This book is a beautiful object – the dust cover is lovely. It was languishing in my pile for quite some time. It is well worth reading, part exploration of different types of fabric (Barkcloth, cotton, linen, silk, wool, polyester) and part grief memoir. Ms Finlay travels widely to research different fabrics and adds personal anecdotes about her family, in particular her mother her died unexpectedly and with whom she had planned on doing some of this travel.
Here’s the blurb …
A magnificent work of original research, unwinding history through cloth –how we make it, use it and what it means to us.
From our earliest ancestors to babies born today, fabric is a necessary part of our everyday lives, but it’s also an opportunity for creativity, symbolism, culture and connection. Travelling across the world and bringing history to life, bestselling author Victoria Finlay investigates how and why people have made and used cloth.
A century ago in Wales, women would sew their own funeral clothes over tea with friends. In Papua New Guinea, bark is stripped from trees and beaten into cloth. Harris Tweed has a particular smell, while Guatemalan weavers use dazzling colours. Uncovering the stories of the fabrics people wear and use from sacking to silk, Fabric combines science, history, tradition and art in a captivating exploration of how we live, work, craft and care.
It is beautifully written and there are photographs.
A review