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I start with this question and look for inspiration and wonder.

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Project Overview ‹ Silk Pavilion - MIT Media Lab

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The Silk Pavilion explores the relationship between digital and biological fabrication on product and architectural scales.The primary structure was create...

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The Silk Pavilion explores the relationship between digital and biological fabrication on product and architectural scales.The primary structure was created of 26 polygonal panels made of silk threads laid down by a CNC (Computer-Numerically Controlled) machine.

Inspired by the silkworm’s ability to generate a 3D cocoon out of a single multi-property silk thread (1km in length), the overall geometry of the pavilion was created using an algorithm that assigns a single continuous thread across patches providing various degrees of density. Overall density variation was informed by the silkworm itself deployed as a biological printer in the creation of a secondary structure. A swarm of 6,500 silkworms was positioned at the bottom rim of the scaffold spinning flat non-woven silk patches as they locally reinforced the gaps across CNC-deposited silk fibers.

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A story of family and silk in the Bay area. From my story I learned and am still learning the value of education.

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Specifically sewing and mending for the home and family.

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Modern silk road, women becoming independent in the work force.

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Modern silk road, women becoming independent in the work force.

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As mentioned in the last post, silk production provided a unique opportunity for the Eastern and Western worlds to interchange with one another. While silk production had long been integral to societies in the East, long before the United States even became a country, the improvements of the industrial revolution soon catapulted the United States into the silk economy. The ancient Silk Road now evolved to conduct the export of raw silk across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to further connect the United States with the East.

Today New Jersey is not known for its textile production, but in the late-1800s and early 1900s this was a major industry in the area. Paterson in particular became known for its silk mills. Prior to silk, cotton had been produced in Paterson, but when cotton production moved to the Southern United States, the vacant mills were eventually refurbished for silk production. In 1915, the NJ Industrial Directory wrote, “Approximately one-third of this nation’s product of this beautiful [silk] fabric comes from the looms of New Jersey mills, and fully ninety percent of this great total is credited to Paterson. Upwards of 160 silk mills and dye houses, employing an army of operatives numbering nearly 30,000 men and women are now in operation”[1] Paterson was even referred to as the Silk City or the Lyons of America in the early 1900s.

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American Women's Fashion History from 1880-1930

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Abstract

From the mid-nineteenth century, the raw-silk trade served as the most important trade linkage between the then still largely closed economies of East Asia and the industrialized West. This article traces the evolution of the global raw-silk market during the period 1850 through 1930. Using comprehensive data on raw-silk prices and quantities and applying co-integration techniques, I find a well-integrated global raw-silk market evolved during this period. This article also examines the evolution of technologies and institutions of the global silk industry, which exhibited characteristics of path dependency and technical interrelatedness.

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Silk region

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The Beginnings Of Silk Culture

The culture of silkworms (Bombyx mori) began in China about 5000 years ago. The ancient Chinese were the first to discover that the cocoons of a lowly caterpillar could be unwound and the filaments woven into some of the most beautiful fabrics in the world. Silk was so highly prized that the lustrous fabrics were reserved exclusively for the royalty of China.

The secrets of silk production were closely guarded by the Chinese for thousands of years. It was not until about 300A.D., that sericulture spread to Korea and from there to Japan. In 552 A.D. two Nestorian monks, under orders from the Emperor Justinian, smuggled silkworm eggs from China and bought them to Europe. This was the beginning of the silk industry in the West. Sericulture spread rapidly throughout Europe and Asia during the following centuries.

The Introduction of Silk Culture to America

The English began making silk in the 13th century, but their success was limited by their cool and damp climate. Silk culture began in America in 1603, when silkworm eggs and mulberry seeds were sent to Virginia by order of King James !

The English hoped to rival the French and Italians in silk production, by having the American colonists raise silk for them. Silk was produced erratically in Virginia and Georgia until about the 1760's. By this time, cotton and tobacco had proven to be more lucrative products for the southern colonies.

Early Silk Culture in Mansfield, Connecticut

About 1760, Nathaniel Aspinwall, a native of Mansfield who had a mulberry orchard on Long Island, began to promote silk culture in Mansfield and nearby towns. He planted an orchard in town and in 1762, he brought the first silkworm eggs to Mansfield. With the aid of Dr. Ezra Stiles of Yale, he persuaded the legislature to pass an act which paid ten shillings bounty for every one hundred trees planted and three pence per ounce for raw silk. The legislature further encouraged the culture of silk by sending a half ounce of mulberry seed to every parish in Connecticut.

Bounty for Producing Silk

Silkworms were raised throughout the state in the late 1700's but only in Mansfield and some of the surrounding towns did the home industry continue much beyond the turn of the century.

By 1800 three quarters of the people in Mansfield were raising silkworms in their homes. The men probably planted the trees, then women and children gathered the leaves, cared for the worms and reeled and spun the raw silk. A spare room, an attic, a barn loft or an out building was used as a cocoonery.

The M. multicaulis Craze

In 1830, the Chinese Mulberry (Morus multicaulis) was introduced from China. It was highly touted as superior to the White Mulberry (Morus alba). It grew rapidly, was easily propagated from cuttings and silkworms fed upon its leaves produced higher quality silk.

The culture of M. multicaulis was promoted by Congress and soon growers up and down the Atlantic Coast were caught up in a wild speculation that rivaled the "Tulip Bulb Craze" in 17th century Holland. Prices rose rapidly as people rushed to invest in the new mulberry variety. In 1834, one year old trees sold for $3 to $5 per hundred. Soon the price rose to $500 per hundred and ultimately two trees sold in North Windham for $100 a piece.

The value of the trees was soon greater than that of the silk that could be obtained from them. Around 1840, the market for M. multicaulis crashed and many fortunes were lost. Disillusioned farmers tore out their mulberry orchards and the whole business of silk culture fell into disfavor.

The Decline of Silk Culture

Silk culture remained a profitable home industry in Mansfield until about 1844 when a blight devastated mulberry orchards throughout the country. The blight coupled with the crash of the M. multicaulis market led to the demise of silk culture in America. Few continued to raise silkworms after mid-century and those who did found it difficult to compete against foreign countries like China where labor was cheap and plentiful. The local silk factories, which were well established by this time, continued to operate using imported raw silk.

