My Creative Blog [Search results for textile] 

This has been a very long week for me and I'm exhausted. I've been hard at work but my work can be extremely fun especially when it means shopping! It's the start of the antique season for us on the east coast and it really gets a start with Brimfield, an antique show that takes place three times a year and has over 5000 dealers spanning 21 fields, it goes on for miles! To start the week off is an annual antique textile show in Sturbridge, MA and being an antique textile dealer of course I'm first in line. The line was just getting started here but by the time the doors opened this line was the longest I've ever seen it and I've been going to this show for well over ten years.

Wendy Lewis
Here's Wendy Lewis who owns Textile Trunk in Vermont and just began showing at the textile show but is a staple at the New England Motel antique show one of the Brimfield show fields with over 400 dealers on this field alone. Wendy who is known for her grain sacks and large variety of linen and hemp sheets also offers a wonderful selection of 19th century printed textiles. I've know Wendy forever, before her second child was born but this is the first time I've met her in person and I have to say she's just as lovely, warm and friendly in person, it was so great to finally meet her. My bad since she only lives one state over!

Beautiful French and English offerings at Wendy's booth....

Carolyn Forbes
Another favorite dealer is Carolyn Forbes of Carolyn Forbes Textiles standing in front of a display of 18^th century textiles. She has a studio located right here in beautiful New Hampshire and can be found showing throughout the east coast. Carolyn features not only textiles but also a large display of clothing as well.

There were so many people at this show that taking pictures was a tad tough, this front woman was thrilled my flash went off in her face....lol.

Marston House Antiques
If you've never heard of Marston House you really should get to know it especially those of you who are true Francophiles. The Marston House is own by Paul and Sharon Marston and own a bed and breakfast in Maine they also own property in Luberon a small town located in Provence. Their 17^th century home in Luberon has several apartments for rent throughout the season.

Sharon is seen here after dying linens in her 17th century home.

One of the views outside her window in Luberon, talk about picturesque!

The slipcovers were made from some of Sharon's dyed linens, her linens are amazingly deep in saturated color.

A pair of panels that were on offer at the textile show made from tapestry fragments. A bit out of my price range at $25,000 but still beautiful.

Just a few of the textiles I brought home featuring an 18th century French silk brocade, 16th century pillow that needs to be remade, a small silk velvet Fortuny purse, a very early Fortuny hanging and a 17th century tapestry hanging with a rare crest motif.

While driving home I couldn't resist snapping a few pictures out my truck window since driving was slowed to a crawl. These are images of dealers setting up for the Brimfield antique show.

You can see from the front that the tents go on for as far as the eye can see.

Just some of the offerings at Brimfield. This show really offers it all and if you can't find it then you don't need it! At the time of this posting there's only one more day left of the show at Brimfield but you can always make plans for the next shows in July and September and don't forget to bring cash!

I feel very honored to have been awarded the 'Super Comments Award' by Mona from Providence ltd Design. Mona has been with me since my first day of blogging leaving wonderful comments for me along the way ever since, for that I truly thank her.

The way this works is you answer a series of questions about yourself and then pass it along to seven others who have left wonderful comments so without farther ado'.
1) Why do you blog??
I keep wondering that myself since I work ten plus hours a day and time has always been an issue for me but I can't help myself. I only just discovered blogs last year. I mean I saw them listed but didn't know what they were so always skipped over them. Last summer I opened one and I was enchanted. I mean here were all these people opening their worlds to us, sharing their homes. That first day I spent the entire day reading and after a month I wanted to be a part of that circle, so I took the plunge and dived in for better or worse.

2) Name your three best memories:
First is my Dad who's gone now'.riding around on my Dad's foot when I was little. I remember plopping on that poor guys foot the moment he walked in the house and he never minded and always gave me a ride'remember doing that? He also taught me how to tie my shoes and ride a bike, it's the little things that make me smile now that he's gone.
Second was the day I moved from Phoenix, AZ to New York City, NY to be with my future husband. I loaded up a large truck and drove across country all by myself. If you've ever driven a 22-foot long truck you'll know how much work it is coupled with the fact I was changing my entire life and leaving everything I knew. It was the scariest thing I've ever done but also the best. It showed me that I was capable of doing anything and from that moment on if I wanted to try something I did!
Third was the day we brought Dylan dog home four years ago. I hadn't had a dog in thirty years, dating myself here, I've had Persian cats. My husband really wanted a golden so I said lets get one and I've never regretted it. Dylan's great company, almost to smart for his own good, great to cuddle up next to and loyal beyond belief. But I think the best part about him is his eyes, you look into those golden brown eyes and you see love shining back!

