Embroidered Textiles: A World Guide to Traditional Patterns

by Sheila Paine

The only worldwide survey of embroidered a remarkable visual panorama. Embroidery has been practiced for thousands of years, and the variety is gold-embroidered Chinese court insignia, landscape-worked Japanese kimonos, Sumatran sarongs, Indian saris, Afghan chain-stitched purses, Turkish napkin borders, Ghanaian patchwork banners, Egyptian head shawls, Moroccan cushion covers, Hungarian sheepskin jerkins, Slovakian bed curtains, German folk dress, Dutch bonnets, Breton coifs, Scilian ecclesiastical cloths, Spanish sleeves, North American Indian quillwork pouches, Mexican blouses, Panamanian molas , Peruvian Nasca textiles, and more. The book is organized into four main sections, covering every aspect of embroidered There are over 350 illustrations, including specially taken color photographs, maps, line drawings and a dictionary of stitches. Complete with a glossary, a guide to textile collections around the world, and advice on collecting and conserving textiles, this comprehesive survey will be invaluable to anyone interested in fashion, textiles, crafts, and design. Shelia Paine is a world expert on tribal societies and textiles.

Genres: Nonfiction, Crafts, Reference, Art, Fashion, History, Historical

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 1990

About the author

Sheila Paine is a world expert on tribal societies and textiles. Her passion for travel began when she was very young and has taken her across the world, from Africa to Pakistan. She is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and has worked as a professional translator/interpreter in French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Her museum-quality collection includes embroidery and amulets and has been staged in numerous exhibitions. She is the author of several acclaimed books, including Embroidery from India and Pakistan, The Linen Goddess, and The Afghan Amulet, and has won travel writing awards from the Independent and the Sunday Times

Reviews

[Sophy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a reference book than a "read for fun book" I'd say.

Paine provides some stunning colour photographs of all manner of embroidery from wedding shawls to hunting suits to aprons and tablecloths.

She splits the chapters down into place of origin so we see examples of each type of embroidery from say Asia, Africa, Europe. The writing can be a little dense and quite dry and there is a fair bit of repetition; it did take me a while to slog through the reading of it.

If you're interested in embroidery however, this book is probably worth it for the pictures alone as the photos are really stunning and vibrant.

3 stars

[Andreas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly can’t believe the drivel that the author wrote about Banska Bystrica, the town that my family is from. Not only did she misspell the name of the town (“Banske”), but she describes it in a way that makes it sound like it’s a town full of people stuck in the 1950s. She literally claims that the “holy corner” of each household is a television draped in embroidered cloths. Following this up with a seemingly sarcastic “this is the holy corner of ancient eurasian hunting societies”. What the fuck lol.

Given this, I’m inclined to believe that this isn’t the only time the author took liberties when describing other cultures that she knows nothing about. Photos are beautiful, the book could have been a good overview of embroidery around the world, but why do westerners always have to be so weird about describing other cultures.

[Kerfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

One interesting fact that I learned from this book: embroidery is more closely related to tatoos than to other textiles. I wonder if the artist who created the wonderful stuffed-embroidered-tatoo-arms at the "Pricked" embroidery show at the Museum of Art and Design knew that?

The information in this book is not purely fiber related. Sheila Paine has written extensively about textiles, especially embroidery, but she has also written some textile-related travel books. The one I read, "The Afghan Amulet", is not only the story of her search for the source of one particular embroidered piece, but, like all good travel narrative, it includes comtemporary politics, history and anthroplogy as well. She has a far-ranging interest in the textile arts that includes context and intent.

Unlike contemporary Western embroidery, traditional embellishment served in ways that moved beyond expression or decoration. Rich with symbolic content, the stitching enhanced positive life forces and protected the wearer from evil spirits and magic. Iconic forms such as the fertility goddess, the tree of life, the horned animal of the hunt; elements necessary to life such as water and the sun; universal spiritual symbols like birds, fish, flowers, spirals, triangles, circles and the cross; mixtures of bright colors and patterns, hands and eyes and mirrors to ward off the evil eye--all combined to produce textiles with clear purpose as well as breathtaking beauty.

The photos accompanying the text are, needless to say, amazing. I looked at them first before reading the text, but it really enhances the visuals to know what they mean.

"The aesthetic beauty of embroidery made by the poorest of people stems from its inherent truth--truth of purpose, truth of material...Attempts to revive traditional work...are bound to fail when the social infrastructure is gone." We can imitate the patterns, but a world based on profit is unlikely to supply the material or make the time needed to produce such intricate beauty. We have harsher weapons to protect us these days.

[Skedatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an visually stunning book with lovely photographs of extant examples of embroidery. However, the conclusions of the research are shoddy and ill-documented. Hence it dropping two stars.

An example found on page 188 of the hardcover edition: "Human conception was not understood and when in the eighteenth century it was first established that it was the result of sexual intercourse the claim was greeted with derision. Women's ability to produce children was therefore regarded as miraculous and their fertility was protected by decorations."

There are no immediately available notes as to where this information was found, who said it, where it was derided, whether or not it is talking about a certain culture, etc.

There are ample ancient Biblical examples (which even if people do not acknowledge the Bible as a sacred work, most scholars acknowledge it as an essential piece of Western Literature) of individuals knowing exactly how babies are made. Genesis 38:25 "By the man, whose these are, am I with child" says Tamar to Judah.

How many lines of kings are established through the legitimate children of the king's wife (titled as a queen or not) rather than any bastards that are by-products of immorality?

In Greek Mythology, if Zeus, the ruler of gods and men, can lie with any number of human women and get off-spring from such a union, doesn't that tell you that the ancients understood human fertility a little better than the author of this book is giving them credit for?

Granted, I am sure that there are certain places that historically have believed otherwise for a time. Superstition is rampant, even in our scientific world.

However, to make such an unsupported statement as this author does, lessons the probable accuracy of any other statement that is made in this book.

Great pictures, bad anthropological/historical research and citations.

[Barb Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned Western Embroidery is done mostly for trade and fashion but....... in other regions embroidery continues to be rooted in ancient beliefs and superstitions. This book displays many beautiful pieces of embroidery from all over the world and was very informative.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing amount of historical information and many photographs. If you want to learn about the history of embroidery, mythological symbols, or different uses of embroidery you will enjoy this book

[Eleanor Gravestock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful information that is easily understandable.

[Julie]

This is a very comprehensive guide to the traditional embroidery / textile patterns from around the world. It gives fascinating insight into the symbolism used and the significance of traditional clothing with beautiful examples.
This is one of the textile reference books that I turn to most frequently for both information and inspiration.

[Fahad Al-obaidly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

[Ganja]

yes I read this book because I need for my themes