Weekend Review: Worn

 

Worn: A People's History of Clothing / Sofi Thanhauser
NY: Pantheon, c2022.
304 p.

When I recently read and reviewed The Fabric of Civilization recently (which I enjoyed) I also asked readers for suggestions for a similar book that would cover more than European history. Reader M-C recommended this title, and they were spot on with this one. I loved this fascinating book! 

The book is also a history of textiles, but focused more on how textiles both influenced and were influenced by fashion & the norms of varied civilizations. It is sorted into five general sections, organized as: Linen, Cotton, Silk, Synthetics, Wool. In each of these areas, Thanhauser delves into the history of each as a fibre, and then moves on to discuss the effects of each on social structures. She talks about colonialism, trade, environmental issues, slavery, poverty, exploitation, and many areas that might not seem obvious at first glance. It feels like she was determined to explore as many of the threads of these stories as possible. 

It was well told, too -- the narrative was easy to follow and compelling to read. She is a writer and essayist, and a professor of writing, so the style and the actual writing are smooth, letting the story shine. She knows how to develop a scene, with memorable detail and lots of human interest. I never felt that I was reading a dry history, but more one that affects us every day, and she is able to show that through the details she highlights. 

And she brings this right up to the present - the exploitation and damage done by many of these textile industries is still going on, from Uyghur slavery to produce cotton in China to laissez-faire use of pesticides affecting migrant workers in Texas. And we all know about the flaws in the fast fashion system. 

This is a great read. It will inform you, and engage you, and you'll learn a lot from it no matter how many of these kinds of books you've already read. I liked the balanced approach, and the wide spread of content covering experiences in all areas of the world. Definitely a great choice for this subject area. 

Weekend Review: Women's Work

Women's Work / Elizabeth Wayland Barber
NY: Norton, c1994.
334 p.

As I read the book that I talked about last week, I kept thinking about this book, which I read many years ago. I realized I'd never shared it here! So I have reread it, well, skimmed through it again and reread the parts I was most interested in ;) 

It's similar in some ways to the new book I just read, even if the focus is a bit different. Women's Work is really focused on textiles in the historical record, and how work with and on textiles was generally assigned to women. Barber shows that the role of textiles in women's lives was varied, but that one way or another, most women had something to do with the production of textiles in the ancient world and forward. 

She covers Neolithic uses of fibre -- from early thread making to later weaving and tapestry in Classical Greece and beyond. The focus is on mostly European or well-studied cultures like Egypt, middle Europe, and Greece. The range is limited to that historical context and doesn't move into later developments; it really is about the early years of textile work. 

It's the kind of fascinating book I enjoy, taking elements of social history, archeology, mythology, ethnography, and practical experience, and tracing developments using all these tools. It's a trail which follows the curiosity of the author, who herself learned to weave at a young age, which helped her to identify objects and the meaning of varied finds in the historical record. As an academic, she saw the connections which earlier (mostly male) researchers had missed: as she says, "it's hard to see what's not there" unless you know it should be there in the first place. This practical knowledge of weaving and cloth production helped her to interpret Egyptian friezes, understand early migration of technology and people, and identify simple things like why there would be a line of stones in a straight line at a dig (loom weights). 

There is one story she shares at the beginning of the book of trying to replicate a cloth from a shred found in an excavation of an early Celtic settlement -- it was a small piece and as she warped and wove her sample she realized that it was difficult because she'd mixed the process up -- her warp really should have been the weft and if she'd done it that way it would have made sense right away, both numerically and in ease of creation. It was neat to see that hands-on experimentation suddenly brought new understanding of the culture that had made that original scrap.

There are lots of great tidbits in this book, and although it is an older book now, still lots that is entertaining and informative. It makes me want to read a lot more on the subject now that there is so much more being published. Postrel's The Fabric of Civilization, which I just read, takes this story further in time, and focuses on some of the mathematical elements of weaving; The Subversive Stitch by Rozsika Parker, another older read, looks at the role of stitching or embellishing the cloth rather than weaving it but has a similar female focus. And there are many more to look at. However, as one of the original studies of cloth and women's lives, this is still a solid read with a scholarly thoroughness. I'd love to read something like this that focuses on Africa, Asia or South America, all areas that aren't covered here. If anybody knows of a specific title, please share! 

Weekend Review: The Fabric Of Civilization

 

The Fabric of Civilization / Virginia Postrel
NY: Basic Books, c2020
320 p.

This book is an overview of fabric and the ways in which it has shaped the development of civilization, whether that's related to trade, economics, social classes, gender relations, arts, history or another facet of life.

It reminds me of both Kassia St. Clair's The Golden Thread and Elizabeth Wayland Barber's Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times. She is taking a look at textiles across history, as the original tech, and notes that because textiles are so abundant we have "textile amnesia", forgetting their vital role in so many areas of life. She aims to change that. 