?3) Name four of the best fiction books you've ever read: I don't have four favorites, I read all the time and there are to many to name. Some favorites I like revisiting are: Beauty by Susan Wilson The ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough I love mysteries by Mary Higgins Clark and Nora Roberts I read a lot of textile, art and decorating books too but what I like reading is all over the place.

4) What are the five best movies ever made?
Again I don't have favorites because I watch everything under the sun but when I'm alone I like light hearted movies, nothing serious and never anything scary....hate scary movies.
5) Name five things you cannot live without:
My family and friends. My best friend Deb is the sister I never had so I feel very blessed.
My antique textiles, I feel like I've finally figured out what I'm supposed to be doing in my life. It gives me a great sense of peace!
My computer, I have my web site/business on here and it's easier to talk to my friends overseas.
My monthly facials, it's relaxing, keeps my face in place and one of the few things I actually do just for me.
Auctions! I love auctions, the thrill of the hunt, the adrenaline rush just before you bid and sometimes winning, it's very exciting!
6) If you could change your name what would it be?
Chase! I saw a movie once with Rene Russo in it and her characters name was Chase, it was a really cool name. I like my name, Debra, but I introduce myself as Debra and people always say "hi Debbie", I HATE BEING CALLED DEBBIE! Not that there's anything wrong with being called Debbie....:)

7) Tell us a unique and interesting fact about yourself.
I can build! I decide one day to build a garden room in our side field and the first thing I needed were raised field stone garden beds. So I went out and bought a book, read it and went to work. See up in the far left corner my pile of rubble'these poker flowers are in a perfectly round garden bed that's twelve feet wide, I built that. You'll see better pictures in the spring, promise, now I'll bore you with my ability to build!

8) What do you love best about yourself?
My ability to do whatever I set my mind too. I believe everyone can do anything just stop talking about it and go do it. I've accomplished everything I've set out to do in my life so far, yes, it really is that simple. Just do it!
9) If you had a freaky Friday experience, who would you change places with?
Honestly, nobody because I like who I've become as a person. I've worked dang hard to become who I am why would I want to give that up? I'd like to have past and present people to dinner to pick their minds but trade places with them'nah!
10) What is the best thing about being a woman?
The ability to multi-task if I didn't I wouldn't get half the things done that needed to be done.

Now it's time to pass this gracious award on to some of the people who have brightened my days:
Stacey at: Style Addicted Mom Joan at: for the love of a house Sharon at: My French Country Home Jermaine at: French Kissed Deborah at: Boxwood Terrace Vanna at: lvroftiques better known as Delusions of Grandeur Debra at: 5th and State
THANK YOU!

I can't believe I actually won something but I did and it's fabulous! I want to thank Debra over at 5th and State and her nephew who chose my name, for the wonderful dessert cookbook by Chef Alain Roby. I can't wait to try out one of the recipes this weekend!

Have you seen the August issue of Veranda yet? If not run out and buy it now! Pictured on the front is a French house that was once a ruin. Why couldn't someone have discovered America sooner than 1492 so we could have a few ruins? I wouldn't mind living in a stone ruin, who cares about a little rubble when it looks this fabulous? If I can live in an 18th century dwelling with all it's quirks a little ruin is nothing!

(All photos courtesy Veranda, photographer: Peter Vitale)

Look at the inside guest patio, those 15th century curved stone arches, that antique tile floor'''now I ask you who wouldn't be happy there?

The house was originally built in the 11th century and added onto each century. The kitchen area dates to the 17th century, love how they simply plastered over the arches. Just think if I could afford that house I wouldn't have to cook except when I wanted to.

