Posts Tagged ‘History’

Velvet – The Fabric Of Fall

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

The history of velvet is somewhat fuzzy, but the first English
reference to it was in 1278, when a king’s tailor purchased the
fabric in Paris for the kings bed. More than 700 years later you
don’t have to be a king to afford to wear velvet.

You’re seeing it everywhere, in every shade. Carefully created
into dazzling jackets, dresses, handbags, boots, pumps and
flats. You will find velvet this fall in an array of rich, deep
colors like navy blue, emerald and red, meant to make a fashion
statement. You can’t be shy and wear velvet this year!

Alice & Olivia offer a velvet military jacket in navy with
leather piping. Nanette Lepore offers an embellished velvet
jacket in muted shades with a peacock feather print. Moschino is
showing a dress saluting the paisley craze. It’s a lovely cognac
velvet halter dress with a medallion print. One of the standout
velvet creations this season has to be the Cynthia Steffe
strapless velvet empire dress. It features a dark green bust
trimmed with golden ribbon. The dress falls into a three tiered
nutmeg colored velvet skirt which falls just below the knee. The
bottom tier of this dress is beautifully embellished with gold
and green floral embroidery. There are only two words to
describe this dress – rich and opulent.

Shoe designers have always loved velvet. Yves Saint Laurent is
offering a beautiful crossover velvet sandal in olive. Christian
Lacroix offers an unexpected twist on chic with his dark brown
velvet sandal which is made an absolute must have with the
addition of a teal and black wool flower on the heel. You have
to check this shoe out. Can somebody say perfect for any
upcoming holiday celebration? Shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo
is offering a Victorian inspired velvet pump in a rich wine
color. He also shows a very strappy and sexy black velvet
platform sandal, perfect for evening affairs. You can pair these
sandals with a cropped jacket in teal velvet and black satin
pencil pants, perfect!

Don’t forget to check out the wide array of velvet bags. Hobo’s,
clutch bags and totes are shown in velvet. Giorgio Armani is
offering his signature tote in croc-embossed velvet. Gucci is
showing a green velvet shoulder flap bag accented with a
crocodile trim.

Splurge and buy yourself a spectacular velvet piece this fall -
you won’t regret it

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The Perfect Way to Hang Tapestries in Your Home

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

A tapestry is a marvelous work of art that can easily become the stand out item in your home. You do have to consider a few things when deciding which tapestry to purchase and how to affix it to your wall. Too big of a tapestry in a small face will overwhelm a room; a tiny stretched tapestry on a huge wall can look lost. By taking a little time to figure out exactly what effect you want, you can save yourself a deal of trouble.

Your first step should be to look at the room you want to house your tapestry in and evaluate what type of tapestry would suit it best and where it should go. If you have a room with many doorways and not much open wall space, a vertical tapestry may work best. A long hallway could benefit from a series of small tapestries, and a kitchenette could feature a long horizontal piece displayed high on the wall.

A huge room with a blank wall such as a bedroom or a den could accommodate a larger tapestry; this could either serve as a background for a bestead or couch or face it depending on the layout. An accent wall is also a great place for a larger tapestry – you can choose a contrasting paint color for a background to make your chosen artwork pop.

Measure twice, buy once. Allow for space around the tapestry for a balanced look. Nothing is worse than excitedly bringing a new acquisition home and finding out it is a foot too wide. If you are in doubt as to what would look best, pin up a contrasting sheet and figure out what the right shape and size would be for your space.

There are several different ways of hanging your tapestry once you have found the perfect one. The most traditional way to hang large tapestries is with a rod – most modern tapestries are woven with a pocket designed to hold the top edge flat and to distribute the weight evenly. The larger and heavier the tapestry the stronger the rod needs to be, so a hefty drapery rod with sturdy mounting brackets is preferred fro many tapestry applications.

Simply slide the tapestry onto the rod, center it, and measure as close as possible to the exit point on either end for the brackets. Use a level to get a straight line on the wall so your tapestry will hang plumb. Affix the brackets according to your measurement, then hang the rod. Your brackets should hold the rod right where it exits the tapestry pocket on both sides. Screw on finials and your tapestry will be mounted properly. Tapestries hung this way appear to float against the wall.

