Textiles are, “The fabric of our lives.” As much as we may love all textiles and want to try all of the numerous techniques ourselves, in one lifetime that is an impossibility! This is due to the sheer number of choices of things to make!

For example, I know how to crochet and I’ve made various objects including some large crocheted afghans. I’ve also made crocheted Christmas ornaments. However, I love and admire “filet crochet” work. That is on the list of techniques I will probably never learn. I have pre-judged the situation and decided that I just do not have the patience to learn this work…or tatting!

Bobbin Lace making can be added to that list of techniques I will never do. Oh sure, I have created knitted “lace” to attach to a ruffle around a Crazy Quilt pillow. That is an entirely different process than having all kinds of spindles to control.

Surely, I shall never be a spinner, nor a weaver. I don’t like the feel of wool as it passes through my fingers, and I could never get the rhythm of the spinning wheel. Other than weaving a few potholders, weaving holds no particular interest for me.

I could tick off all of the techniques I’ve tried and abandoned as my first choice for working with textiles: needlepoint, plastic canvas work, and Crewel embroidery (although I love the look of it.) Hardanger is fine, but really not my thing. Drawn thread work is completely out. Been there, done that, didn’t like it. That said, it is a good thing to dabble, trying this and that until we hit our stride.

Owning a long-arm sewing machine is not a goal. In fact, I barely use sewing machines at all because there is so much to love about hand work! It can be transported to appointments, it gives your hands something to do while watching television, and it is relaxing.

I have another list and that is composed of techniques I’d like to try, or I’d like to use with more frequency. Brazilian embroidery, Kalocsa embroidery, Stumpwork and Needlelace all fall into that category. Cutwork, designing my own Needlework Sampler, and having the time to design more quilts are also activities I would enjoy. I know that I love appliqué, hand-quilting, and quilts with poems and embellishments.

If you look around my website, you might begin to get an idea of just some of the other needlework techniques that are described there: pieced American quilts, Crazy Quilts, appliquéd blocks and quilts, side effects of cialis daily use of the Kuna Indians, Egyptian appliquéd quilts, quilts from many time periods, quilts based on Redwork or other Outline Stitch embroidery, Chinese-made appliqué work, a Civil War quilt pattern, and many other styles and techniques.

When one considers an overview of the textiles that women traditionally have made for themselves, as both decorative and utilitarian items, it boggles the mind. Presently, I am looking at a collection of work from women of three generations and it is an amazing assortment of goods. What is even more impressive is that every textile was saved, finished or not, stained or not. “Overwhelmed” is the only word to describe my mental state, when I consider the number of woman hours that went into the personal construction of embroidered handkerchiefs of all types, and aprons, both fancy and everyday, and those items are just the “tip of the iceberg.”

God Bless those of us who “save” the work of others. This generation may not appreciate your work, but I can guarantee you that just because side effects of cialis daily use made it, future generations will enjoy what you’ve left behind. I know that I treasure the few family items I have from various relatives who have passed on. They are not here to make another…”whatever.”

Specializing in one textile topic is very good, limiting as it may be. However, in the field of textiles, it will serve you well to have broad knowledge of many techniques to understand historical time periods and the social significance that is associated with textiles of all kinds. More importantly, if you at least try to learn any given technique, you will have a deeper understanding of it. The rule of thumb is this: “Show me, and I will probably forget.” “Let me try to do it myself, and I will learn how.”

Patricia Cummings

This entry was posted on Monday, July 16th, 2007 at 1:22 am and is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.