The chairs in the Renaissance hall look to be covered in tapestry that more than likely came from Michel Biehns' shop since he deals in textiles of all sorts. As an antique textile dealer myself it's killing me I can't see those chairs closer. And look at those pillows in the background hiding from me!

I could sleep in this master bedroom all draped in Italian silks. That pillow on the bed is antique Italian silk velvet, why don't they just shoot me now? One of my passions is Italian silk velvets, I'm a collector as well as deal in velvets and I can't see that pillow well. I NEED TO SEE THAT PILLOW!

Can you believe this is the dressing room? I wonder if it's up those stairs pictured in the master bedroom? I love how they're storing their hats in the French laundry baskets and look at that dreamy mirror, love the juxtaposition between the gilded mirror and straw baskets. Look at the baskets on top of the closets, they give you a sense of the height in the room.

The 17th century staircase is original to the house and was restored, think of the entrance you would make coming down those stairs! Love the huge picture at the top too!

All the silk fabrics just in this small dining room come from Antico Setificio Fiorentino in Florence Italy and can be found Here. Those sconces and chandelier are to die for! And those chairs....come to Mama! They're in that French Parisian green I love so much!
I love how they used a nice mix of highs and lows of antiques and modern furniture so that nothing overwhelms, tough to achieve. I wish someone would come out with a magazine that shows all the accessories that decorate rooms so we could see more clearly....not to be I guess. I won't spoil the entire article for you but I couldn't resist, who wouldn't want to live in France in all that history?

Amazingly beautiful top. I love the layers and the thin textile, the summer breeze can easily blow through. It's from Pure and Simple and you can see more of their sweet clothes here.

Italian, 16th Century, cut and voided silk velvet from Genoa Standing in at 26" x 20"
In case some of you don't know I'm an antique textile dealer, I deal mainly in 15^th '18^th century European textiles and I make pillows out of fragments. Sometimes I get pieces in that are to big for a single pillow and I never cut pieces that are in mint to near mint condition. If they're too small to make a hanging I mount them on a stretcher frame so they can be hung for display. Sometimes once mounted they don't stand out or have as much presence as I think they should have so I give them the presence I feel they need. Hence the project!

I just happened to have purchase a 19^th century antique frame a couple of years ago and have never found anything to place in it, the frame measures 52' x 45' so it's quite considerable in size. The gold gilt is chipped and the gold leaf has tarnish some but I think that just gives it more character. So we're going to blend the two pieces together and make them a perfect pair!
The things that I needed for this project are:
3/8' thick plywood, you want it thick enough so it doesn't have any 'bend' to it
cotton batting, silk velvet fabric, spray tacky glue, staple gun and staples

Mister Man, aka the husband, cut the plywood an eight of an inch shorter all the way around since the cotton batting and silk velvet will be wrapped to the backside and they take up frame space. Next cut a piece of batting to size and spray the plywood with your tacky glue and lay the batting over the plywood smoothing out any wrinkles. I repeated this step again to give a nice plump layer over the plywood. Be sure to wrap the batting over the edges and staple on the backside. Next simply lay your silk velvet over the cotton batting and start stapling the edges on the backside, DO NOT SPRAY GLUE THE SILK VELVET. I started at the top, then bottom and then the sides making sure the fabric was pulled tight but not to tightly and stapled on the backside as I went. Trim up the edges but not to short, insert your board into the frame and use small nail brads to secure into the frame.

Next it's time to wire the backside of my frame for hanging. (I didn't cover the backside of my frame because the only thing I was out of was brown craft paper.) Since this frame is heavy and large I thought it best to support the bottom so I used four screw eyes for wiring up my frame. As shown I ran the hanging wire all the way around looping it through the screw eyes twice for added security. Make sure your wire is rated for the weight of your frame.

Next it's time to hang my frame and set up this very blank wall in my studio. When hanging something of size and weight you want to make sure you use two hangers and make sure they're nailed into studs. Studs can be found by measuring from a corner over every 16'. Lets make this wall come alive!

Up goes my frame centered on the wall.