Home Production of Silk

In the early days of Mansfield's silk industry, the silk cocoons were unwound in the home using a simple hand reel - the same as was also used for measuring skeins of woolen yarn or linen thread. The cocoons were placed in a kettle of hot water and then were stirred with a brush. The silk fibers which adhered to the brush were then attached to the reel. Usually about ten cocoons were unwound (reeled) at a time. The fibers were pressed together to form a single strong thread which could then be easily wound as the reel turned.

The First Powered Silk Mill in America

The Hanks Silk Mill was built in 1810 by Horace and Rodney Hanks on the brook near 198 Hanks Hill Road. Using water from the brook to propel their machinery, they attempted to make sewing silk and silk twist. The mill was not a commercial success due to the crudeness of the machinery. However the mill is of great significance as the first in America to utilize water power. This was the first step towards mechanization in the American silk industry.

Recognizing the significance of the Hanks Silk Mill, Henry Ford purchased the building in 1930. It was reconstructed in his Greenfield Village Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, where it can be seen today.

Progress Toward Successful Silk Processing

In 1827 or 1828, a young throwster named Edmund Golding came to America from Macclesfield, England. He arrived in Mansfield, which was then considered the center of the American silk industry, expecting to find ready employment. He was disappointed, however, to find that the American silk industry was far behind that of England. The doubling and twisting operation he was trained in was here crudely done on the hand spinning wheel.

Alfred Lilly took an interest in Golding and persuaded him to describe the machinery he had used in England. Believing that Golding's drawings were sufficient to produce workable machinery, he formed a partnership with Capt. Joseph Conant, William Fisk, William Atwood, Storrs Hovey and Jesse Bingham. The company was incorporated under the name Mansfield Silk Company in 1829.

The doubling and twisting machinery built under Golding's direction was an improvement over the accelerated spinning wheel used in the Hanks silk mill, but it was unable to operate using the crudely reeled local silk. At Golding's suggestion, the company began to import raw silk from England and with this they achieved moderate success.

The new mill attracted many visitors to Mansfield. Among them was Edmund Brown, another Englishman who had a silk tassel business in Boston and hoped to find a local source of raw silk. He was familiar with the English method of silk reeling and was able to direct the company in producing a more effective reel.

In the following years, a number of improvements to the reeling process were suggested, including the French "Piedmont Reel" introduced to Mansfield in the 1830's. It was Nathan Rixford, however, who finally resolved the problems of reeling native silk. Rixford, who had just established himself as a builder of machinery in Mansfield Hollow, visited the Mansfield Silk Company's mill and examined its machinery. He then made considerable improvements upon it and in 1839 began to operate his own silk mill in Mansfield Hollow. With his improved machinery, he was able to produce, for the first time, reeled silk that was equal to the imported variety.

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History of Silk Production - Mansfield Historical Society

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The culture of silkworms (Bombyx mori) began in China about 5000 years ago. The ancient Chinese were the first to discover that the cocoons of a lowly caterpillar could be unwound and the filaments woven into some of the most beautiful fabrics in the world.

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The English began making silk in the 13th century, but their success was limited by their cool and damp climate. Silk culture began in America in 1603, when silkworm eggs and mulberry seeds were sent to Virginia by order of King James !

The English hoped to rival the French and Italians in silk production, by having the American colonists raise silk for them. Silk was produced erratically in Virginia and Georgia until about the 1760’s. By this time, cotton and tobacco had proven to be more lucrative products for the southern colonies.

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17th-century Jamestown settlers unwind silk fiber from cocoons
detail of a painting by NPS artist Sydney King

"Silke is a marvellous hopefull commodity in this Country."

John Pory to Sir Edwin Sandys
June 1620

For thousands of years, silk has been considered a luxury trade good par excellence because it fetches a high price, is relatively easy to transport and is always in demand among the wealthy. It is only natural that James I and subsequent English sovereigns would encourage production of this textile amongst the settlers of Virginia.

Chinese legend tells how silk was discovered almost 5,000 years ago by Xiling Shi, the wife of the semi-mythical emperor Huanghi. Walking in the garden, the empress plucked a cocoon from a mulberry tree. The cocoon fell by accident into her cup of tea and she watched as a strong white thread unraveled. However it was discovered, the potential for such a thread was first realized in China, where silk fabric was being produced by 3000 B.C. A silk industry had developed there by the 14thcentury B.C.

The Silk Road, a trade route which involved many cultures and stretched from Nagasaki, Japan in the east to Genoa, Italy in the west, opened by 100 B.C. As its name implies, the major product being traded from east to west was silk, the manufacture of which the Chinese kept a closely-guarded secret. Other peoples in central and western Asia learned how to spin and weave the threads, but only the Chinese could supply the raw materials.

This situation altered in the fifth century A.D., when a Chinese princess married the king of Khotan, an oasis north of the Plain of Tibet. When the princess left her native land and traveled west to her bridegroom, she carried, smuggled in her headdress, silkworm cocoons and the seeds of the mulberry tree on which they feed.

Silk spread even further west by similar ploys. In 552 A.D., Persian Christians visiting Khotan hid silkworm cocoons in their hollow walking sticks, subsequently delivering the means of silk cultivation to Justinian I of Byzantium. Though this story is the stuff of legends the fact remains that silk production began in the Byzantine Empire at that time. From the sixth to the thirteenth century, the silk brocades of Constantinople were highly sought.

Sericulture (the craft of producing silk and its cloth), gradually spread through western Asia and Europe. By the 15th century, France and Italy were the leading manufacturers of silk in Europe. Due to religious persecution, large groups of skilled Flemish and French weavers fled to England, and an industrial complex for silk weaving developed at Spitalfields in the 1620's.

Silk has many properties which contribute to its reputation as a luxury fiber. It has a beautiful natural luster and will take dye readily. Almost as strong as cotton, it is more elastic than either cotton or linen. It will absorb up to one third of its own weight in water without feeling wet to the touch, and is a warm fabric despite its lightness. Silk has some negative attributes as well. It is easily harmed by sunlight and certain chemicals, including the salts in human perspiration. It is a poor conductor of electricity, which contributes to its reputation for "static cling" in dry atmospheric conditions.

Producing silk is a complex and skilled operation which has taken centuries to refine. The silkworm moth (Bombyx mori) has been domesticated for centuries, and the result is a creature which is bred and raised on farms, with wings too weak to fly and legs unable to crawl more than a foot or so. Silkworms are totally reliant on humans and thus a very labor-intensive prospect.

