The future of dragons...
Thinking about Chinese New Year and my impending trip to see my folks (we leave Friday evening) reminded me of some curtains my friend gave me. I am planning to make something for me Mam and was debating about lining fabric... I have some chrysanthemums on a printed viscose shirt which would be perfect but I am not sure whether I want to cut up the shirt. On the one hand it doesn't suit me and smells after one wearing. But on the other hand, it's vintage man!!! Argh. My tortured mind. Ahem, moving swiftly on...
The curtains are so amazing. They came from my friend's Chinese aunt I think and consist of two, hand-embroidered silk panels, three meters ish by one and a half ish, each bearing two dragons, winding in and out of clouds, perhaps fighting but then perhaps courting, set off by floral scenery. The panels are old and the reason they have been cast off is that one of the thread colours has run into the silk leaving messy, rusty marks all over the shop. No way can they be used as is (sniff) and I would be very surprised if it were possible to restore them so... snipping of a small section to make lining material for a small object doesn't seem too sacriledgeous after all! That doesn't mean to say that I'll be up to the task! Check out the detail shots below (the last one is of the back). Fantastic craftwomanship - I am in awe. 
Ma copine, que je ne remercierai jamais assez (coucou copine, merci merci merci merci) m'a donné il y un petit moment déjà deux rideaux que sa tante chinoise ne voulait plus à cause de leur age et de leur... taches de rousseur (et oui la couleur des fils a pris le large). Impossible je crois de les restaurer. Les deux pans (?) font chacun trois mètres sur un mètre cinquante environs, sont en soie et sont... brodés à la main! Le détail est impressionnante et la qualité d'exécution aussi. Mais quoi en faire? Je me tâte pour en prendre juste un petit peu pour la doublure d'une pochette que je compte faire cette semaine en attendant de me décider pour le reste. Et regardez, même le dos est magni
Thinking about Chinese New Year and my impending trip to see my folks (we leave Friday evening) reminded me of some curtains my friend gave me. I am planning to make something for me Mam and was debating about lining fabric... I have some chrysanthemums on a printed viscose shirt which would be perfect but I am not sure whether I want to cut up the shirt. On the one hand it doesn't suit me and smells after one wearing. But on the other hand, it's vintage man!!! Argh. My tortured mind. Ahem, moving swiftly on... 
The curtains are so amazing. They came from my friend's Chinese aunt I think and consist of two, hand-embroidered silk panels, three meters ish by one and a half ish, each bearing two dragons, winding in and out of clouds, perhaps fighting but then perhaps courting, set off by floral scenery. The panels are old and the reason they have been cast off is that one of the thread colours has run into the silk leaving messy, rusty marks all over the shop. No way can they be used as is (sniff) and I would be very surprised if it were possible to restore them so... snipping of a small section to make lining material for a small object doesn't seem too sacriledgeous after all! That doesn't mean to say that I'll be up to the task! Check out the detail shots below (the last one is of the back). Fantastic craftwomanship - I am in awe. 
Ma copine, que je ne remercierai jamais assez (coucou copine, merci merci merci merci) m'a donné il y un petit moment déjà deux rideaux que sa tante chinoise ne voulait plus à cause de leur age et de leur... taches de rousseur (et oui la couleur des fils a pris le large). Impossible je crois de les restaurer. Les deux pans (?) font chacun trois mètres sur un mètre cinquante environs, sont en soie et sont... brodés à la main! Le détail est impressionnante et la qualité d'exécution aussi. Mais quoi en faire? Je me tâte pour en prendre juste un petit peu pour la doublure d'une pochette que je compte faire cette semaine en attendant de me décider pour le reste. Et regardez, même le dos est magni
The panels are beautiful. What a shame they can't be used as is.
ReplyDeleteAlicia