Pomegranate Textiles

Yesterday my hubbin and I made a visit to the Philly Museum of Art. I always stop in the textiles room to see what they have on display from their huge collection. Right now, they have textiles out that include the pomegranate motif, an ancient symbol of life, fertility, and vitality. I was particularly taken with a Turkish quilt facing from between the 17th and 19th centuries. From the museum's website:

"During the Ottoman Empire, embroidered textiles were made by men in professional workshops and by women in the women's quarters of houses. A quilt facing (yorgan yüzü), part of the bedding in a well-to-do Ottoman household, would have been tacked to the top of a quilt so it could be easily removed. This example is constructed from three joined loom-widths of fabric that were embroidered before being assembled. The pattern of a pomegranate flanked by two large serrated leaves is worked in a darning stitch over three threads. The composition's central field and border typifies Ottoman embroideries from the seventeenth to eighteenth centuries."

The fibers are silk and had a lovely sheen. The intricacy of this work is amazing.





There was also some beautiful hand embroidered lace and other textiles from the 17th century.



In my own meager and humble work, I've been stitching on the larger part of LHN's "Traveling Stitcher." It's not very exciting looking yet, but will be cute when it's all done. Hope you have a lovely weekend planned!