The book is broken up into thematic sections: Fiber, Thread, Cloth, Dye, Traders, Consumers & Innovators. It's mostly told in a conversational tone, with lots of illustrative anecdotes that make it a fun read. Some of the sections are a little technical/dry (especially the weaving ones) but overall it's informative and engaging reading. 

She illustrates how textiles, and the artisans who made and worked with textiles, shaped the world in many ways. I knew about binary code's source in weaving, but didn't know about the other elements of arcane mathematics that were created by weavers designing patterns. It was fascinating! There was discussion of the cloth trade across Europe and how those traders developed into some of the first banks and introduced techniques of book-keeping, also something new for me to learn. And the discussion of Italian silk manufacture and all the people involved in it -- including women as masters -- was really memorable.

I enjoyed the stories, and the commentary on textile words that are a part of our languages now. There are a few caveats about the book; it is really Europe focused, and some of the more distasteful aspects of textile history are skimmed over without much commentary -- ie: the use of slavery in the textile world, or aspects of cultural theft when looking at silk and weaving. However, it does give a wide view across many centuries of many other elements of textile history, manufacture, and its potential for the future. Recommended for anyone interested in how textiles have a core role in world history and in the tech world in many ways. It's a readable look at this topic, a great starter for further deep dives into any of the specific chapters or subjects that really speak to you. 

The author has even made a playlist to go along with this book on youtube, featuring 12 short videos on various themes from the book. Some are very short, so it's easy to view a few! 

Weekend Review: Threads of Life

 

Threads of Life / Clare Hunter
NY: Abrams, c2019
306 p.

Another intriguing book on the history of stitching this week! And by another Clare. Lots of sewing and needlework enthusiasts in the UK it seems, and this book is by a Scottish writer, Clare Hunter, who has been involved in community textile projects for over 20 years.

The book looks at needlework from many different angles, in 16 chapters loosely arranged by theme -- identity, community, power, protest, art, and place, for example. In each she ranges between cultures and examples of needlework that has lasted either as a physical object or a set of techniques and traditions that are passed down. 

If you are an aficionado of textile history there won't be a lot that is new to you here, though. She covers the Bayeux Tapestry, Chilean arpilleras, folk embroidery, Hmong story cloths, and other histories that many textile art readers will know of. There are elements of other things stirred in, sometimes quite randomly, and there are many interesting highlights. The writing style is generally clear and readable, sometimes going into small flights of fancy writing, embellishing the themes. 

I found it an interesting read, making the point that primarily female embroiderers have been creating in a domestic sphere for eons, and that much of their output has been anonymous, their input undervalued. Even the stitchers of the Bayeux tapestry are unknown. Talking about how stitching is a huge part of economies and history, even while those doing it are treated like disposable cogs, is really important even now considering the fashion world. 

The flaws are mainly down to the publisher, in my view. There could have been more substantive editing going on, as there are some factual errors. There is confusion in the chapter on the Bayeux tapestry, erroneously attributing a nephew of the king as a son, a pretty major problem when the lack of succession was a key element of the battles. And my personal bugaboo, she refers to "the" Ukraine repeatedly; it is just "Ukraine". 

The lack of images in a book about a visual art is also slightly disappointing. There is a list of websites to visit at the end of the book, which will show you many images of the things she discusses in the book. But even a centre insert with some colour photos of some of the items would have added a great deal to the reading. 

This is a relatively short overview, a popular history, and so it can't go into vast detail on everything connected with needlework -- that would be a rather impossible feat. The focus in mainly on Western history, and it moves from far past to contemporary uses of needlework like Craftivism and the kind of political stitching that the author herself has been involved with for years. She has led banner making efforts for many causes, and started a Glasgow based community enterprise called NeedleWorks in the mid-80s. So her own stories of stitching and its place in her life are woven into this history, making the memoir element and her own slant on this topic clear. Some readers weren't keen on that -- I found it natural and appealing. 

Another interesting fact about this book is that it inspired Maria Grazia Chiuri of Dior in her creation of the Fall/Winter 2021-2022 collection. I think this is fascinating! You can watch the clip of her talking about it, and Clare Hunter talking about the book, below. If you like this, pop over to the Dior channel on YouTube and you can watch a whole series of short videos about this collection, including the show itself. 

 

As you can probably tell, I liked this book and found it engaging, even with a few caveats. I think anyone with an interest in this topic, especially if it's kind of new to the reader, will find it illuminating. The bibliography is also great, and a wonderful starting point if one particular area strikes your fancy. I'd say this one would make an appealing Xmas gift, wrapped up with an embroidery kit, perhaps! Definitely one that can be read in bits without losing the plot.

Weekend Review: Fibershed

 

Fibershed
Rebecca Burgess & Courtney White
White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing, c2019
281 p.

I picked up this book at my library and read it over one day. It was fascinating! Written by the founder of the Fibershed movement, it explains what a Fibershed is, and how it works, explaining along the way about sustainable agriculture, the false promise of synthetic fibres, and how a regional system of production helps fight fast fashion, climate change and precarious industries. 

