In the time of past generations, the role of handmade cloth and garment was more prominent, more personal, more part of everyday life than what is commonly known today. Textiles embodied the social values and customs of their times: opulent laces and richly woven fabrics displaying wealth and prestige; fabrics of intricate detail and symbolic design for dowries, births, and deaths; richly hand embroidered and woven textiles for household adornment. In innumerable countries skilled craftspeople, coming from diverse social and financial circumstances, created textiles that were a valued and essential part of everyday life. From detailed colourful batiks to costumes embellished with gold thread, mirror, or coin; from hand-painted/dyed lengths of cloth to intricately woven wall and bedcoverings - all bearing the imprint of their makers' imagination and skill.
For the most part, (aside from private collections), the historical textiles that have survived into our times are in the care of Museums. Textiles Through Time serves as a link between generations and cultures of past and present times, to inspire and intrigue those who come with the textile treasures of those who came before us. Though your hands many never know the touch of these pieces, may your head, heart and hands combine with the spirit of these textiles, and take shape when you create some treasure of your own.........
At present the majority of pieces presented are from the collection of The Museum for Textiles, Toronto, the only one of its kind in Canada. The pieces shown reflect current and past gallery shows, which comprise textiles from the Museum's collection and from private collections.
The Museum For Textiles,
Toronto, Ontario
Selected text and images from the Museum's collection and
exhibits illustrate the Museum's mandate: to provide the
opportunity to experience the traditions, skills, and creative
genius that make the textile arts such an important visual
expression of contemporary and historical concerns.
Links to textile-related information and images on the WWW.
Heavens' Embroidered Cloths: One Thousand Years of Chinese Textiles, a selection of images from an exhibition of Chinese textiles from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, previously on display in 1995 at the Hong Kong Museum of Art.
Koelz Textile Collection Museum of Anthropology - University of Michigan. An extensive selection of beautiful textiles from South and Central Asia and Iran - highly recommended.
LACMA Masterpieces - Costumes and TextilesThe Los Angeles County Museum of Art - a selection of costumes and textiles from their collection, accompanied by informative text - very diverse and interesting.
Lao Textiles Exhibition featuring images of woven silk wall hangings which were exhibited at the Museum, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York in 1995
The Macedonia Folk Embroidery, Auburn University - includes images of over 20 Macedonian textiles, with many more to be added. Details of embroidery techniques used on the textiles displayed makes this a very instructive site for embroidery enthusiasts, and those who love to see detail work - highly recommended.
The Mingei Exhibition: Textiles A USA Tour of pieces from the Japanese Folk Art Museum, Tokyo.
The Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm has a textile collection which has fabrics and embroideries from the Middle Ages onwards, plus prehistoric fragments.
The National Museum of American Art presents The White House Collection of American Crafts - Fibre. Six artists and their work are featured, three of whom are quilters.
Peabody Essex Museum- Textiles A selection of pieces from their textile collection, including some Bhutanese textiles from a recent special exhibition, From the Land of the Thunder Dragon.
Textil-Werkstatt provides links to textile related museum resources, and sites on both fiber and fiber artists - a very thorough site.
Quilt Exhibitions & Museums A listing of museums/exhibitions, primarily USA locations with some international, and one Canadian - Part of the WWW Quilting Page which includes varied resources, and information of interest to quilters.
A selection of textile resources: textile history, contemporary textiles, and some valuable information resources.
Australian Textiles A selection of modern textile works by textile artists in the Canberra School of Art Textiles Workshop. With over 15 artists featured, and links to several works by each artist, this is show of considerable size and interest to contemporary textile enthusiasts - highly recommended.
Bayeux Tapestry A 2.25 yard length of this famous tapestry is presented in 35 different sections.
Hmong Textiles Part of the Southeast Asian Archive, University of California, Irvine Libraries WWW site. Images of over twenty Hmong Textiles - highly recommended.
The Northwest Quilters Home Page There is information about this association, plus a very extensive listing of links of interest to quilters, and textile enthusiasts.
Rug Hooking On-Line, featuring their Celebrations Gallery, a showcase of award-winning hooked rugs from their annual contest. There are some beautiful hooked rugs - highly recommended.
The Textile Dictionary, a very through listing of textile fabric descriptions - created by The Internet Centre for Canadian Fashion and Design - highly recommended.
The Crafts Council UK A site which provides information and links to a wide variety of craft-related resources, activities, and exhibitions. Of special interest to craft enthusiasts visiting the UK, there is a craft map of Great Britain which includes details of Craft galleries and shops throughout the country - highly recommended.
The Young Textile Group site is for anyone who's interested in textile art and craft, but especially for children and young people. It's the junior part of the Embroiderers' Guild in the UK. This is a wonderful site which also features the work of many of its members - highly recommended.
Alamkara: Adorning the Self
An exciting exhibit that contains lots of Indian costume, other
arts of the exhibit deal with Indian art, etc. be sure to
activate the
examples at the end of each part.
1914 Comus Costume Design
Basically one good fantasy costume design.
Hungarian Costumes
Hungarian court: crowns, capes, jewelry etc.
Junkanoo in the Bahamas
Wonderful fun costumes with links to travel in the Bahamas.
German Historical Museum, Berlin
Good range of costume and some textiles.
Biblical Costume
Tour of Jerusalem through the ages, scant costume information in
each period,
but interesting.
Cypriot Costumes
From Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation, see other Greek costume
on Julie Zetterberg link.
The Philipine Fashion Page
Interesting look at current fashion designers in Philipines.
John Galliano's New Appointment
Fashion designer takes over Givenchy.
Golden Shears 1995 Finalists
Good array of current fashion designers from
San Francisco Bay Area.
Vintage Clothing Home Page
Jumping of point for Vintage Clothing information.
Navajo Rugs
Wonderful way to learn about rugs and from
their "Index" about other American Indian arts.
Alaska Native Costume
Good informtion & some illustrations, part of a larger
costume site.
Codpiece International
Couldn't resist including this.
Elle
International
All the latest fashion news as it happens.
Uncommon Threads
300 years of New York style.
AOKI Fashionhouse
Fascinating view of modern punk/protest fashion in Japan.
Texas
Fashion Collection
In depth on Balenciaga, Givenchy, de la Renta, Norell.
Julie Zetterberg
One of the best! Go right to the "costume page" and
have fun.
Mingei
Japanese folk arts including costume/textiles.
Textiles through Time
The site is dull, but there are
some very good links.
Wingspread: Textiles as Art
Interesting display pieces from Santa Fe, text
by Mary Kahlenberg and links to American
Indian textile sites.
Historic Costume Research
Interesting range of costumes. I have trouble reading some of the
text.
History of Costume/Zur Geschichte der Kostume
121 plates from famous 1861-1880 book, covers many countries
& periods from a Victorian viewpoint.
Lao Textile Exhibit
Good examples ethnic inspired textiles from travelling exhibit.
Chinese Textile Exhibit
Good historical textiles and links into Asianart network.
Paris Music Hall Collection
Fantastic and huge collection, many famous artists.
Textiles Server
Links to many textile arts & crafts.
Quilt Page
Good start to finding web information on quilting.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art-Costumes & Textiles
Good mix of historical pieces.
European Military Uniforms
Large selection of early 19th century military uniform
illustrations.
Greater
Bay Area Costume Guild
The best overall costume organization for historical,
fantasy, and Sci-fi costume. Good links.
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