Observing my gaze upon the magnificent textiles, Anita drew out a richly-embellished cope from Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. ‘This is cloth of gold’ she indicated, changing her voice to whisper, ‘it ceased production years ago.’
‘There are still wonderful haberdashers in Kuala Lumpur and Aleppo,’ she informed me as if it were a closely-guarded secret, ‘I
found this place there that still sold gold thread. If someone’s going
to Marrakesh, we give them a shopping list in case they stumble upon a
traditional haberdashery.’ Next, Anita produced a sombre cope from
Winston Churchill’s funeral, fashioned from an inky black brocade
embroidered with silver trim, permitting my eye to accommodate to the
subtler tones that can be outshone by tinsel.
In this lofty chamber high above the chaos of the city, an atmosphere
of repose prevails in which these needlewomen pursue their exemplary
work in a manner unchanged over millennia. I was in awe at their skill
and their devotion to their art but Anita said, ‘As embroiderers, we are thankful to have a purpose for our embroidery because there’s only so many cushions you can do.’
More details (and photos) at
Spitalfields Life. And today I learn that a person who embroiders can be called a "broderer."
bramante studios of canada does this kind of stuff...they are the fashion designers to the catholic church. check them out.
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