Table of contents for Spring 2020 in PieceWork

Expressions of the past. Textiles carry layer upon layer of history. The deeper you look, the more there is to learn. As a handspinner and shepherd, I find the threads, yarns, cloth, and colors of historic textiles endlessly fascinating. We can discover so much about makers and how they interacted with their environments and materials at hand if we look closely enough. Or we can step back and look at a textile and maker in the larger scope of history, adding the context of social constraints and political pressures. Techniques, materials, and the maker’s creative voice combine to produce stitches that can outlive the human hands that formed them. To me, this is the work that PieceWork has always done, connecting us to the human experience through the medium of…

I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learnt from experiance that the greater part of our happiness or misary depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances; we carry the seeds of the one, or the other about with us, in our minds, wherever we go.” So wrote Martha Washington from New York to her friend Mercy Otis Warren (1728–1814) in December 1789. Martha held this view throughout her life and lived by it. Aside from her family, what made her happy was her fine needlework. Martha created beautiful and intricate detailed works that are nothing short of pure artistry and provide us with a glimpse of eighteenth-century American needlework. Martha Dandridge was born on June 2,…

For centuries, stationery and paper goods played an important role in the social life of European society. Stationery stores brimmed with the products needed to meet the high standards of proper etiquette. This abundance ranged from visiting cards, greeting cards, pocket almanacs, lace paper, and embossed envelopes to myriad supplies for making one’s own tokens of affection. Tiny paper flowers, miniature paintings, die-cut scraps, and even dried moss or small shells could be added to intricately embossed, and sometimes silvered, paper backgrounds. So, it is not entirely surprising that thick paper, or card, was attempted as a ground material for hand embroidery—an important skill for every Victorian lady. Paper proved to be suitable; however, it was used a lot less often than traditional fabrics, such as silk, linen, cotton, batiste,…

Imagine you have just been gifted with a magnificent work of art that you can wear proudly for all to see. The product of many months of painstaking work, it was bestowed upon you as a sign of esteem, and you will ceremonially put it on for the most important and meaningful occasions. Or, imagine you are the one who made that gift. You worked for a long, long time, perhaps even years, first planning a design and then stitching bead after small bead through heavy fabric. You, too, will be honored for your skill and artistry and your role in expressing cultural identity and pride. Your creation is a lasting legacy that may be passed on for generations. The object in question is a fully beaded bandolier bag, a…

That the lacemakers of Belgium were able to survive, and even thrive, during the devastation of World War I (1914–1918) owes much to the dedicated people who came to their aid. Those involved included a group of women who quickly formed a committee on their behalf, the personal efforts of a young mining engineer who would later go on to be President of the United States, and the participation of two famine relief organizations. Strange as it may seem, there is a thread that runs through all of this––a lace thread. Belgium had long been famous for both its bobbin and needle lace. However, this national art form, which provided a livelihood for 50,000 lace workers, came to an abrupt halt when the war started because the thread used for…

Growing up in the former USSR, I knew a lot about Orenburg lace shawls. They were considered a national treasure. For many women, owning an Orenburg shawl was a symbol of high status. There was even a song, “Orenburskyj Platok,” written about the love that went into making a shawl to warm the heart and shoulders of a beloved mother. I originally heard about Estonian lace while living in Austin, Texas, where I attempted to knit a shawl that included nupps and fleur-de-lis motifs for the first time. I fell in love with Estonian lace, drawn in by the nupp accents and their three-dimensional effect. It was only natural that I felt that combining an Orenburg shawl structure with Estonian lace elements would make a beautiful shawl. MATERIALS • Hikoo…

Embroidered Botanicals: Beautiful Motifs That Explore Stitching with Wool, Cotton, and Metallic Threads Yumiko Higuchi Boulder, Colorado: Roost Books, 2019. Softbound, 96 pages, $21.95. ISBN 978-1-61180-773-8. Stitched & Sewn: The Life-Saving Art of Holocaust Survivor Trudie Strobel Jody Savin Altadena, California: Prospect Park Books, 2020. Hardbound, 224 pages, $35. ISBN 978-1-945551-76-5. True Colors: World Masters of Natural Dyes and Pigments Keith Recker Loveland, Colorado: Thrums Books, 2019. Hardbound, 256 pages, $39.95. ISBN 978-1-7335108-5-1. Whitework Embroidery: Learn the Stitches Plus 30 Step-by-Step Projects Ayako Otsuka Lanham, Maryland: Stackpole Books, 2019. Softbound, 160 pages, $24.95. ISBN 978-0-8117-3822-4. William Morris’s Flowers Rowan Bain New York: Thames & Hudson, 2019. Hardbound, 144 pages, $19.95. ISBN 978-0-500-48045-8.…

Baltic Socks As a reader from the Baltic country of Latvia, I loved your articles about Baltic knitting (Fall 2019) and have a collection of Latvian gloves and socks. The article about the Estonian socks [“Billowing Stockings from Paistu and Tarvastu Parishes,” excerpted with permission from Estonian Knitting 2: Socks and Stockings by Anu Pink] was particularly interesting, for when I was a child, there was a framed picture of my mother wearing her Latvian costume (Rucava) and in knee-high socks that were stuffed to make the calves look larger. My mother told me that farmers seeking wives looked for muscular women who could do the heavy labor required of farm wives. In later years, the practice of stuffing the socks was discontinued. My mother, born in 1910, would have…