Although most silkworms raised for the industry are killed before they undergo metamorphosis and emerge as adults, the powdery white moths which do emerge from their cocoons have one primary function in the few weeks they remain alive: to produce the next generation of silkworms. In the wild, pheromones secreted by the female help guide the male to her; in captivity, the same odors exert the same fascination. After mating, the female lays 500 yellow eggs, each the size of the head of a pin, which are attached to any surface by the sticky substance accompanying them. Eggs can be stored in cool conditions by farmers until it is time to hatch them, then transferred to incubators.

The larvae which emerge from the eggs about 20 days later are an eighth of an inch long. Feeding is the primary activity of the larval stage, which lasts about 25 days. During this period, the worm molts four times, becoming much larger each time it sheds its skin. At the last instar (the period before or after molting), the larva will have grown to 10,000 times its hatching weight. The worm eats almost continuously, fed on the leaves of mulberry trees brought to them by the farmers. As the worm grows, its special silk glands grow as well, eventually comprising one quarter of the larva's mass.

At the end of the fifth instar, the worm stops eating. That is the signal for the farmers to transfer larvae to specially-constructed frames which will provide support for the worm's construction of its protective and valuable cocoon.

By this time, the worm's two silk glands are fully developed, and it begins to exude silk from both at the same time, as well as a sticky substance called sericin to bind the two threads together. The silk is liquid in the worm's body, but hardens into a thread in contact with the air as the larva moves its head in a characteristic figure eight pattern.

After constructing a support system composed of short threads, the worm begins spinning its cocoon of a single, continuous thread of silk over a mile long. Constructed from the outside in, the cocoon takes over two days to complete. The worm then enters its pupae stage, which, if allowed to continue, will result in an adult moth in about three weeks. Most of the insects, however, are killed in the pupae stage, as they damage the cocoon when they emerge as adults. Roasting the cocoons in a hot oven is a malodorous process which kills the animals without damaging the silk they have spun.

To transform cocoons into cloth, workers boil them to release the sticky sericin on the outside. Next, since an individual silk thread is too fine to handle, the threads of as many as ten cocoons are wound together onto a reel, sticking together to form one long, strong thread. From then on, the silk can be treated as any ordinary fiber, either woven or knitted with the possibility of a wide range of textures and quality.

Although Stuart monarchs encouraged the production of silk in Virginia, the specialized labor force required, limited diet of the silkworm (the larvae did not relish the native mulberry trees) and the development of tobacco as a more successful cash crop ensured sericulture's failure in the colony. Today, most silk is produced in China, Japan or Korea, with small quantities harvested in Russia and other countries.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Beverly, Robert. The History and Present State of Virginia.

Clark, Alice. Working Life of Women in the Seventeenth Century.

Davenport, Elsie G. Your Handspinning.

Diderot, Denis. A Diderot Pictorial Encyclopedia of Trades and Industry.

Fannin, Allen. Handspinning: Arts and Techniques.

Johnson, Sylvia A. Silkworms.

Kluger, Marilyn. Your Handspinning.

Meyer, Virginia M. and Dorman, John Frederick. Adventurers of Purse and Person.

Neil, Edward D. History of the Virginia Company of London.

Ross, Mabel. The Encyclopedia of Handspinning.

Reid, Struan. The Silk and Spice Routes: Inventions and Trade.

Rouse, Parke. Planters and Pioneers.

Lee Pelham Cotton

Park Ranger, COLONIAL NHP
Spring 1996

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Silk Production in the Seventeenth Century - Historic Jamestowne Part of Colonial National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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"Silke is a marvellous hopefull commodity in this Country." John Pory to Sir Edwin Sandys June 1620 For thousands of years, silk has been considered a luxury trade good par excellence because it fetches a high price, is relatively easy to transport and is always in demand among the wealthy.

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To see move and travel.

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Image

Photograph by Mekdet

The Silk Road is neither an actual road nor a single route. The term instead refers to a network of routes used by traders for more than 1,500 years, from when the Han dynasty of China opened trade in 130 B.C.E. until 1453 C.E., when the Ottoman Empire closed off trade with the West. German geographer and traveler Ferdinand von Richthofen first used the term "silk road" in 1877 C.E. to describe the well-traveled pathway of goods between Europe and East Asia. The term also serves as a metaphor for the exchange of goods and ideas between diverse cultures. Although the trade network is commonly referred to as the Silk Road, some historians favor the term Silk Routes because it better reflects the many paths taken by traders.

The Silk Road extended approximately 6,437 kilometers (4,000 miles) across some of the world's most formidable landscapes, including the Gobi Desert and the Pamir Mountains. With no one government to provide upkeep, the roads were typically in poor condition. Robbers were common. To protect themselves, traders joined together in caravans with camels or other pack animals. Over time, large inns called caravanseraiscropped up to house travelling merchants. Few people traveled the entire route, giving rise to a host of middlemen and trading posts along the way.

An abundance of goods traveled along the Silk Road. Merchants carried silk from China to Europe, where it dressed royalty and wealthy patrons. Other favorite commodities from Asia included jade and other precious stones, porcelain, tea, and spices. In exchange, horses, glassware, textiles, and manufactured goods traveled eastward.

One of the most famous travelers of the Silk Road was Marco Polo (1254 C.E. -1324 C.E.). Born into a family of wealthy merchants in Venice, Italy, Marco traveled with his father to China (then Cathay) when he was just 17 years of age. They traveled for over three years before arriving at Kublai Khan's palace at Xanadu in 1275 C.E. Marco stayed on at Khan's court and was sent on missions to parts of Asia never before visited by Europeans. Upon his return, Marco Polo wrote about his adventures, making him-and the routes he traveled-famous.

It is hard to overstate the importance of the Silk Road on history. Religion and ideas spread along the Silk Road just as fluidly as goods. Towns along the route grew into multicultural cities. The exchange of information gave rise to new technologies and innovations that would change the world. The horses introduced to China contributed to the might of the Mongol Empire, while gunpowder from China changed the very nature of war in Europe and beyond. Diseases also traveled along the Silk Road. Some research suggests that the Black Death, which devastated Europe in the late 1340s C.E., likely spread from Asia along the Silk Road. The Age of Exploration gave rise to faster routes between the East and West, but parts of the Silk Road continued to be critical pathways among varied cultures. Today, parts of the Silk Road are listed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

National Geographic Society

October 19, 2023

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For more than 1,500 years, the network of routes known as the Silk Road contributed to the exchange of goods and ideas among diverse cultures.

