Seams French

" Piqûre de Marseilles" or "Boutis" is a traditional French hand stitched and corded needlework technique, which uses embroidery stitches to create intricate channels that will later be stuffed with yarn, thereby creating a raised design with three layers. It's origins, and it's name, can be traced to the port of Marseilles in southern France to the 15th century. Traditional boutis was a technique invented to embellish otherwise plain white cotton with intricately patterned channels that would later be stuffed with a plump white yarn to give it relief. The resulting corded whitework created an elegant, embossed textile that was much sought after. Not only was it aesthetically appealing, but it also provided warmth and absorbency, so could be used for bed coverings, toilette linens (like towels), clothing items, home decor, etc. The first two photos below are from the collection of Mme. Monique Alphand, a well known French expert and collector of antique t...

After I had completed the stitching and the cording of this small boutis project, (see previous post),  I was looking for a quick way to finish it. By setting it into a linen surround, lightened up with some white cotton,  my hope was that the piece could stand on it's own. The end result was a floppy, uninspiring octagonal shape that reminded me of a crokinole board.  Not quite what I had in mind! Removing the boutis from the linen and finding a more appropriate setting was one consideration. And, because of the strong tradition of hand work associated with boutis, I considered hand quilting the linen/cotton surround. As much as I enjoy hand quilting, I know that the project would languish in a cupboard for many years until the hand quilting priority list could accommodate this table topper. Therefore, the only legitimate solution I could sensibly consider was to machine quilt. As I was working on the quilting design, it was important that the machine quilting sh...

Traditional boutis stitched in a traditional design. (Francine Born) The tradition and heritage of boutis, which is a technique of corded white work whose provenance is specific to the southern areas of Provence and Languedoc, is still being actively promoted and practiced by many needle artisans from the region. It's origins in France date back to 15th century Marseilles, where between 5,000 to 6,000 women were employed in needlework ateliers producing between 40,000 and 50,000 finished pieces of "toiles piques" (hand stitched needlework), mostly for export. Fortunately, subsequent generations have understood and appreciated the rich heritage of this craft. They have continued the tradition with dedication and enthusiasm, both by creating and by teaching. For the past two years, I have had the privilege to further my study of boutis (it's techniques as well as it's historical significance) from Madame Francine Born , www.boutis.fr , who herself has learne...

On our recent visit to London, one of our first stops was at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Established in 1852 and named for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who were strong supporters of it's founding, the museum is a facility that is both educational and cultural, and open to everyone. It is here, in the "Medieval and Renaissance Gallery" that I finally saw the "Tristan Quilt", one of the earliest surviving quilts showing stuffed, corded whitework (known as "Boutis" in France). A Chihuly chandelier hangs in the grand lobby of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Medieval needlework was often a medium for storytelling. It told of wars and conquests, heros and warriors, love won and love lost, etc. Myths and legends were recorded for future generations through the nimble fingers of the artisans. Through the intricately depicted figures stitched into the Tristan Quilt, this classic Norman legend follows Tristan into battle...