Monday, November 22, 2010

used

A friend gave me this beautiful piece of linen cloth some years ago. She had had it for a while and didn't quite know what to do with it. I think she thought I might make something with it. It is a heavyish linen which has been patched and darned and the patches themselves darned - the effort which went into prolonging the useful life of this piece of cloth is quite something. It puts me in mind of Japanese Boro textiles.
I couldn't possibly cut this cloth. It has sat in a drawer for ages, being taken out and looked at every now and then. The other day I was fighting to try and keep slippy pieces of paper on my knee to provide contrast with the black warp I'm using when I thought of it and went and got it out of it's drawer. So now I get to admire it often, haven't cut it and have found a use that won't damage it.







5 comments:

Unknown said...

So lovely. Repaired objects just seem to get better.

Else said...

It's a lovely thing - have you seen the http://threads.srithreads.com/ blog which features boro textiles? Worth a look. Really looking forward to seeing more of your work - looking good!

Meabh Warburton said...

I've just had a look Else - what a great blog. I'm blown away by the tabi forms in their lastest post... gorgeous.

Margaret Cooter said...

Gorgeous mended textile; so glad you waited to find a use for it. I have several dishcloths that my mother knit, used, mended, used - such frugality. They are a cheery red, and sit in the cupboard as a memento.

Meabh Warburton said...

Oh Margaret - have just looked at your blog and had a real moment of nostalgia and longing for London ... I lived in Whitechapel in the late 80's/ early 90's and took the tube from Aldgate East to Embankment every day. That odd warmth in the tube stations, the blast of air just as the train arrives, the noise, mind the gap, the rocking of the train, everyone looking/not looking at each other... seems so long ago - is so long ago!