So my frame isn't floating on that wall alone up go a pair of mounted circa 1600 Florentine silk velvet panels. The silk velvet on those panels is very cool, the design is done in REAL silver thread and the design is huge mainly because this fabric would have been used in place of wallpaper. Yes, this very expensive fabric covered walls!

Since I want to temporarily hang the mounted silk velvet in the center of my frame I had to come up with an idea....safety pin anyone? I simply inserted a safety pin upside down into my padded velvet and the board behind balances and keeps the pin in place. Next I just hung the mounted piece wire on its backside from the head of the safety pin, I created a hook of sorts.

Yep, works like a charm and it's easily removable since the frame isn't for sale. See, the mounted silk velvet looks like it's floating in the middle of that big frame.

Finish off with a few accessories and a little greenery and VOILE! (Click on the picture if you would like to see bigger)

So what do you think of my little project, did I give my mounted piece more presence?
One wall completed now to decorate the rest of my studio but before I do that perhaps I should take you backwards in time and start from the beginning on how my studio came to be....

French silk tassels, left is 18th century with chipped gilt header, the right 17th century
I thought I would show you one of the items I collect and being an antique textile dealer with a love of anything European this item was a natural for me, the tassel. Textiles sometimes come to me bearing only one tassel the other long lost through the ages. Since items look lopsided with only one tassel attached it wasn't long before I had a collection.

Tassels have a long and varied history, Jesus had tassels called Tzitzit, like the one above, on the four corners of his garment or shawl. While Charles X, King of France, 1824-30, wore tassels as an embellishment.

Array of 18th and 19th century silk and metal tassels
Who could resist them with their pure silk and metal thread that has been turned, trimmed and knotted onto gilt wooden headers. Amass they can really make a decorative statement!

18th century French wool tapestry pillow
It wasn't long before anything depicting a tassel was catching my eye. Tassels have been woven into tapestries.... (love this orange!)

c arved from wood'''

French, 19th century silk trimmings
used as trimmings....

used as art work, my tassel board holding assorted tassels within an antique frame.

17th century French tassels
Most of these elaborate artistic tassels can be assumed to be French since the French widely exported their trimmings and tassels known as 'Passementerie' at a very low cost that no other nation ever developed a 'trimmings' industry. Both American and European artists, who charge up to $1000 for a single handmade tassel, are now copying antique tassels.

18th century French silk trims
My tassel habit became so bad I needed more of a fix that led me to fringes! Fringes with silk, fringes with metal thread, and of course fringes with tassels!

French 16th, 17th and 18th century tassels
The quintessential piece of artwork!

L' Art de la Passementerie here
Two wonderful books, written in French, all about the art of trimmings.

La Passementerie here
Now it's your turn, what do you collect?

Have you ever walked into someone's home and wondered about their objets d'art? Objet d'art is defined as something decorative, an object of some artistic value. Henry David Thoreau once said ' There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it and no happiness in any place except what you bring to it yourself.' I wonder if he was envisioning my home, looking at my objets d'art when he said this?
As I was sitting in my studio stitching away I briefly looked up and had to smile at a beloved treasure. I think we've all done that, purchased an item simply because they make us smile. Louis is such an object, he's a 17th century French wig last for making wigs. The top of the woodenhead is covered in layer upon layer of vellum paper for sizing a person's head. Big head more paper, you get the idea. Balanced upon coverless French book inserts Louis hangs about holding a beautiful antique French crown in regal splendor
Perhaps it's because of the type of job I have, antique textile dealer that I'm around and see more antiques than my fair share. Mainly because my dealers deal in more than just textiles and are always showing me items that don't relate to my business in hopes of a sale. Being female this appeals to me greatly. Plus having an artistic side let alone not being able to help myself I end up with what I think are rather amazing things decorating my home.

Meet Henri, he stands about like a sentry on duty presiding over my pillows. He's an 18th century child's clothing mannequin straight from France. His body is stuffed with horsehair and wrapped in burlap, I love the stitching up the front of him in French waxed string. Sometimes I dress him up in something old, do we ever grow tired of playing dress up?
Objects add so much life to our rooms and antiques bring history, an artful intrigue. Imagine a room devoid of our decorative objects, a room with just furniture, it doesn't look finished. Our objects are what keep our eyes moving, what makes it interesting. As I sit here in my studio I notice I have several human form objects, what is it about the human form we try to bring into our rooms? My guess is the human form finishes off a room the same way living people do.