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How to find your route

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Mapping the Silk Road | Education | Asian Art Museum

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The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco houses one of the most comprehensive Asian art collections in the world, with more than 18,000 works of art in its permanent collection. Stroll through 6,000 years of art and culture.

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Her nuns taught French embroidery to the untouchable class.

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Mother Teresa (August 26, 1910-September 5, 1997) founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Catholic order of nuns dedicated to helping the poor. Begun in Calcutta, India, the Missionaries of Charity grew to help the poor, dying, orphans, lepers, and AIDS sufferers in more than 100 countries. Mother Teresa's selfless effort to help those in need has caused many to regard her as a model humanitarian. She was canonized a saint in 2016.

Fast Facts

Early Years

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, known as Mother Teresa, was the third and final child born to her Albanian Catholic parents, Nikola and Dranafile Bojaxhiu, in the city of Skopje (a predominantly Muslim city in the Balkans). Nikola was a self-made, successful businessman and Dranafile stayed home to take care of the children.

When Mother Teresa was about 8 years old, her father died unexpectedly. The Bojaxhiu family was devastated. After a period of intense grief, Dranafile, suddenly a single mother of three children, sold textiles and hand-made embroidery to bring in some income.

Both before Nikola's death and especially after it, the Bojaxhiu family held tightly to their religious beliefs. The family prayed daily and went on pilgrimages annually.

When Mother Teresa was 12 years old, she began to feel called to serve God as a nun. Deciding to become a nun was a very difficult decision. Becoming a nun not only meant giving up the chance to marry and have children, but it also meant giving up all her worldly possessions and her family, perhaps forever.

For five years, Mother Teresa thought hard about whether or not to become a nun. During this time, she sang in the church choir, helped her mother organize church events, and went on walks with her mother to hand out food and supplies to the poor.

When Mother Teresa was 17, she decided to become a nun. Having read many articles about the work Catholic missionaries were doing in India, Mother Teresa was determined to go there. Mother Teresa applied to the Loreto order of nuns, based in Ireland but with missions in India.

In September 1928, 18-year-old Mother Teresa said goodbye to her family to travel to Ireland and then on to India. She never saw her mother or sister again.

Becoming a Nun

It took more than two years to become a Loreto nun. After spending six weeks in Ireland learning the history of the Loreto order and to study English, Mother Teresa then traveled to India, where she arrived on Jan. 6, 1929.

After two years as a novice, Mother Teresa took her first vows as a Loreto nun on May 24, 1931.

As a new Loreto nun, Mother Teresa (known then only as Sister Teresa, a name she chose after St. Teresa of Lisieux) settled into the Loreto Entally convent in Kolkata (previously called Calcutta) and began teaching history and geography at the convent schools.

Usually, Loreto nuns were not allowed to leave the convent; however, in 1935, 25-year-old Mother Teresa was given a special exemption to teach at a school outside of the convent, St. Teresa's. After two years at St. Teresa's, Mother Teresa took her final vows on May 24, 1937, and officially became "Mother Teresa."

Almost immediately after taking her final vows, Mother Teresa became the principal of St. Mary's, one of the convent schools, and was once again restricted to staying within the convent's walls.

'A Call Within a Call'

For nine years, Mother Teresa continued as the principal of St. Mary's. Then on Sept. 10, 1946, a day now annually celebrated as "Inspiration Day," Mother Teresa received what she described as a "call within a call."

She had been traveling on a train to Darjeeling when she received an "inspiration," a message that told her to leave the convent and help the poor by living among them.

For two years, Mother Teresa patiently petitioned her superiors for permission to leave the convent to follow her call. It was a long and frustrating process.

To her superiors, it seemed dangerous and futile to send a single woman out into the slums of Kolkata. However, in the end, Mother Teresa was granted permission to leave the convent for one year to help the poorest of the poor.

In preparation for leaving the convent, Mother Teresa purchased three cheap, white, cotton saris, each one lined with three blue stripes along its edge. (This later became the uniform for the nuns at Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity.)

After 20 years with the Loreto order, Mother Teresa left the convent on Aug. 16, 1948.

Rather than going directly to the slums, Mother Teresa first spent several weeks in Patna with the Medical Mission Sisters to obtain some basic medical knowledge. Having learned the basics, 38-year-old Mother Teresa felt ready to venture out into the slums of Calcutta, India in December 1948.

Founding the Missionaries of Charity

Mother Teresa started with what she knew. After walking around the slums for a while, she found some small children and began to teach them. She had no classroom, no desks, no chalkboard, and no paper, so she picked up a stick and began drawing letters in the dirt. Class had begun.

Soon after, Mother Teresa found a small hut that she rented and turned it into a classroom. Mother Teresa also visited the children's families and others in the area, offering a smile and limited medical help. As people began to hear about her work, they gave donations.

In March 1949, Mother Teresa was joined by her first helper, a former pupil from Loreto. Soon she had 10 former pupils helping her.

At the end of Mother Teresa's provisionary year, she petitioned to form her order of nuns, the Missionaries of Charity. Her request was granted by Pope Pius XII; the Missionaries of Charity was established on Oct. 7, 1950.

Helping the Sick, Dying, Orphaned, and Lepers

There were millions of people in need in India. Droughts, the caste system, India's independence, and partition all contributed to the masses of people that lived on the streets. India's government was trying, but they could not handle the overwhelming multitudes that needed help.

While the hospitals were overflowing with patients that had a chance to survive, Mother Teresa opened a home for the dying, called Nirmal Hriday ("Place of the Immaculate Heart"), on Aug. 22, 1952.

Each day, nuns would walk through the streets and bring people who were dying to Nirmal Hriday, located in a building donated by the city of Kolkata. The nuns would bathe and feed these people and then place them in a cot. They were given the opportunity to die with dignity, with the rituals of their faith.

In 1955, the Missionaries of Charity opened their first children's home (Shishu Bhavan), which cared for orphans. These children were housed and fed and given medical aid. When possible, the children were adopted out. Those not adopted were given an education, learned a trade skill, and found marriages.

In India's slums, huge numbers of people were infected with leprosy, a disease that can lead to major disfiguration. At the time, lepers (people infected with leprosy) were ostracized, often abandoned by their families. Because of the widespread fear of lepers, Mother Teresa struggled to find a way to help these neglected people.

Mother Teresa eventually created a Leprosy Fund and a Leprosy Day to help educate the public about the disease and established a number of mobile leper clinics (the first opened in September 1957) to provide lepers with medicine and bandages near their homes.

