Hello, all - I too was able to visit the Interwoven Globe exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Â A couple of weeks back and regretting that I have not found the time to share my thoughts with others who might love to see this exhibit, but Lyn's message had me opening my catalog and perusing through my notes and wanting to share with others, just like she had done.
First of all, it is an astounding exhibit.  I was last at the Met last January, just in time to see the wonderful (but small) lace exhibit before it closed.  Before that, it had been some years.  As with other large city museums, you could spend days and not see everything contained in the walls.  That said, I agree with Lyn - I spent a good number of hours in this exhibit and other than a break for some lunch, really did not see much anything else.  I found there to be so much to take in.  I suspect that many lacemakers and lace-lovers out there and reading this are likely to also love and engage in handmade loves of other kinds.  For me, embroidery and needlework of all types is a huge part of my life.  So, I went to this exhibit knowing the lace side of me would not find too much, but looking forward to digging deeper into the beautiful pieces that had already captured my attention in the catalog.  I had in mind a little list I had created of my favorites based just on the pictures in the catalog and was of course looking forward to seeing them in person.  Most did not disappoint.  But, I was also just taken aback (although I shouldn't have been too surprised, since photography cannot always do justice) by so many other pieces.  For the embroidery/needlearts lovers out there, I point out a few favorites: #8 (a hanging) in the catalog is on loan from the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum in Boston.  I think a friend had sent me a postcard/pamphlet that had a picture of this some years ago and my mind had the blue to be a quite a bit more vibrant than it was in person.  The focus of the information right next to it, the audio guide, and the mini-essay in the catalog is about the design aspects, but I was just so drawn to the beautiful and fine embroidery.  The joy of this exhibit is that many, many of the pieces were displayed in ways that you could get up close. #10a or #10b:  (catalog lists it as 10a, but my notes from the day say 10b)  Either way, the stunning nearly-white on white embroidery of this bedcover with golden highlights is SO appealing to my eye and my senses.  Perhaps my favorite piece?  Hard to play favorites here.  It was hung next to #9 - similar style of both design and color and embroidery, but 9 was more "yellow" while 10a/b was more "golden".  I loved the symmetry of this piece. #23:  a Mexican wedding coverlet.  Overall, it is not the type of piece that appeals to my eye, but blessed with the time, energy, and mental and intellectual interest to truly take in this entire exhibit, I am glad I was reading everything that was there.  I thought this quote was wonderful:  Chinese silk thread was used for the embroidery, colored with European and American dyes and stitched on Mexican woven cotton.  "â¦providing the evidence of the global enterprise and ingenuity of the era."  The coverlet is dated 1786. #29, a double sided hanging, is one of many many pieces that small photos in the catalog cannot possibly do justice for.  Huge (95 by 87 inches) and hung so you could study both sides, the embroidery of this was just amazing. There were many palampores in this exhibit.  A new word for me, simply put, a textile from India, often covers, hangings, etc.  Most that were in the exhibit were printed textiles and I had noted some for their design elements before my visit.  #75 seemed, on glances through the catalog, to be one of many.  But, in person, you could see this was actually embroidered.  "Chained stitched in silk on cotton twill ground to imitate a painted palampore as precisely as possible."  Extraordinary.  In addition to the amazement of the stitching, I loved the color palette.  And, as for the lace on the dresses that Lyn mentioned, I found them intriguing, yes, but so much else attracted my eye.  However, for those who wish to study closer, I offer this link: http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/view?exhibitionId=%7b063A1AA2-5A4E-439A- A332-046E00E8BD73%7d&oid=79893&pg=5&rpp=20&pos=87&ft=*&img=5 The Met's website has an online catalog with wonderful zooming capabilities.  When looking up this dress, there were multiple pictures, including this close-up of the lace parts.  Click on the picture and then you can zoom in more.  To me, it is chain stitched or crochet or something of that nature and therefore not as exciting to my eye as if #80 (bobbin lace cover, as already noted, in the catalog for some reason, but not actually in the exhibit) had been there on view to see.  In any case, there is the link for anyone wishing to study this. Also, here is the link to see all the items in the exhibit.  Again, wonderful zooming in  possible for these pictures: http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/objects?exhibitionId=%7b063A1AA2-5A4E-43 9A-A332-046E00E8BD73%7d&rpp=20&pg=1 Plenty of pieces among the 120-130 pieces did not feature embroidery - lots of printed textiles and woven materials - and lots of learning and education about the textile trade as a whole.  I just wrote up here the embroidered pieces that certainly drew my attention and are likely to be of some interest to those who make anything with there hands, like the lacemakers and lace-lovers on this list.  Anyone else made it to the exhibit?  Please do share your thoughts! arlene in NJ - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
