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After twenty years as a historic properties manager, museum curator and
administrator, I yearned for work that was more creative and less political.
My grandmother passed to me her appreciation for fine fibers; she strolled
through fabric shop aisles with both hands extended, and only stopped when
something felt "right". By the time I was eight, my mother had taught me a
variety of needle arts, embroidery included. My collection of historic fabrics
and textiles began in high school though its size and scope has changed.
For nearly 20 years I have lived in bungalows, simple and solid early 20th century houses, and collected furnishings to enhance the interiors and porches. I was always reluctant to display historic textiles, for fear of exposing them to bright light, spills, the terrors of everyday life. In 1995 I was fortunate to travel in Scotland, where I visited the Glasgow School of Art. There I learned of the "Glasgow Style" of embroidery, introduced in 1894 by Jessie Newbery, the school's first embroidery instructor. She felt that embroidery should be an art form accessible to all social classes, and encouraged the use of inexpensive materials such as jute, linen, and flannel. The utility of an item was important, since Mrs. Newbery believed embroidery was as appropriate on a cushion cover as on a decorative hanging. Now, more than 100 years after the introduction of "practical creativity" to the art of embroidery, Thistle Handwerks emerges. I hope you enjoy the textures, rich hues, and designs. |
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