By the mid-1960s, Mother Teresa had established a leper colony called Shanti Nagar ("The Place of Peace") where lepers could live and work.

International Recognition

Just before the Missionaries of Charity celebrated its 10th anniversary, they were given permission to establish houses outside of Calcutta, but still within India. Almost immediately, houses were established in Delhi, Ranchi, and Jhansi; more soon followed.

For their 15th anniversary, the Missionaries of Charity was given permission to establish houses outside of India. The first house was established in Venezuela in 1965. Soon there were Missionaries of Charity houses all around the world.

As Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity expanded at an amazing rate, so did international recognition for her work. Although Mother Teresa was awarded numerous honors, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, she never took personal credit for her accomplishments. She said it was God's work and that she was just the tool used to facilitate it.

Controversy

With international recognition also came critique. Some people complained that the houses for the sick and dying were not sanitary, that those treating the sick were not properly trained in medicine, that Mother Teresa was more interested in helping the dying go to God than in potentially helping cure them. Others claimed that she helped people so that she could convert them to Christianity.

Mother Teresa also caused much controversy when she openly spoke against abortion and birth control. Others critiqued her because they believed that with her new celebrity status, she could have worked to end the poverty rather than soften its symptoms.

Later Years and Death

Despite the controversy, Mother Teresa continued to be an advocate for those in need. In the 1980s, Mother Teresa, already in her 70s, opened Gift of Love homes in New York, San Francisco, Denver, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for AIDS sufferers.

Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, Mother Teresa's health deteriorated, but she still traveled the world, spreading her message.

When Mother Teresa, age 87, died of heart failure on Sept. 5, 1997 (just five days after Princess Diana's death), the world mourned her passing. Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets to see her body, while millions more watched her state funeral on television.

After the funeral, Mother Teresa's body was laid to rest at the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata. When Mother Teresa passed away, she left behind more than 4,000 Missionary of Charity Sisters at 610 centers in 123 countries.

Legacy: Becoming a Saint

After Mother Teresa's death, the Vatican began the lengthy process of canonization. After an Indian woman was cured of her tumor after praying to Mother Teresa, a miracle was declared, and the third of the four steps to sainthood was completed on Oct. 19, 2003, when the Pope approved Mother Teresa's beatification, awarding Mother Teresa the title "Blessed."​

The final stage required to become a saint involves a second miracle. On December 17, 2015, Pope Francis recognized the medically inexplicable waking (and healing) of an extremely ill Brazilian man from a coma on December 9, 2008, just minutes before he was to undergo emergency brain surgery as being caused by the intervention of Mother Teresa.

Mother Teresa was canonized (pronounced a saint) on September 4, 2016.

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Biography of Mother Teresa, 'The Saint of the Gutters'

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Mother Teresa (August 26, 1910-September 5, 1997) founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Catholic order of nuns dedicated to helping the poor. Begun in Calcutta, India, the Missionaries of Charity grew to help the poor, dying, orphans, lepers, and AIDS sufferers in more than 100 countries.

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Styles that came west.

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Embroidery in India includes dozens of embroidery styles that vary by region and clothing styles. Designs in Indian embroidery are formed on the basis of the texture and the design of the fabric and the stitch. The dot and the alternate dot, the circle, the square, the triangle, and permutations and combinations of these constitute the design.

Aari work involves a hook, plied from the top but fed by silk thread from below with the material spread out on a frame. This movement creates loops, and repeats of these lead to a line of chain stitches. The fabric is stretched on a frame and stitching is done with a long needle ending with a hook such as a crewel, tambour (a needle similar to a very fine crochet hook but with a sharp point) or Luneville work. The other hand feeds the thread from the underside, and the hook brings it up, making a chainstitch, but it is much quicker than chainstitch done in the usual way: looks like machine-made and can also be embellished with sequins and beads - which are kept on the right side, and the needle goes inside their holes before plunging below, thus securing them to the fabric.there are many types of materials used like zari threads, embellishments,sequins etc..

Aari embroidery is practiced in various regions such as in Kashmir and Kutch ( Gujarat).

Practiced by the Lambada gypsy tribes of Andhra Pradesh, Banjara embroidery is a mix of applique with mirrors and beadwork. Bright red, yellow, black and white coloured cloth is laid in bands and joined with a white criss-cross stitch. The Banjaras of Madhya Pradesh who are found in the districts of Malwa and Nimar have their own style of embroidery where designs are created according to the weave of the cloth, and the textured effect is achieved by varying colours and stitches of the geometric patterns and designs. Motifs are generally highlighted by cross-stitch.

The Heer Bharat or Banni embroidery originates in Gujarat, and is practiced mainly by the Lohana community. It is done with silk floss (Heer means "silk floss") and it is famous for its vibrancy and richness in color pallets & design patterns, which include shisha (mirror) work. Bagh and phulkari embroidery of the Punjab region has influenced Heer Bharat embroidery in its use of geometrical motifs and stitchery.

Chamba Rumal with Scenes of Sita and Hanuman

It originated in Chamba kingdom of Himachal Pradesh in 17th century. This embroidery flourished in the princely hill states of Kangra, Chamba, Basholi, and other neighbouring provinces. The Chamba region has highly skilled craftsmen. Chamba embroidery has its own distinctive style, small squares or rectangles of clothe embroidered with untwisted silk threads. While untwisted silk is most common some Chamba embroidery make use of thin metal wires or metallic yarn. While the chamba rumal originated in the 17th century it reached widespread popularity in the 18th century after rulers in the Himalayan region patronized Chamba Rumal embroiderers. The original Chamba embroideries were done by women or young children, the embroideries often depicted gods or goddesses. Original Chamba embroideries were very important in marriages as the embroideries were kept as the brides dowry. Chamba embroideries often began by drawing an outline on the rectangular square of fabric, while originally embroidered by women at the height of popularity in the 18th century many male painters drew the outlines and embroidered the clothe themselves to ensure high quality work. Not long after its height of popularity in the 18th century the chamba rumal's popularity declined. The rumals began to lose their sacredness, today most rumals are made by families trying to sell them to survive, and the Chamba Rumals are not of the same quality as they were in the 17th and 18th century. While this art style has declined over the years and almost been lost, in 2009 Lalita Vakil was given the Shilp Guru award for her ability and skill in Chamba embroidery.

