Review: The Fabric of Civilization – How Textiles Made the World by Virginia Postrel

Apr 7, 2021Apr 7, 2021 toomanystitches2 Comments

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Some books manage to demand you read every page of them and this week’s review is for one such text. Fancy figuring out the secrets of Machiavelli’s childhood and how textiles shaped his plays and thinking? Eager to find out just how hard it is to knit a 3D bunny on a machine? Read on – this is the text for you!

Review: This Golden Fleece

May 27, 2020May 25, 2020 toomanystitches7 Comments

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Review: Threads of Life

Apr 1, 2020Mar 31, 2020 toomanystitches6 Comments

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links meaning if you purchase the book through these links, I receive a small commission that contributes to the running costs of the blog. However, any recommendations and opinions in this review are my own. For more information, please click here.

Art? Handicraft? Women’s work? What is needlework to you? To Clare Hunter, needlework is not just a decorative frivolity but true skilled labour and a means of telling the stories of the individuals, countries and historical periods. To her, the act of sewing is to secure and trap out personal memories in thread and fabric. ‘Threads of Life: A History of the World Through the Eye of a Needle’ is Clare Hunter’s exploration of the oft-forgotten tales of the accomplished hands that created many different textile pieces, lost and preserved, and the political and social environments surrounding their work.

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Swiss Tour IV – Käse, Museums and Wollelade

Nov 6, 2019Nov 3, 2019 toomanystitches2 Comments

As well as the wonderful local architecture and the delightful Museum Appenzell, there is another historical textile treat outside of the main village, the Appenzeller Volkskunde-Museum, which also affords you the opportunity to enjoy the local, rolling hills and scenery. This is the folk museum dedicated to the local working culture and heritage.

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Lyon, ville de soie

Jul 31, 2019Jul 22, 2019 toomanystitches2 Comments

Lyon, to me, is one of the gems of France. It is deservedly famous for the local cuisine, the beauty of the preserved old city, now a UNESCO world heritage site and, even better, for being the historical and modern home of some of the most beautiful silk weaving ever to grace this earth. astitchornine (2)

Catching a Break

Jul 17, 2019Jul 14, 2019 toomanystitches5 Comments

I think I should be very careful about ever complaining about have a few too many demands on my time on my blog again…. Apparently, life decided to take that as something of a challenge and pile things on to an extent that definitely crossed the ridiculous threshold and in a way that will also mean lots of big changes up ahead… Just when I was thinking of getting a bit settled!

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The Wooly Haven of Kiel, Germany

Mar 13, 2019Mar 9, 2019 toomanystitches7 Comments

Kiel is a charming city in the north of Germany, only about an hour and half from Denmark, with plenty of beautiful waterfronts. Maybe inspired by the slightly… brisk weather during the winter though, it also seems to be home to a surprising amount of spinning, weaving and wooly goodness.

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Review: The Golden Thread

Feb 27, 2019Feb 24, 2019 toomanystitches8 Comments

It was always going to be a challenge to dislike to a book that starts with the sentence ‘I am assuming here, Dear Reader, that you are not naked’. It was also always going to be a challenge to dislike any book that promised an adventure through our textile past, present and future.

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Textilmuseum St. Gallen

Feb 6, 2019Feb 3, 2019 toomanystitches6 Comments

Given the historical importance of textiles to the town and its interest in trying to preserve as much of its history as possible, it probably comes as no surprise that St Gallen has a wonderful museum dedicated to textiles with regularly changing exhibitions if you’re lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend regularly.

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Visiting St. Gallen, Switzerland

Jan 30, 2019Jan 23, 2019 toomanystitches6 Comments

My first adventure of 2019 was to St Gallen, a Swiss town famous for its bustling textile trade and, if you want to be fair to all the official Swiss languages, otherwise known as Sankt Gallen/Saint-Gall/San Gallo/Son Gagl. As you might guess, its history in the embroidery, lacemaking and fashion industries has left a footprint of the city of great interest to anyone with a passing interest in textiles, crafts and art and this charming little place has plenty more feasts for the eyes as well.

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