I created this hat and mitt set using yarn produced by Wool Out of Wales, a company specializing in wool from Leicester Longwool sheep. According to the company, the unique climate of Wales allows a long grass-growing season, which in turn contributes to a lustrous and long-staple fleece. Leicester Longwool yarn pairs well with knitted textures created using cable, bobbles, and rogozka patterns. Pronounced “ro-go-zh-ka,” this Russian word refers to a thick fabric with a textured, checkered surface. Materials • Wool Out of Wales (Lana dal Gailes) Black Leicester Longwool, 100% wool yarn, fingering weight, 546 yard (500 m)/3.53 oz (100 gram) skein, 1 skein Natural Grigio (See page 23 for additional yarn resource.) • Needles, Addi Lace size 2 (3 mm) circ 16 inches (40 cm), and set of…

The Ladies’ Self Instructor (1853) advised that for perforated cards, “The needles must not be too large, or the holes will be liable to get broken. The smaller ones must be worked in silk; the larger patterns may be done either in silk or wool. Sometimes the flowers are worked in Chenille, and the leaves in silk; this gives to card cases, &., a beautiful and highly ornamental appearance.” Cassell’s Domestic Dictionary (1884) suggested uses for card-work including “. . . pretty frames for photograph frames . . . useful bookmarkers and ornaments for frames bearing a resemblance to carved ivory. . . Many little articles can be made of this cardboard which can be ornamented by needlework devices in silk or wool, or by gumming on painted flowers or…

Not all bandolier bags were beaded using the spot-stitch technique. A quick look through online museum collections, such as the Minnesota Historical Society’s, reveals bags with geometric designs created using a beading frame such as the one shown on the opposite page as well as curved shapes created with spot-stitch beading. Explore the collections yourself! Metropolitan Museum of Art, www.metmuseum.org/art/collectionMinnesota Historical Society, http://search.mnhs.org RISD Museum,www.risdmuseum.org/art-design/collectionWisconsin Historical Society, www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records —Editor…

Crepe paper is a ubiquitous, taken-for-granted craft material today, thought of largely in relation to party decorations. When it was first introduced in the 1890s, however, it was touted as a wondrous new cloth, suitable for costumes, household coverings, and many other uses. The Dennison Manufacturing Company, which was the first American manufacturer to produce this novelty material, boasted in one of its early instructional booklets, “Crepe Paper [is] one of the most valuable fabrics for decorative purposes yet placed upon the market.” Crepe paper takes its name from crêpe fabric, which is similarly characterized by a crinkled, wavy surface. The creping process adds strength and elasticity, and depending on the manufacturing treatment, a range of different effects can be achieved. It can be coated with a metallic surface, for…

Leicester Longwools, also known as English Leicesters, are one of three Leicester sheep breeds that exist today. Leicester Longwools, along with cousins Border and Bluefaced Leicesters, trace their roots back to a flock that grazed on a farm called Dishley Grange in Leicestershire, England, during the late eighteenth century. Leicester sheep at that time were described as longwools that tended to be lanky and large-framed. A young farmer named Robert Bakewell (1725–1795), returning to his family home at Dishley Grange, noticed that some of the smaller, more compact sheep could be just as productive as their larger counterparts in less time. Thus, he set out to improve his flock, eventually creating a new breed called the Dishley Leicester or New Leicester. Robert Bakewell would become one of the most noteworthy…

This bookmark project is based upon an antique Victorian example from my collection. Dating back to the 1850s, the original bookmark was stitched using fine wool on white or ecru (now tan) 14-count perforated paper in the style of needlework known as Berlin wool work, which was popular during that time period. I created my version using cotton floss and perforated paper. Modern perforated paper is available to needleworkers today in a wide range of colors. MATERIALS • Mill Hill perforated paper, 14-count, white, one 3 × 6 inches (7.5 × 15.5 cm) piece; www.wichelt.com • DMC embroidery floss, 6-stranded, 100% cotton, 8.7 yd (8 m)/skein, one skein each of the colors listed in the Color Key • John James needle, tapestry, size 28 • Ribbon, silk or satin, 2¾–3…

The following is excerpted with permission from True Colors: World Masters of Natural Dyes and Pigments, published by Thrums Books, 2019. For more information, see the sidebar on page 44. —Editor Ayoreo mothers have taught their daughters the art of traditional bag making since time out of mind. The ability to weave tough but pliable fibers harvested from ground-growing bromeliads is an essential part of Ayoreo identity. Women who weave baby carriers, hunting bags for men, gathering bags for women, and drawstring bags for carrying household items hold status and respect in this community that, between the 1970s and 1990s, gave up its nomadic life in the arid tropical forests of the Gran Chaco region spanning parts of Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina. The women’s way of passing on these ancient…

ARIZONA Fiber Creek Suite 123 1046 Willow Creek Rd Prescott, AZ 86301 (928) 717-1774 fibercreekprescott.com CALIFORNIA Lacis Museum of Lace & Textiles 2982 Adeline St Berkeley, CA 94703 510-843-7290 lacis.com Babetta's Yarn & Gifts 4400 San Juan Ave #20 Fair Oaks, CA 95628 (916) 965-6043 babettasyarnandgifts.com Dharma Trading Co 1805 South McDowell Blvd Petaluma, CA 94954 (435) 259-8404 dharmatrading.com Needlecraft Cottage 870 Grand Ave San Diego, CA 92109 (858) 272-8185 needlecraftcottage.com Cardigans Yarn and Fiber 3030 State St Santa Barbara, CA 93105 (805) 569-0531 cardigansyarnandfiber.com COLORADO Shuttles Spindles & Skeins 635 S Broadway E Boulder, CO 80305 (303) 494-1071 shuttlesspindlesandskeins.com LambShoppe 3512 E 12TH AVE Denver, CO 80206 (303) 322-2223 thelambshoppe.com Lambspun of Colorado 1101 E Lincoln Ave Fort Collins, CO 80524 (970) 484-1998 lambspun.com IOWA Blue Heron Knittery 300…