If you don't have much room for storing things anymore (which is our case), but you still want to be actively studying textiles --
You should consider collecting handkerchiefs.
I began collecting handkerchiefs and bandannas decades back, when my first book, Hanky Panky Crazy Quilts, came out. Soon after, though, I fell in love with handkerchiefs' bright colors, vivid patterns and cultural connections. Lucky for me -- and you -- they're still out there, in increasing quantities, as people start to clear out shelves and drawers. Look for pieces that commemorate special events, celebrate popular songs or movies, or advocate certain political candidates -- children's hankies are also collectible, when they're graphic. Good workmanship and unusual details are always a plus. One of my favorite items to collect are handkerchiefs that show women or girls in one corner -- in three-dimension, including underwear! Some of my more racy hankies dispense with that item altogether. (Think anatomically correct...kind of like these pieces from a past Ebay auction...)
Here are three I just found for reasonable prices on Ebay, including a Yankee Doodle 30s kids' piece:
An early 1900s cowboys-and-Indians-type hankie, also for kids:
And a commemorative piece of Japan's surrender to the Allies in WWII.
Handkerchiefs are a great way to analyze color, pattern and favorite trends -- and how those change over the decades. They're often easy on the budget -- where else could you get a piece of cloth from the 1840s or earlier, for less than $100? They can be graphic -- and perfect for display. Once you're no longer 'seeing' them, just substitute a different piece, and store the other hankie flat in a drawer, layered and protected by a separate piece of cloth.
Consider adding some handkerchiefs to your collection.
2 comments:
Well written. One of the true fashion innovations s of the sixteenth century was the presentation of the hanky as a fashion accessory. Though people no longer dangle a handkerchief from their hand as a fashion gesture, the handkerchief has remained a common item for personal use to this day, though facial tissue is now more commonly used.
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Thank you, Zubida! A handkerchief was also a sign of wealth in the 'oldest olden days:' you could display a piece of fabric that did absolutely nothing! (Your nose was blown on your sleeve, a hem, or better yet, the ground.) Handwork on that piece of fabric displayed your womanly skills and affirmed that you were, indeed, a "lady."
thanks much for writing.
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