The present form of chikan (meaning elegant patterns on fabric) work is associated with the city of Lucknow, in Uttar Pradesh. Chikan embroidery on silk is Lucknow's own innovation. The other chikan styles are that of Calcutta and Dacca. However, characteristic forms of stitch were developed in Lucknow: phanda and murri.

Chikan embroidery is believed to have been introduced by Nur Jahan, the wife of Jahangir. Chikan embroidery involves the use of white thread on white muslin (tanzeb), fine cotton (mulmul), or voile, fine almost sheer fabrics which showcases shadow work embroidery the best. Other colours can also be used.

The artisans usually create individual motifs or butis of animals and flowers (rose, lotus, jasmine, creepers). The designs are first printed onto the fabric not with chaulk, but with a mixture of glue and indigo.

At least 40 different stitches are documented, of which about 30 are still practiced today and include flat, raised and embossed stitches, and the open trellis-like jaali work. Some of the stitches that are used in Chikankari work include: taipchi, pechni, pashni, bakhia (ulta bakhia and sidhi bakhia), gitti, jangira, murri, phanda, jaalis etc. In English: chain stitch, buttonhole stitch, French knots and running stitch, shadow work. Another is the khatao (also called khatava or katava).

It is a form of appliqué in gold thread, used for women's formal attire. Small pieces of zari ribbon are applied onto the fabric with the edges sewn down to create elaborate patterns. Lengths of wider golden ribbons are stitched on the edges of the fabric to create an effect of gold zari work. Khandela in Shekhawati is famous for its manufacture. The Muslim community uses Kinari or edging, a fringed border decoration. Gota-kinari practiced mainly in Jaipur, utilising fine shapes of bird, animals, human figures which are cut and sewn on to the material.it is very famous in rajasthan as well as in many other parts of the world.

Is an embroidery from native Andhra Pradesh. Woven Trellis stitch is used to make flowers and leaves and other stitches are done on fabric to complete the embroidery.

Naksha is embroidery on many layers of cloth (like quilting), with running stitch. It is also known as dorukha which mean the designs/motifs are equally visible in both sides: there is no right or wrong side so both side are usable. Traditionally, worn out clothes and saris were piled together and stitched into quilts. Rural Bengali women still do this with cotton saris, the embroidery thread being taken from the sari border. It started as a method of making quilts, but the same type of embroidery can also be found on saris, salwar suits, stoles, napkins, etc. Themes include human beings, animals, flowers, geometric designs and mythological figures.

It is a raised zari metallic thread embroidery created by sewing flat stitches on cotton padding. This technique is commonly used for bridal and formal costumes as well as for velvet coverings, tent hangings, curtains and the coverings of animal carts and temple chariots.

Kasuti (Kai=hand and Suti = weave /wrap) comes from the state of Karnataka, Kasuti is originated in Karnataka during chalukya period (6th to 12th century) [5] and done with single thread and involves counting of each thread on the cloth. The patterns are stitched without knots, so that both sides of the cloth look alike. Stitches like Gavanti, Murgi, Negi and Menthi form intricate patterns like gopura, chariot, palanquin, lamps and conch shells, as well as peacocks and elephants, in fixed designs and patterns.

Kathi embroidery was introduced by 'Kathi' the cattle breeders, who were wanderers. This technique combines chain stitch, appliqué work and mirror-like insertions.

Kaudi (ಕೌದಿ) is a blanket or bedspread and applique embroidery from Karnataka. Old Fabrics are cut into pieces and stitched with simple running stitch, and Gubbi Kaalu stitch.

Is an embroidery from meghalaya. Mustoh village is only known place for khneng embroidery and the embroidery is traditionally Done on eri silk shawls. [6]

The best known of the Kutch ( Gujarat) embroidery techniques is Aribharat, named after the hooked needle which forms the chainstitch. It is also known as Mochibharat, as it used to be done by mochis (cobblers).

A variation of Kutch work, this geometric embroidery starts with a foundation framework of herringbone stitch or Cretan stitch, and then this framework is completely filled with interlacing. It is said that this technique originated in far away land of Armenia and found its way to Gujarat by travelling Nomads. Sindhi stitch or Maltese cross stitch is also similar but the innovation of the Kutchi women have taken it beyond the traditional designs meow Kutch work

Kashmiri phiran

Kashmiri Kashida

Kashmiri embroidery (also Kashida) is originated during Mughal period and used for phirans (woollen kurtas) and namdahs (woollen rugs) as well as stoles. It draws inspiration from nature. Birds, blossoms and flowers, creepers, chinar leaves, ghobi, mangoes, lotus, and trees are the most common themes. The entire pattern is made with one or two embroidery stitches, and mainly chain stitch on a base of silk, wool and cotton: the colour is usually white, off-white or cream but nowadays one can find stoles and salwar-kameez sets in many other colours such as brown, deep blue, sky blue, maroon and rani pink. Kashida is primarily done on canvas with crystal threads, but Kashida also employs pashmina and leather threads. Apart from clothes, it is found on home furnishings like bed spreads, sofa and floor cushions, and pillow covers.

The base cloth, whether wool or cotton, is generally white or cream or a similar shade. Pastel colors are also often used. The craftsmen use shades that blend with the background. Thread colors are inspired by local flowers. Only one or two stitches are employed on one fabric.

Kashmiri embroidery is known for the skilled execution of a single stitch, which is often called the Kashmiri stitch and which may comprise the chain stitch, the satin stitch, the slanted darn stitch, the stem stitch, and the herringbone stitch. Sometimes, the doori (knot) stitches are used but not more than one or two at a time.

Kashmiri stitches

The stitches include sozni (satin), zalakdozi (chain) and vata chikan (button hole). Other styles include dorukha in which the motif appears on both sides of the shawl with each side having a different color; papier-mâché; aari (hook) embroidery; shaaldaar; chinar-kaam; samovar (the antique Kashimiri tea-pot) is a very typical and popular design used in Kashmiri embroidery. The samovar pattern is then filled up with intricate flowers and leaves and twigs; Kashir-jaal which implies fine network of embroidery, particularly on the neckline and sleeves of a dress material.

Further styles include naala jaal which involves embroidery particularly on the neckline and chest/yoke: naala means neck in the Koshur dialect of Kashmiri language; jaama is a very dense embroidery covering the whole base fabric with a thick spread of vine/creepers and flowers, badaam and heart shapes, a variation of this form is neem-jaama, where neem means demi or half, because the embroidery is less dense, allowing a view of the fabric underneath; and jaal consisting of bel-buti: a fine and sparse net of vine/creepers and flowers. Variation of this form is neem-jaal, where again the work is less dense.

