Fabulous Fabrics of the 50's (And Other
Terrific Textiles of the 20's, 30's, and 40's) by Gideon Bosken,
Michele Mancici & John Gramstad
Reviewed by Dorothy L. Johnson
Originally Published Summer 1999
Chronical Books
Contents: 117 pages, 8 Chapters, Instruction, Glossary and
Chapter Opener Captions
If you love fabrics, textile design and a bit of history of your era,
you'll find this book exciting. The focal point of the text is directed
toward curtains, window fabrics and other draperies. The 121 colored
plates show exact replicas of materials used in the years from 1920
through 1950.
Fabrics are stylized to support the architecture of the time and the
window of societal preferences. Remember when you first chose curtains for
your home or own room? A trip down memory lane occurs when you open the
covers of this book.
How will this aid the stitcher? Well, you might ask yourself if you
prefer floral designs. Are tropical prints your thing? Do you glory in
glitz? Do you like stripes, nature's shapes, or figurative images? How
many of you enjoy abstracts, geometrics and/or science-oriented designs?
This is a book that illustrates how the fabric that surrounds you
influences your image choices.
Do your preferences for fabric patterning effect the topics, colors or
textures that you use in your stitching? As we all know, one can get stuck
in an era and keep stitching the "same thing" over and over
again.
If you are a designer or textile artist, and are interested in
exploring historical designing, this book could be a rich resource. The
colors and variations of color combinations are incredible. One will
realize the elements of days past in those color combinations, however,
there are materials whose colors are infinitely pure and lasting.
For creative purposes, this book has wonderful floral and leaf
examples, border patters, placement of shapes abutting shapes. Examples
range from iris to lily of the valley, from palm fronds to elephant ears,
from squares to swirls. Geometrics are shown with colors from subdued and
muted to the dramatic vivid ranges.
From a historical perspective, vintage fabrics used as curtains hang in
celebrity homes, including Madonna's, and there is quite a secondary
market for these materials. So, if you have stuff in your attic, ancient
aunties, or other sources for fabrics from the 20's, 30's and 40's even
the 50's, find your market! Stitch them into your quilts, your needlework
and other machine embroidery items. This book is a designer's inspiration.
Enjoy! |