Another approach recommended by some manufacturers advises sewing a strip of wide Velcro along the leading edge of the tapestry, then stapling the mated strip to a sturdy board. The board should be painted to reduce chemical interaction with the tapestry, and no glue should be used for the same reason. The board can be mounted to the wall and the tapestry attached via Velcro. This works best for medium sized tapestries that are not excessively heavy, and prevents sagging and rumpling.

Small tapestries can be framed or stretched or even placed in a shadow type box for a magical effect. Many people keep older tapestries under glass, as sunlight can cause fading and damage. Tapestries should also be checked regularly for signs of insect damage.

The type of tapestry you decide on will reflect your own personal taste and individuality. Often tapestries are bought to fit into an existing house, but occasionally you have the opportunity to build a room around one focal point. This is when you can get creative, and let your inner spirit take over.

A rich Renaissance tapestry sets the mood for a luxurious room full of rich brocades and tasseled pillows. A bold Native American design makes a southwestern ranch house crackle with style. Oriental themes go well with modernistic apartments, and Celtic designs can spruce up a library or study.

With all of the choices available today, from local home interior shops to online decorator havens, you can rest assured there is the perfect tapestry out there especially for you. Just consider all of your options before purchasing your very own! With luck, the one you select will become a family heirloom and you will be able to pass it down to future generations.

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The History of Thimbles

Monday, December 28th, 2009

 

A thimble is a protective shield worn on the finger or thumb generally worn during sewing.

While collecting thimbles became popular in the mid 1800 as a result of the special thimbles that were made for the Great Exhibition held in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, the earliest known thimble was Roman and found at Pompeii. Made of bronze, it has been dated to the first century AD. A Roman thimble was also found at Verulamium, in the UK. and can be seen in the museum there.

The first thimble made in England was in 1695 by a Dutch metal worker named Lofting. It was called the ” thumb-bell,” because it was worn on the thumb when in use, and shapped like a bell. The shape eventually changed, but the name, softened into thimble, still remains.

Thimbles are usually made from metal, leather, rubber, wood, glass, or china. Early thimbles were sometimes made from whale bone, horn, or ivory. Advanced thimblemakers enhanced thimbles with semi-precious stones to decorating the apex or along the outer rim. Thimble artists would also utilize enameling.

Originally, thimbles were used solely for pushing a needle through fabric or leather as it was being sewn. However they have since gained many other uses and mythologies. In the 1800s they were used to measure spirits (hence the phrase “just a thimbleful”). Women of the night used them in the practice of thimble-knocking where they would tap on a window to announce their presence. Thimble-knocking also refers to the practice of Victorian schoolmistresses who would tap on the heads of unruly pupils with dames thimbles. Thimbles have also been used as love-tokens and to commemorate important events. A miniature thimble is one of the tokens in the game of Monopoly.

Before the 18th century the small dimples on the outside of a thimble were made by hand punching, but in the middle of that century, a machine was invented to do the job. Another consequence of the mechanisation of thimble production is that the shape and the thickness of the metal changed. Early thimbles tend to be quite thick and to have a pronounced dome on the top. The metal on later ones is thinner and the top is flatter.

In the 19th century many thimbles were made from silver. Because this is a soft metal, it is easily pierced by a steel needle. Charles Horner solved the problem by using a steel core covered inside and out by silver. The result was still as pretty as a traditional silver thimble but more practical and durable. He called his thimble the Dorcas and these are now popular with collectors.

Early American thimbles made of whale bone or tooth featuring miniature scrimshaw designs are considered valuable collectibles. Such rare thimbles are prominently featured in a number of New England Whaling Museums.

During the First World War silver thimbles were collected from “those who had nothing to give” by the British government and melted down to buy hospital equipment. In the 1930s and 40s red-topped thimbles were used for advertising. Leaving a sandalwood thimble in a fabric stores helps to keep moths away.

People who collect thimbles are known as digitabulists.

 

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