A wise man once told me that he had traveled the world without leaving his arm chair. That man was my father. Through reading National Geographic and U.S. News and World Report and any book he could get his hands on, he knew quite a bit about the world at large, by the time he passed on at the age of 63. In his day, the Internet had not really taken hold, as it has today. People still wrote snail mails and waited for a week or more for a letter to arrive. He had always longed to visit Ireland, the Emerald Isle, the land of leprechauns and green fields, banchees, and stone work. Alas, he never had that chance. Today, we have more opportunities than ever to learn about foreign lands, their people, and yes, their textiles.
Indian Welcome Banner with antique Shisha mirrors
Through friends I have made online, I have been able to see photos of all kinds of textiles, worldwide, and to show them to you. Included on my website, are many American textiles, of course, from antique to modern. In addition, you will find files and photos about Afghanistan, Argentina, China, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Laos, Luxembourg, Pakistan, Panama, Senegal, Sweden, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and other places. The production of textiles has been a universal preoccupation borne of necessity and the aesthetic and tactile pleasure they provide. Along with the textiles, I always try to provide a background so that the reader can place the cloth items within a greater context. I hope that you enjoy my approach.
Hungarian Kalosca Apron
You will find that there is so much to learn about textiles and the people who make them. From growing cotton plants to de-seeding them, to beating flax to render it into linen, and to growing sheep so that their fleece can be processed, the manufacture of textiles is a process that involves dedication. Silk, another natural product, is expensive because of all of the work to make the soft, luxurious fiber. Those are just the natural fibers, but there are many more. I do not believe that anyone on earth can become an “expert” at all of the components of cloth production, in their lifetime, not to mention the many new fibers that are constantly having trial runs, such as those made from milk!
There is a wealth of information on the Internet, just for the act of “Googling.” We can see how cloth is made in Africa, and find out about the life of ancient Druids and Celtic people. One just has to have the time and the interest to search out all these topics. Alternately, you can “tune in” to my website, once in a while, and see what is new in the world. There are always books suggested, with every file, that are personally selected by me, and intended to expand your knowledge through additional reading.
You are kindly welcome.
Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications
