Includes bibliographical references (pages 478-494) and index.
Contents:
Introduction -- Some words before we start -- Barkcloth -- Tapa -- Cotton -- Wool -- Tweed -- Pasmina -- Sackcloth -- Linen -- Silk -- Imagined fabrics -- Patchwork -- Epilogue: the tacking stitch.
Summary:
From our earliest ancestors to babies born today, fabric is a necessary part of our everyday lives, but it's also an opportunity for creativity, symbolism, culture and connection. Traveling across the world and bringing history to life, bestselling author Victoria Finlay investigates how and why people have made and used cloth. A century ago in Wales, women would sew their own funeral clothes over tea with friends. In Papua New Guinea, bark is stripped from trees and beaten into cloth. Harris Tweed has a particular smell, while Guatemalan weavers use dazzling colors. Uncovering the stories of the fabrics people wear and use from sacking to silk, Fabric combines science, history, tradition and art in a captivating exploration of how we live, work, craft and care.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.