Showing results for "Textiles" in All Categories

The story of humanity is the story of textiles - as old as civilization itself. Since the first thread was spun, the need for textiles has driven technology, business, politics, and culture. In The Fabric of Civilization, Virginia Postrel synthesizes groundbreaking research from archaeology, economics, and science to reveal a surprising history. From Minoans exporting wool colored with precious purple dye to Egypt, to Romans arrayed in costly Chinese silk, the cloth trade paved the crossroads of the ancient world.

Twenty thousand years ago, women were making and wearing the first clothing created from spun fibers. In fact, right up to the Industrial Revolution the fiber arts were an enormous economic force, belonging primarily to women. Despite the great toil required in making cloth and clothing, most books on ancient history and economics have no information on them. Much of this gap results from the extreme perishability of what women produced, but it seems clear that until now descriptions of prehistoric and early historic cultures have omitted virtually half the picture.

From colorful 30,000-year-old threads found on the floor of a Georgian cave to the Indian calicoes that sparked the Industrial Revolution, The Golden Thread weaves an illuminating story of human ingenuity. Design journalist Kassia St. Clair guides us through the technological advancements and cultural customs that would redefine human civilization - from the fabric that allowed mankind to achieve extraordinary things (traverse the oceans and shatter athletic records) and survive in unlikely places (outer space and the South Pole).

There is a major disconnect between what we wear and our knowledge of its impact on land, air, water, labor, and human health. Even those who value access to safe, local, nutritious food have largely overlooked the production of fiber, dyes, and the chemistry that forms the backbone of modern textile production. While humans are 100 percent reliant on their second skin, it’s common to think little about the biological and human cultural context from which our clothing derives.

Step into the vibrant world of "The Art of Thread Painting," where each page turns into a tapestry of color and imagination. This riveting eBook invites crafters, aspiring artists, and seasoned embroiderers alike into a universe where fabric becomes canvas, and thread transforms into strokes of paint. Imagine threading your needle with the essence of artistic passion, delving into the heart of a craft that dates back to ancient history. As you weave through the sections of this comprehensive guide, uncover the secrets hidden in the subtleties of fabric selection and the whispers of colorful...

Using objects that Americans have saved through the centuries and stories they have passed along, as well as histories teased from documents, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich chronicles the production of cloth—and of history—in early America. Under the singular and brilliant lens that Ulrich brings to this study, ordinary household goods provide the key to a transformed understanding of cultural encounter, frontier war, Revolutionary politics, international commerce, and early industrialization in America.

Versace. The very name conjures up images of outrageous glamour and bold sexuality, opulence and daring. All of course true, but only half the story. Versace is also the legacy of a great creative genius from a poor, backward part of southern Italy who transformed the fashion world through his intuitive understanding of both women and how a changing culture influenced the way they wanted to dress. House of Versace shows how Gianni Versace, with his flamboyant sister Donatella at his side, combined his virtuosic talent and extraordinary ambition to help create celebrity culture.

The Psychology of Fashion offers an insightful introduction to the exciting and dynamic world of fashion in relation to human behaviour, from how clothing can affect our cognitive processes to the way retail environments manipulate consumer behaviour. The book explores how fashion design can impact healthy body image, how psychology can inform a more sustainable perspective on the production and disposal of clothing, and why we develop certain shopping behaviours.

Embark on a captivating journey through the threads of time with "Weaving Through History," the enthralling eBook that entwines the rich tapestry of our past with the fibers of our cultural fabric. Delve deep into an odyssey that spans across global civilizations, unraveling the pivotal role textiles have played in shaping our world. As you turn the virtual pages of this comprehensive exploration, you will discover the profound influence that textiles have exerted on society—from defining cultural identity to dictating economic fate. Each chapter meticulously interlaces historical ...

Bestselling author Victoria Finlay spins us round the globe, weaving stories of our relationship with cloth and asking how and why people through the ages have made it, worn it, invented it and made symbols out of it. And sometimes why they have fought for it. She beats the inner bark of trees into cloth in Papua New Guinea, fails to handspin cotton in Guatemala, visits tweed weavers at their homes in Harris, and has lessons in patchwork-making in Gee's Bend, Alabama—where in the 1930s, deprived of almost everything they owned, a community of women turned quilting into an art form.