Small rectangular pieces of metal are squeezed shut around some threads of the fabric. Mukesh work (known also as badla or fardi), includes women making shiny stitches amid chikan embroidery using a needle and long, thin strips of metal.

Flower embroidery of Uttar Pradesh, especially in Aligarh.

Phulkari (Phul=flower, Kari=work) is originated in the late 17th century in Punjab region. the most famous rural embroidery tradition of Punjab, mentioned in the Punjabi folklore of Heer Ranjha by Waris Shah. Its present form and popularity goes back to 15th century, during Maharaja Ranjit Singh's reign Phulkari also means headscarf, and it comes from the 19th century tradition of carrying an odhani or a head-scarf with flower patterns. Its distinctive property is that the base is a dull hand-spun or khadi cloth, with bright coloured threads that cover it completely, leaving no gaps. It uses a darn stitch done from the wrong side of the fabric using darning needles, one thread at a time, leaving a long stitch below to form the basic pattern. Famous for Phulkari are the cities of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ambala, Ludhiana, Nabha, Jind, Faridkot, and Kapurthala. Other cities include Gurgaon (Haryana), Karnal, Hissar, Rohtak and Delhi. Bagh is an offshoot of phulkari and almost always follows a geometric pattern, with green as its basic colour.

Other styles

The embroidery styles of the Punjab region include kalabatun embroidery using thin wires. Kalabatan surkh involves using gold wires on orange coloured and red silk. Kalabatan safed involves using silver wires on white material. There are two kinds of gold embroidery, one of a solid and rich kind called kar-chob and the other called tila-kar or kar-chikan utilising gold thread. The former is used for carpets and saddle cloths whereas the latter is used for dresses. The Punjab region also uses mukesh embroidery: mukesh bati-hui, twisted tinsel, mukesh gokru, flattened gold wire for embroidery of a heavy kind, and waved mukesh, made by crimping mukesh batihui with iron tongs. Ludhiana and Amritsar are known for embroidery using white, silver and gold threads on clothes such as chogas and waistcoats (phatuhi). Patchwork is also a tradition of the region.

Colourful embroidered cloth-hangings made in Nathdwara, Rajasthan. The central themes focus on Lord Krishna.

Appliqué or Pipli work originates from the Pipli village in Odisha and some parts of Gujarat. It is called Chandua based on patchwork: brightly coloured and patterned fabric pieces are sewn together on a plain background mostly velvet along with Mirror and lace work. Designs include Hindu gods, human forms, animals, flowers and vehicles. Originally Chandua work was done to build the chariots for Puri Rath Yatra and was also used for parasols, canopies and pillows for the Rath Yatra. Nowadays different home décor items can be found, such as lamp shades, garden umbrellas and bed covers and utility products like Hand bags, Wallets, Files.

This embroidery style is made by the Rabari or Rewari community of Rajasthan and Gujarat. This very colourful embroidery style, using stark contrast was traditionally used only for garments, but now it can be found on bags, accessories, home furnishings, etc. Mirrors of all shapes and sizes are incorporated in the embroidery, as a result of the belief that mirrors protect from evil spirits. Designs include not only flowers and fruit and animals such as parrots and elephants, but also temples, women carrying pots, and the ubiquitous mango shape.

A combination of weaving and embroidery and was once a high status symbol.

This ornamentation method originated in Persia during 13th century and involves little pieces of mirror in various sizes which are encased in the decoration of the fabric first by interlacing threads and then with buttonhole stitch.[citation needed ]

Originally, pieces of mica were used as the mirrors, but later, people started using thin blown-glass pieces, hence the name, which in Hindi means "little glass".[citation needed ] Until recently they were all irregular, made by hand, and used mercury, nowadays one can also find them machine made and regularly shaped. It's usually found in combination with other types of stitches like cross stitch, buttonhole stitch and satin stitch, nowadays not only by hand but also by machine. Mirrorwork is very popular for cushion covers and bedcovers, purses and decorative hangings as well as in decorative borders in women's salwar-kameez and sari. Thousands of women from kutch (Gujarat) and sikar, churu (Rajasthan) are engaged in doing hand embroidery work like tie, mirror work, beads on fabric.

There are various types of Chikan work: Taipchi, Bakhia, Phunda, Murri, Jaali, Hathkati, Pechni, Ghas Patti, and Chaana Patti.

The Toda embroidery has its origins in Tamil Nadu. The Nilgiri Hills, inhabited by the Todu community have their own style called pugur, means flower. This embroidery, like Kantha, is practiced by women.

The embroidery adorns the shawls. The shawl, called poothkuli, has red and black bands between which the embroidery is done. As Todas worship the buffaloes, buffalo becomes an important motif in the Toda embroidery among mettvi kaanpugur, Izhadvinpuguti and others. Stylized sun, moon, stars and the eye of the peacock feathers are used in Toda embroidery.

The most opulent form of Indian embroidery is the Zari and the Zardozi or Zardosi, known since the late 16th century, brought in India by the Moghuls. The word Zardozi comes from the two Persian words, Zar (gold) and Dozi (embroidery). This form uses metallic thread.

Once real gold and silver thread was used, on silk, brocade and velvet fabric. Metal ingots were melted and pressed through perforated steel sheets to convert into wires, which then were hammered to the required thinness. Plain wire is called 'badla', and when wound round a thread, it is called 'kasav'. Smaller spangles are called 'sitara' and tiny dots made of badla are called 'mukais' or 'mukesh'.

Zardozi is either a synonym or a more elaborate version of zari where the gold or silver embroidery is embellished with pearls and precious stones, gota and kinari, making this art only affordable by rich people. Nowadays Zardosi thread has a plastic core and a golden-coloured outside. The thread consists of coiled metal wires placed on the right side of the fabric and couched with a thinner thread.

1. ^ Mohinder Singh Randhawa. (1960) Punjab: Itihas, Kala, Sahit, te Sabiachar aad.Bhasha Vibhag, Punjab, Patiala.

2. ^ Badhan, Akanksha (2016). "Stitching Stories: Art of making Chamba Rumal, Focus: Himachal Pradesh".

3. ^ Aroro, Rohini (August 2014). "Chamba Embroidery: Stitch Analysis of Traditional Technique" (PDF). Academia.

