If you can sew, you can do boutis A sophisticated, stylish, and easy-to-master craft 20 projects featuring classic boutis needlecraft techniques Includes full-size pullout patterns

InQuilts of ProvenceKathryn Berenson—the recognized expert on the subject—lays out a richly woven narrative of these intricately detailed heirlooms. This sumptuous book documents the exceptional beauty of the traditional craft practiced by needlewomen in southern France, covering both history and how-to—from the production of this exquisitely detailed work to techniques and patterns for recreating quilts, throws, and apparel. “This story of the art of corded and stuffed quilted work . . . finally gives Provence its rightful place in history,” writes Michel Biehm in his foreword. Berenson chronicles the long history of Provençal needlework, highlighting the craft’s players, among them the artisans who created these revered quilts and the queens and average French women who treasured them. Along the way, she reveals the intriguing politics surrounding French textiles—including a seventy-year prohibition outlawing printed cottons during the eighteenth century. Berenson’s extensive knowledge of traditional quilting also leads her to groundbreaking conclusions documenting the influence of Provençal needlework on quilting around the world. Quilts of Provenceprovides guidance to readers for creating these artful quilted pieces, with ten projects perfect for intermediate or expert quilters—work sure to inspire beginners as well. Projects include an elegant baby’s bib and an infant lap piece, a comfortable woman’s vest, a quilted pillow sham, and a range of exquisite bedcovers and quilted throws, some of which merit display like the works of art they are. Also included are a detailed resource section, which provides information on how to care for and hang quilts, where to see them displayed, and where to buy antique Provençal quilts. Full-color photographs capture the charm of tiny, hand-stitched infant shirts, the elegance of all-white bedcovers, and the feminine appeal of colorful quilted petticoats.

Boutis is a beautiful, elaborate style of quilt often done in white on white, known also as French Provencal. From large quilts and tapestries to smaller hangings and table decorations, pincushions, and special treasure pouches, Christiane Vignal has designed 25 gorgeous boutis pieces. Materials and instructions are given for each piece, as well as a full pattern in the pull-out section. Basic instructions on how to reproduce a pattern on fabric, how to work the boutis quilting, and how to finish your pieces is included. If you know how to sew and love the look of boutis, this book will teach you all you need to know to give it a try!

This latest title in the highly successful Ancient Textiles series is the first substantial monograph-length historiography of early medieval embroideries and their context within the British Isles. The book brings together and analyses for the first time all 43 embroideries believed to have been made in the British Isles and Ireland in the early medieval period. New research carried out on those embroideries that are accessible today, involving the collection of technical data, stitch analysis, observations of condition and wear-marks and microscopic photography supplements a survey of existing published and archival sources. The research has been used to write, for the first time, the ‘story’ of embroidery, including what we can learn of its producers, their techniques, and the material functions and metaphorical meanings of embroidery within early medieval Anglo-Saxon society. The author presents embroideries as evidence for the evolution of embroidery production in Anglo-Saxon society, from a community-based activity based on the extended family, to organized workshops in urban settings employing standardized skill levels and as evidence of changing material use: from small amounts of fibers produced locally for specific projects to large batches brought in from a distance and stored until needed. She demonstrate that embroideries were not simply used decoratively but to incorporate and enact different meanings within different parts of society: for example, the newly arrived Germanic settlers of the fifth century used embroidery to maintain links with their homelands and to create tribal ties and obligations. As such, the results inform discussion of embroidery contexts, use and deposition, and the significance of this form of material culture within society as well as an evaluation of the status of embroiderers within early medieval society. The results contribute significantly to our understanding of production systems in Anglo-Saxon England and Ireland.

A wonderful world of intricate beauty You'll be captivated by the elegance and grace of these elaborate shadow trapunto quilts-especially once you discover how easy they are to make! Create the old-world look of tatting or lace with a simple 3-step technique. Geta provides instructions and patterns for working with whole cloth, pieced, or appliqué backgrounds. A gorgeous gallery of her work is included. • 30 remarkable projects include wallhangings, pillows, tablerunners, and postcards • Achieve old-world style with this innovative technique • Patterns in the book can be enlarged; full-size patterns are on the enclosed CD