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Posted by Candide on March 25, 2008, 8:46 pm
> Candide wrote:
> <snip>
> > Have several vintage books on mending and darning, and
> > French re-weaving is a whole other craft from routine
> > darning. Apparently there were and are persons so skilled
> > at this art they can repair linen damask tablecloths so
> > well as not only to match the pattern, but you simply
> > cannot find the mend. Many grand French homes, including
> > the staff of various French government ministries, still
> > employ linen maids that perform re-weaving as part of
> > their duties in maintaining various items within the
> > household.
>
> There was a PBS show recently on Buckingham Palace, and they
> interviewed the person in charge of the linens (can't
> remember her title), who explained how they carefully mend
> the precious old pieces. I was fascinated.
>
> Beverly
Saw the same program as well, very good stuff it was indeed. Guess
places like BP and such are the only ones who can afford to employ full
time linen maids, and their linen is to precious to be sent out just any
where.
Still, one cannot imagine the strain upon one's eyes such mending took
and or takes. Most of the French mending persons one has spoken with use
some sort of magnifying glass or jeweller's glasses to see their work.
Darning a wool sock or sweater with a large needle and yarn is one
thing, but trying to fill in a hole on a wool suit jacket or linen
tablecloth is quite another matter.
Another trick of the aforementioned linen maids is when there is a hole
or tear near embroidery, they embroider over the hole as a mend, then
make a mirror image embroider on the opposite side of the "mend" so to
match. Those must be some very precious table linens.
Have in my sewing basket a little pen type object that supposedly makes
invisible mending easier. Though it came in the original box with
directions, have never sat down to practice.
If anyone has the Dillmont/DMC book, IIRC there is a whole chapter on
darning damask and "invisible" mending.
Candide
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