Whitework Sampler in the Palazzo Davanzati

There is an Italian whitework sampler in the Palazzo Davanzati Museum collection which haunts me.

I have never seen the whole thing up close as it is displayed all folded up in one of the glass cases in the embroidery and lace room on the first floor.

photo from Merletti a Palazzo Davanzati.

There is a photo of it all opened up in the museum catalogue entitled: Merletti a Palazzo Davanzati - Manifatture europee dal XVI al XX secolo, edited by Marina Carmignani, 1981, page 53. On the preceding page there is a brief paragraph which I will translate here:

33. Italy, end of the XIX - beginning of the XX century
Sampler on white linen of needlework stitches
50 x 70 cm
Inv. Stoffe 1338
G.F.S. 293283
A series of stitches reproduced in the style of the second half of the XVI century: pulled stitches, drawn-thread stitches, reticello, satin stitch embroidery. The sampler is probably 19th century and falls into the vast production inspired by the 16th century Italian pattern books, revived from pattern books by Pagani, Vinciolo and Vecellio, back in vogue between the end of the XIX century and the beginning of the 20th century, of which Aemilia Ars was among the most famous and perfect interpreters.

I take as many photos of it as I can whenever I'm there. I'm totally fascinated by the wide range of work that is on it.

The name Laviniana appears at the top. Who was she? How old was she when she did this? Was it meant as her resume? Perhaps that is not even the stitcher's name, perhaps it means something else? Oh the things I want to know!

Close up photos show a rather rustic work:

But there is also a lot of skill shown on this sampler. Unfortunately my photos of the reticello work are far too blurry to be of use.

There are some religious symbols as well, just under the name:

Is 2213  (or 2211) a bible reference? Why are they upside-down?

... and there are little people in the needle lace:

She has fingers! (click on the image for a closer look)

To study this sampler properly I'd have to brush up on my symbolism and bible study as well as my needlework. I want to see the back of the work. I want to study it with a magnifying glass, with needle and thread in hand. I want detailed close-up macro photos!

Most of all I want to be in Florence at the Palazzo Davanzati!

Openwork Embroidery - New Book!

Surprises in the mail are always welcomed and this time I want to tell you about Anna Castagnetti's latest book on her Ricami a Fili Tesi or Openwork Embroidery.

Progetti Moderni per Ricami a Fili Tesi [Modern Projects for Openwork Embroidery] is packed with fun, colourful projects for you to try your hand at this intriguing style of needlework. I especially like the cover photo which shows a table runner with a fun flowered vine broken up by some lovely hemstitching.

Anna likes to combine traditional techniques like Hedebo, Reticello, Drawn-Thread work and traditional embroidery and simplifying the more complex procedures, she always comes up with attractive designs. In this volume she has added other textile techniques to her projects like quilting!

While this time the text is only in Italian, the photos are clear and concise and you should have little trouble following them:

There are many little motifs to try and this is nice, in case you just want a little taste of something different to add to something you already have on the go.

There are 13 exquisite little flowers, 3 Christmas panels, the table runner from the front cover and 2 purses to keep you going. Stitch diagrams and patterns for assembly of the projects are all included.

This book is a lovely follow-up to her first volume. You can purchase it from Tombolo Disegni, send them an email to order.

Italia Invita - 2011

Though I have told you many things about my trip to the Italia Invita Forum in May 2011 in posts about Puncetto, Deruta Drawn-Threadwork, Ars Panicalensis, and Sicilian Drawn-Threadwork, I didn't really tell you much about the Forum itself.

As my thoughts now turn to the next one coming up May 10 - 12, 2013 in Parma, I have been going over some of the things I saw and did at the Italia Invita Forum in 2011.

The theme for the 2011 Italia Invita Textile Forum was: Herbarium. Each exhibitor was asked to create a "herbal" themed piece using their favourite technique. As always, competitions of this kind produce extraordinary things and the exhibit of entries was fascinating. Here are just a few entries which are all photographed and can be seen in the catalogue:

Pescocostanzo Bobbin Lace. Image from Herbarium Catalogue.

Aemilia Ars Needle Lace. Image from Herbarium Catalogue.

Umbrian Embroidery. Image taken from Herbarium Catalogue.

The umbrella of textile arts this time included weaving, quilting, knitting, crochet, felting and cross stitching added to the original embroidery and lace of years before. This was the 5th biennial event which started in 2003.

The Italia Invita Forum 2011 also coincided with Italy's 150th anniversary celebrations so one of the contests of this Forum was to stitch the flag or use the flag's colours. There was also a contest for quilts! So much to do and see, the Italia Invita Forum was divided over two paddocks, the contest entries in one building and the vendors and textile exhibitors in another.