So what is a Fibershed? It's a place-based textile system, as she says in the introduction:

Similar to a local watershed or a foodshed, a fibershed is focused on the source of the raw material, the transparency with which it is converted into clothing, and the connectivity among all parts, from soil to skin and back to soil... It is place-based textile sovereignty, which aims to include rather than exclude all the people, plants, animals, and cultural practices that compose and define a specific geography.

She introduces us to her own background, and the organization itself. She talks about natural dyeing, and her journey to farming her own indigo as well as other natural dyers in the area (really fascinating!) There are also featured farmers who raise specific breeds of sheep that are best for the microclimate their farm is in;  and a cotton farmer, Sally Fox, who breeds and grows naturally coloured cotton -- did you know that cotton grows in colours other than white? I didn't! 

There is talk about local mills (few and far between), how growing different kinds of fiber crops like flax, hemp or even nettle can work as regenerative agriculture and increase the ability of the soil to sequester carbon -- a very in depth and illuminating chapter that digs into the facts and felt really outside my knowledge and experience. From animal fibres to plant fibres, from the growers to the processors, to dyers, weavers, knitters, and sewists, she moves from the source to the end product and shows how and why it's important.

And then shares a bit about the organization and how it works with other groups interested in the same things, and how this might be replicated (they even have an affiliate system).

It's a great read, illuminating and inspiring. I felt hopeful when I was done, and very intrigued by all the information about local producers in her Fibershed, leading me to wonder about my own region. Fortunately for me, there is an affiliate Fibreshed group in my area, the Upper Canada Fibreshed! 

If this kind of thing interests you, be sure to give this book and their website a look. It's encouraging and brings up a wide range of subjects all connected to a new Textile Economy. 

Retro Montreal Museum Visits

Hey all! I've been doing a spot of spring cleaning, digital and otherwise, and have just discovered a stash of great photos that I took last August in Montreal, thinking of all my sewing friends -- but then forgot to share here. Let me remedy that! Please join me for a retroactive tour of the Museum of Costumes & Textiles of Montreal.

On my summer getaway, I made sure to schedule in a trip to this small museum in the basement level of the Marche Bonsecours, conveniently right in Old Montreal. It really is small, and only takes a short visit to see everything - which is great when you're holidaying and trying to fit everything in! The exhibits are always changing, and it's so worth a stop if you're in Montreal.

Anyhow, when I was there, the exhibit was "Leitmotifs", about pattern. You've got to click over to see the image of the "tie chandelier" at the begining;  I didn't get a picture of it myself, but it was visually stunning.  I really enjoyed it - the writeups for some of the pieces were informative and quite fascinating too.

Without further ado, here are some of the dresses I just had to record for posterity.

Just so pretty

Front of a modern-looking dress

And the back - this shows the more 50s details

I finally saw a real live DVF wrap dress!

Pretty in pink...well, more coral-ish

Love the sleeve ruching & look at that bust dart

Great use of the stripe in this full skirt

This sleeve detail was interesting - gathered drape at the underarm!

Cute ruffle!

And interesting story behind this polka dotted dress

Like the use of lace and gingham, but hard to photograph

Lovely 40s silhouette & fabric

Fantastic shirtdress

A closer look

And look -- novelty fabrics were a hit then, too!

One of my favourites - so elegant

All those self-fabric belts. And this charming fabric

I love this 'cape' effect. Couldn't get close enough to figure out how it was done

Thought this funky 60s tunic & pant was great!

I hope you've enjoyed the tour -- be sure to visit this cute little museum yourself if you're in Montreal. The Marche Bonsecours is also a centre for Quebec designers so you may see some of their new fashions in the boutiques there too.

Weaving Sewing into Vacation Time

I have just had a few days vacation, and went away for a couple of them. During my quick getaway, I ended up seeing a lot of sewing related goodness by chance! We stopped in at the Bethune Memorial House in Gravenhurst, Ontario -- the spot where Norman Bethune was born -- and the house is set up in a period fashion. Imagine my surprise to see the sewing machine and sewing box set up in the dining room area:

There were also some beautiful textiles on display, look at that quilt, and crocheted spread, and lovely embroidered garments. You can't quite see the candlewicking on the pillows, but it was really nice.

There was also a quilt made by Chinese and Canadian quilters commemorating Bethune's activities but I forgot to take a picture of it! The blocks were made half in China and half in Canada, then quilted by a local group.Very pictorial style.

I also ended up doing some fabric store shopping, rather unintentionally. There was a Fabricland right beside one bookstore that we stopped at, so of course I had to go in. There was another next to a Tim Horton's that was a pit stop on the way home... I ended up coming home with 20 new Simplicity and New Look patterns (all being sold for 99¢, so I didn't hold back...) Most exciting, I finally found a Simplicity 1880 in my size! My local store was sold out of this one long ago.

  

Lots of fun on this holiday, as you can see. There was also some book shopping, museum going and sightseeing, of course, but I loved the bits of fabric and sewing history that got tucked into it all!