This podcast is for craft and textile enthusiasts all around the world. We're constantly adding great interviews with textile artists, tutors and retailers plus a little advice on our own distance study courses in craft and much more. The School of Stitched Textiles is the largest UK provider of City & Guilds Accredited Textile based distance learning courses. You can find out site at https://www.sofst.org/. We also host the Stitch Directory, which showcases independent craft retailers and suppliers from around the world https://www.sofst.org/stitch-directory/.

From the political propaganda of the Bayeux Tapestry, World War I soldiers coping with PTSD, and the maps sewn by schoolgirls in the New World, to the AIDS quilt, Hmong story clothes, and pink pussyhats, women and men have used the language of sewing to make their voices heard, even in the most desperate of circumstances. Threads of Life is a chronicle of identity, protest, memory, power, and politics told through the stories of needlework.

Many of us are aware of the ethical minefield that is fast fashion: the dodgy labor practices, the lax environmental standards, and the mountains of waste piling up on the shores of developing countries. But have you stopped to consider the dangerous effects your clothes are having on your own health? Award-winning journalist Alden Wicker breaks open a story hiding in plain sight: the unregulated toxic chemicals that are likely in your wardrobe right now, how they’re harming you, and what you can do about it.

Author Carol F. Karlsen reveals the social construction of witchcraft in 17th-century New England and illuminates the larger contours of gender relations in that society and attempts to answer the question why some women were vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft and possession.

Brimming with rich, electrifying tales of the precious dye and its ancient heritage, Indigo is also the story of a personal quest: Catherine McKinley is the descendant of a clan of Scots who wore indigo tartan; Jewish "rag traders"; a Massachusetts textile factory owner; and African slaves - her ancestors were traded along the same Saharan routes as indigo, where a length of blue cotton could purchase human life.

Embark on a journey into the enchanting world of textiles with "Warp and Weft Wonders," your comprehensive guide to the timeless craft of weaving. Whether you're a novice entranced by the rhythm of the loom, or a seasoned weaver seeking to broaden your tapestry of skills, this cutting-edge eBook ushers you into a haven of creativity and innovation in the art of interlacing threads. Dive into 'Discovering the Loom,' the first chapter, which seamlessly introduces you to the essential weaving tools, setting the stage for a flourishing weaving practice. Greet each chapter with anticipation as ...

Since man first walked the Earth...in heels, no other art form has wielded as unique an influence on pop culture as drag. Drag artists have now sashayed their way to snatch the crowns as the queens of mainstream entertainment. Through informative and witty essays chronicling over 100 years of drag, listeners will embark on a Priscilla-like journey through pop culture, from television shows like Bosom Buddies and RuPaul's Drag Race, to films like Some Like It Hot and Tootsie, and Broadway shows like Hedwig and the Angry Inch....

When a vulnerable young mother takes a new job in another city, she gets ensnared in a hedonistic lifestyle. Excerpts: - - - “Two coffees, please. Make it quick and don't bother taking time with the change.” “Reese, is that you?” A strikingly handsome middle-aged man approached and stood behind her in the line. “Oh my God! Derek, what are you doing here?” “Grabbing a quick coffee the same as you. You're naked.” “I know.” “You need a ride or something?” “No. I'm here with my friend Cat. She's waiting in the car for my quick getaway.” I saw him wave at me. I waved ...

Each chapter of Lessons from Madame Chic reveals a valuable secret Jennifer learned in Paris - tips you can incorporate into your own life, no matter where you live or the size of your budget. Embracing the classically French aesthetic of quality over quantity, aspiring Parisiennes will learn to master the art of eating (deprive yourself not), dressing (the 10-item wardrobe), grooming (le no-makeup look), and living à la française.

Throughout history, across cultures and countries, silk has reigned as the undeniable queen of fabrics, yet its origins and evolution remain a mystery. In a gorgeous and sweeping narrative, Silk weaves together its intricate story and the indelible mark it has left on humanity.