Others took better photos than I, so if you're ready for some eye-candy, sit back and check out these blogs and personal websites of people that were there:

http://veganormal.blogspot.ca/2011/05/italia-invita-bandiere-ed-erbario.html

http://merlettoadago.blogspot.ca/2011/05/parma-2011.html

http://merlettoadago.blogspot.ca/2011/05/parma-seconda-puntata.html

http://ricamoealtro.blogspot.ca/2011/06/parma1.html

http://ricamoealtro.blogspot.ca/2011/06/parma2.html

http://tomboloealtro.blogspot.ca/2011/05/italia-invita-2011-parma-reportage.html


There were even a couple of YouTube videos produced:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAT32nzEkIo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl0LpXD_8NI&feature=related


This should give you a good idea of what the Italia Invita Forum is like. There were visitors from all over Europe, Japan, North America, Australia. 46 Textile Schools of Italy were represented by stands of their own but there were even more in mini-stands combined with commercial goods in the vendors section. There were 104 vendors including the four event sponsors: DMC; Fratelli Graziano, Juki and HFT-Filomania. The DMC booth had some of their pieces from the 2009 exhibit which were the stitched designs from their old booklets from the beginning of the 20th century. You can see some photos on their Italian blog:
http://www.dmcblog.it/?p=1024
and more detailed photos of the whole DMC collection here: http://www.dmcblog.it/?p=357

Fratelli Graziano had their first weaving loom threaded up with the colours of the Italian flag as they were celebrating their 170th anniversary (check this link for some photos). Overall there were 150 exhibitors. 8,754 people attended the Forum over three days (May 13-15, 2011) attendance was up 14% over 2009. 17 of Italy's 20 regions were represented with local characteristic textile techniques.

I brought a better camera this time (last time my camera mysteriously stopped working the night before the Forum and started working again the day after it was over) but my photos where not great. Even the automatic movement stability feature couldn't stop my shakiness - too much excitement! This is very unfortunate because many exhibitors were kind enough to let me photograph their things. I wish I had good photos to show you but unfortunately I do not.

Some photos did turn out. Gilda Cefariello Grosso creates wonderful things with colourful Pisan Embroidery and wins many awards with her work:

The Italia Invita Forum offered workshops both free and paid. This time I opted for a paid workshop and took an intensive Puncetto course which I told you about here. There were many others I would have liked very much to have taken, 10 in total: embroidery techniques, filet lace, bobbin lace, needle lace, macramè, crochet lace, tassel-making and weaving. Two were Sardinian techniques that I have never before seen classes offered to the public. It was hard for me to choose which course to take but in the end I chose the Puncetto as I had already made some attempts at it and knew that I would like to improve.

From previous experience I knew that the days would be hectic and exhausting but exhilarating as well. Meeting up with old friends and making new ones in an atmosphere where most of us felt like kids in a candy shop makes for an amazing three days. There are meetings and appointments and gatherings where everyone excitedly goes over purchases and experiences. I will be sad to miss the Italia Invita Forum in 2013. Finances will not allow a trip to Italy next year for me, but if you have the chance to go, you should do it!

So far details are scarce on their website but as soon as they can, I know they will announce everything. They do know that those of us who must plan for trips in advance are out here waiting for news!

Check over the other editions to the Forum that I have talked about:

Italia Invita - Part One - 2003

Italia Invita - Part Two - 2005

Italia Invita - Part Three - 2007

Italia Invita - Part Four - 2009

Umbrian Embroidery Revisited - Part One

Way back in this post, I promised to let you know how my experiments with Umbrian Embroidery went. Recently I finally had some time to dedicate to some more experiments. As usual with my experiments, I learned more about what I shouldn't do than what I should, but I show them to you in the spirit of learning.

Instead of using an evenweave fabric, I wanted a more rustic look and chose some lightweight undyed hemp fabric. I made sure to finish the edges on the serger before washing it, and after ironing the whole yard, I discovered that it had not been cut very evenly so I spent quite a bit of time withdrawing threads on the two sides that did not have a selvedge and then serging those two sides again for a more true idea of how much fabric I had (which was a yard in the end). I really like the look and feel of the hemp fabric.

Ok, so now having squared-off my fabric I had some scraps to experiment on. I already knew that I wanted to use the varigated Anchor pearl cotton, 1355 which is a green/blue/yellow combination. But which weight? No. 5 or No. 8?

While I really like the raised texture of the no. 5, it is clearly too heavy to use on this fabric, so no. 8 it is. This little motif uses the Satin stitch, Stem stitch and the Ricciolino stitch which characterizes Umbrian Embroidery.

Off we go! I chose a motif from Giuseppa Federici's lovely book: Punto Umbro o Punto Sorbello which I got last year at the Italia Invita Forum in Parma. I have been dying to try some of the beautiful things in this book.

