Pages

Sunday 31 May 2009

The Plimoth Jacket - A Wonder of Present Day Stitching




The genius of the project which seeks to reconstruct a Jacobean woman's jacket is staggering - and yet it is all but accomplished by present-day stitchers. This is not the product of the Royal School of Needlework, or some other grand, specialist institution. This is, by and large, the work of women such as you and me, who worked in shifts as time would allow. Consider not only the intricate design and stitching competences required, the knowledge of techniques, the hundreds of hours of meticulous work, and the not insignificant management task of bringing together volunteer stitchers from different continents to work together. If this is possible, then what else can we achieve which otherwise we may have dismissed as impossible, daunting or simply not possible? It is sad that just as the project approaches its completion phase the Plimoth Plantation, owing to financial difficulties, have had to cancel the the exhibition planned to show off this work. It is hoped that there will be other opportunities elsewhere to stage an exhibit. But the reality is that now, more than at any other time in the past, we must stand by our local collections and museums and support them as we have never done before. It is not inevitable that they will be here in the future for us. Click here to read the Plimoth Jacket Embroiderers' Story.

6 comments:

  1. Thanks for a wonderful post about the jacket! I have been following it`s progress eagerly. I think it`s an important undertaking, not just for the knowledge gained by making it, but the possibility of it attracting interest to the embroidery world in general.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So lovely...

    I hope the Plimoth Jacket exhibition will eventually be presented where people can appreciate the beauty and eloquence of embroidery.

    Cheers...

    ReplyDelete
  3. The jacket looks amazing, I would love to have the chance to see it once it has been assembled. Let's hope it is kept safely for future generations to see.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This jacket is wonderful. I was reading its story, but it looks like something what you cannot believe unseen... They make a great work!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jacqueline,

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog. You always have the most interesting and education posts.

    I have enjoyed reading about the jacket, and will be following the progress!

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's an amazing work, and these stitchers are doing great job! I red the story with pleasure...

    ReplyDelete