Kay O'Toole has several mannequins, above and below, in the form of a Mexican Santos and garden statue enlivening her hall bringing it to life. Ms. O'Toole's shop is called 'Antiques and Eccentricities for all the weird things she's drawn to' but are they weird or comforting? Photo courtsey March, 2010Veranda magazine.

Katie Stassi Here used a mannequin near a French daybed, her philosophy is her interiors are ' defined not designed'. So do our objects define a space as well as decorate?

Alain and Brigitte Garnier incorporated a French mannequin artfully into their lives in their Belgium home. Photo courtesy of Cote de Texas Here
Antiques, accessories, objects all tell a story whether about the room they inhabit or the people who purchase them, they bring a room to life. So whether you're using mannequins, Santos or statues for accessorizing your home incorporating a human form adds a touch of life and intrigue into a room. Or if you're like me you spend way too much time alone and have made inanimate objects your friends'.lol.

Since I mentioned in my last post that I was both a collector and antique textile dealer and my passion was Italian silk velvets I've received some lovely emails asking me to SHOW YOU'. since you've all asked so very nicely how could I resist sharing.
It was the Chinese who first unraveled a cocoon thousands of years ago to make silk. It was the Spanish and Italians who elevated silk velvets into some of the most luxurious works of art. Velvets were among the most highly prized and most expensive luxury fabrics of the Renaissance. (Be sure to click on the picture to bring it up bigger for viewing. )

Italian, circa 1450, Ferronerie velvet with pomegranate design, green being one of the most rare of colors. Ferronerie velvet: curved, linear woven patterns reminiscent of decorative wrought-iron work.

Italian, 1540, brocaded/voided silk velvet featuring an ogival pattern of branches with a central pomegranate motif. The flowers, pomegranates and leaves are further embellished with boucle, a heavy gold metal thread pulled up to form loops. Due to cost by the turn of the 17th century raised metal boucle work had disappeared into history forever.

Circa 1580 Italian symmetrical "candelabra" pattern of alto-e-basso or pile-on-pile of silk cut velvet. Called "candelabra" pattern due to the many branches in the design. Pile-on-pile refers to two layers of threads, one higher than the other. Alto-e-basso is Italian meaning high and low.

Florentine circa 1600 cut voided pile-on-pile velvet with an extremely large flower motif brocaded in real silver metal thread. Because of the large floral design this was more than likely made for wall covering. All those light colored areas is actually the silver thread.
The next four velvets were all woven in Genoa Italy around 1600 all being cut voided velvet. Voided velvet: when areas of the ground are left free of pile. Since projecting pile-required quantities of silk thread, voided velvet was less expensive to manufacture than solid-pile velvet or brocaded velvet.

with silver metal thread ground, brocaded velvet

Two toned green and red pile with tabby ground

Small patterned velvet with strawberries

Velvet design embroidered with gold metal thread

17th century Italian purple voided silk velvet on a gold ground
The firm of Maison Hamot in France and a manufacturer of Krefeld, Germany both in the 19th century perfected the art of copying silk velvet designs. The next two silk velvets are such examples both being of Byzantine designs. The third design is being of a 16th century design.

11th Byzantine design from Maison Hamot

Byzantine design from Krefeld

19th century Italian of a 16th century design, Maison Hamot

19th century stamped velvet produced by impressing a design into the pile with a steel tool.

16th century Spanish silk velvet fabric with applied appliqu' design
These velvets are prized today by both collectors and museums because they're no longer produced due to the fact they're extremely labor intensive to make and the cost to produce them is astronomical. I bet you didn't realize there were so many different types of velvets produced? Busy little worms huh? I'll tell you the truth here I keep more then I sell of these lovelies since I can't help myself. They cost a bloody fortune but if you see anything you like and want just ask but be willing to give up an arm, leg and your first born for it. I hope you've enjoyed our little trip through the ages of silk velvets.