war aged a mere 20 years? What does this say for Life? and Living? What about a society where this is entrenched in its thought? How can those Mothers and Fathers take part in normal happy life? For a long time there has been a sense that sewing and embroidery signifies and emphatic positive outlook and becomes a bit of holy talisman. And it has been similarly said and felt concerning the patchwork tradition for instance, and also the sampler, a cross stitch design of home and showing belonging in place and time, framed and placed in hallways and corridors for all to see.

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Category: society 

24 Jan 2007 @ 18:45 by freo7 : This is SO BEAUTIFUL
It feels almost like velvet to touch it with my eyes!!
And yes holy talisman! My soul is crying in remembrance right now..

THANK YOU 4 posting this

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the picture was taken at an exhibition of antique Aegean embroidery. Each Island and part of Greece, Crete and Cyprus developed their own certain styles of patterning. There were towels heavily bordered with work, tablecloths, curtains or bed hangings (wedding presents) made by the whole extended family in preparation for the occasions. Of course there were dresses, aprons, and cushions. This was accompanied by some very early photographs of the interior of the houses still maintaining these traditions. There was a large room with windows and a front door. Inside was a four poster bed with hangings. In between the bed and the window onto the front (street outside) was a loom as big as the bed, huge, for the weaving. On the other side of the front door and room was a wooden long seat with cushions. I think opposite the bed was the fireplace with mantle of embroidery and some stools around a low table (to eat Turkish style) which was spread with a cloth for the bread, wine, and dips and salads etc, and pieces of meat. The men ate together. One picture had the gentleman owner of such a house standing in his doorway, proudly and handsomely with his sword from his belt. The exhibition was quite illuminating. The motifs developed by each region and area were specific to the stories and myths of the area, and some motifs looked like early alphabets, which suggested that some of the patterns on ancient carpets may have been early carrier forms of the written word and believes etc. The trouble is of course that cloth and wool does not last thousands of years, and it therefore only through uninterrupted traditional crafts that one can get an idea of earlier customs. N.  

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