Giusy has written several books on different Italian needlework techniques and she really knows how to lay out a technical manual. The photos are clear and close-up and there are lots and lots of interesting and attractive patterns to try, all with photos of the items stitched up so you know what the end result will be.

I chose one of the simpler Umbrian Embroidery motifs, transfered the pattern onto the hemp fabric and went to work. It stitches up quickly and while I love tone-on-tone, this thread produces an interesting effect too.

This is one corner of the design which repeats in all four corners of a square:

Now, here's where I took a wrong turn... I am much more comfortable with counted thread embroidery and have a very hard time ignoring the weave of the fabric when doing free-style embroidery. Of course non-evenweave fabrics do not behave like evenweave fabrics and I should have calculated better before beginning my edging.

I really like the edging I experimented with before in this post. I thought I had it all figured out with regard to joining the insertion stitches when connecting two pieces of fabric, and so, when I stitched along my first side of the square of fabric, I assumed that if my stitches were done the same on all four sides, the results would be the same. I tried to execute the edging stitches every three ground fabric threads, thinking (erroneously) that everything would work out.

But warp and weft of this fabric are not the same. Can you see my difficulties? This piece will never match up with another one evenly and I even have five motifs on one side instead of four like the rest! All four sides are different.

Giusy says in her book that you need to set the pattern for the edging with your first piece so that you can easily join the others together. This makes sense, of course but how to go about it? Even if I fold my square over so that the two sides with four motifs are aligned, the motifs are not positioned correctly to be matched up.

This obviously cannot be done by counting ground threads (which I should have known) but rather with a ruler. If you have other ideas, please post them below! Now I will unpick the three edges which I don't like and attempt to make the new ones match the one edge that I do like which, ironically is the first edge I stitched. I should have paid more attention!!

I'll let you know how it goes, hopefully it won't take me so long to get back to you this time!

For those who will want to know:

• the Anchor thread came from http://sewandso.co.uk/
• the hemp fabric came from http://hempbasics.com/
• you can purchase Giusy's book directly from her (click on the link to send her an email) 

Reticello - New Book!

A very refreshing and colourful approach to an ancient Italian traditional needlework technique! This new book by Paola Barbieri, published by the Associazione Il Punto Antico is a delightful Reticello manual.

There are step-by-step photos and good diagrams as well as works in varying stages of progress to show you what your Reticello work should look like as you go.

Sample page showing a work in varying stages of completion.

There are 11 different delicious projects and countless filling stitches explained. The book has 96 pages and you can request a French or English insert when you order but the text in the book is only in Italian. The translation inserts will not be ready until September but they will be sent separately to those who would like them. The Associazione Il Punto Antico always has good English translations in their books. You can purchase Il Reticello interpretato da Paola Barbieri directly from the Edizioni Il Punto Antico website with PayPal or a credit card.

Old films on Lace and Embroidery

I just have to re-direct you over to Silvia's blog Dentelles d'Abord for lots of links to old films on YouTube on lace and embroidery from the 1920s, '30s, '40s and '50s!!!!!

Thanks so much Silvia for discovering these!

Italian Hedebo Embroidery

Most days, 50% or more of my readers come from Italy. I find this odd as I started this blog with the idea of exposing "English-speaking" embroiderers (read: outside of Italy) to the wonders of Italian needlework. Right from the beginning however, at least half the readership has always been from Italy. Why am I telling you this? Well, today we're going to walk on the fine-line of subject matter. I want to tell you about a new book that is about needlework and is written by Italians but it is not "technically" Italian needlework if you want to be black and white about it. Hedebo Embroidery originally comes from Denmark.

There are, however a lot of elements of Hedebo Embroidery found in Italian whitework embroidery and I have many times seen absolutely amazing pieces in museums, the work of Italian embroiderers.

Guida al Ricamo Hedebo by Laura Marzorati and Stefania Bressan is a very good book and I don't see why I can't tell you about it. The authors are talented Italian needleworkers and teachers and have a handful of other books on various embroidery and lace techniques written both separately and together. The collaboration of these two is fantastic for us the needleworkers as they both believe in exhaustive explanations and instructions.

Step-by-step photos which are taken from close-up and are very clear are complimented by accurate and impressive computer illustrations. There are tips and tricks scattered throughout the text (in Italian) and photos of both antique and contemporary pieces of Italian Hedebo Embroidery.

Sample page from Guida al Ricamo Hedebo.

The preface is followed by a bit of history and definitions of what makes up Hedebo Embroidery along with the materials required. Next is a section on the basic stitches and then the basic motifs, nearly 30 in all! Three projects are proposed and then there is a useful bibliography. This soft-cover manual consists of 64 pages.

So, if you're not in Italy, I hope you don't mind that we've talked about Hedebo Embroidery with an Italian connection here today and if you are in Italy, I hope that I've helped you out!