4. ^ Koll, Juby Aleyas (March 2021). Sarah's Hand Embroidery Tutorials-Hand Embroidery Stitches for Everyone. Roxy Mathew Koll and Juby Aleyas Koll. pp. 346, 359. ISBN 978-93-5361-592-5.

5. ^ "SIKH AWARENESS & APPRECIATION MONTH | IndianRoots Daily (Blog)". Archived from the original on 2013-11-20.

6. ^ "INDIAN EMBROIDERY STYLES | IndianRoots Daily (Blog)". Archived from the original on 2013-09-24.

7. ^ Sukaadas (1992) Fabric Art: Heritage of India

8. Baden-Powell, Baden Henry (1872). ^ Hand-book of the Manufactures & Arts of the Punjab: With a Combined Glossary & Index of Vernacular Trades & Technical Terms ... Forming Vol. Ii to the "Hand-book of the Economic Products of the Punjab" Prepared Under the Orders of Government

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Embroidery in India includes dozens of embroidery styles that vary by region and clothing styles. Designs in Indian embroidery are formed on the basis of the texture and the design of the fabric and the stitch. The dot and the alternate dot, the circle, the square, the triangle, and permutations and combinations of these constitute the design.

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First tangible information- Hand embroidery and RSN. A route to textile study.

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The V&A holds the national collection of textiles and fashion, from Predynastic Egypt to the present day.

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Discover the Ecole Lesage's excellent know-how in artistic embroidery and the wide range of training courses it offers to all embroidery enthusiasts with tailor-made teaching.

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Kaitag

Kantha

Kasuti

Korean

Mountmellick

Nakshi kantha

Persian

Opus Anglicanum

Rushnyk

Sewed muslin

Ukrainian

Vietnamese

Vyshyvanka

Zardozi

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Kaitag textiles are an unusual embroidered textile art form from the Kaytagsky District of southeast Dagestan, Russia, inhabited mainly by Dargins and Kumyks. Kaitag textiles are of simple construction, being laid and couched silk- floss embroidery on a cotton ground. The designs are often in the style of classical Safavid Persian art, sometimes illustrating horsemen and hunting scenes. Abstract Kaitag designs have been compared to those of Matisse and Paul Klee, though it is unlikely that either artist ever saw a Kaitag textile. Surviving examples are mostly from the 17th and 18th centuries. These embroideries were apparently made for local use in weddings, funerals, and for cradle trappings. The traditional Kaitag art of embroidery was reportedly stamped out under Soviet rule.

Textile Gallery (London), 1996, Textile Art of the Caucasus, exhibit catalog, privately printed. Primary source.

Kaitag: Textile Art from Daghestan, by Robert Chenciner, 1993, Textile & Art Publications, London. ISBN 978-1-898406-00-6. Review

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Kaitag textiles are an unusual embroidered textile art form from the Kaytagsky District of southeast Dagestan, Russia, inhabited mainly by Dargins and Kumyks. Kaitag textiles are of simple construction, being laid and couched silk- floss embroidery on a cotton ground. The designs are often in the style of classical Safavid Persian art, sometimes illustrating horsemen and hunting scenes.

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Designers
and embroiderers | Emilie Bach Leon Conrad Kaffe Fassett Juanita Growing Thunder Fogarty Constance Howard Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum François Lesage Ann Macbeth May Morris Jessie Newbery Tetiana Protcheva Charles Germain de Saint Aubin Mary Elizabeth Turner Dimitri Vlachos - Castano Teresa Wentzler Kathleen Whyte Erica Wilson Lily Yeats

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May Morris was one of the most important figures of the Arts and Crafts movement. A successful designer of wallpaper, jewellery and woven textiles, she was most influential as a pioneer of art embroidery - her work and expertise were in demand across the world. But her achievements have for too long been overshadowed by her more famous father, William Morris.

We think it's time May was recognised for her own talents. That's why we're asking for your help in raising £15,000 to create May Morris: Art & Life, a major new exhibition of May's work. If our campaign is successful we can bring together rarely seen embroideries, costumes, jewellery, works on paper and personal items from collections across the country - and display them side by side for the first time.

And the great news is that we only need to raise two-thirds of our total. If we successfully raise £10,000 we will unlock a further £5,000 pledged by a private donor through Art Fund, enabling us to carry out vital conservation work on fragile objects included in the exhibition.

If you have any questions or need help donating, contact arthappens@artfund.org

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May Morris was one of the most important figures of the Arts and Crafts movement. A successful designer of wallpaper, jewellery and woven textiles, she was most influential as a pioneer of art embroidery - her work and expertise were in demand across the world.

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diploma

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The Han Sang Soo Embroidery Museum travel guidebook -must visit attractions in Seoul - The Han Sang Soo Embroidery Museum nearby recommendation - Trip.com

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The Han Sang Soo Embroidery Museum: 2020 Top Things to Do in Seoul. The Han Sang Soo Embroidery Museum travelers' reviews, business hours, introduction, open hours. Check out updated best hotels & restaurants near The Han Sang Soo Embroidery Museum.

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Other ways to learn for degrees and resources in english

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Home / Degree Courses / BA (Hons) Textiles

Study an online Textiles degree with OCA

Our BA (Hons) Textile degree offers a rich exploration of textiles in its broadest context, from surface, pattern, texture, material and colour, to design, print, knit and weave, to fashion, interiors, manufacture and product.

This online textile course provides you the opportunity to push the boundaries of what textiles is and what can be created, blending traditional and contemporary techniques, growing your knowledge, skills, confidence, motivation and ambition, that takes you from the first principles of textiles through to the inventiveness and innovation that will lead your artistic vision or professional practice

The structure of the distance learning textile design course provides unlimited opportunity to practice, refine and evolve your specialism while being guided by a market-leading practitioner.

Studying Textiles

This online textile degree programme gives students a unique opportunity to study textiles from their own home or studio with its specifically designed course materials.

Wherever the learner is in their current creative practice this degree aims to equip them with skills, confidence, motivation and ambition through a learning design programme that starts from first principles through to the contemporary professional practice of the student's choice.

The programme is strongly embedded in contemporary textile practices, encouraging innovation and challenging convention. The unit structure assists them in developing a firm set of practical and academic skills that lead to an autonomous and original textile practice. For this reason, our online textile degree is ideal for anyone looking to pursue a career in textiles or the broader design industry.

If you're looking for distance learning textile design courses, OCA have an excellent programme to offer. The course is open to anyone, regardless of previous experience or qualifications. All you need is a passion for textiles, and you can begin your journey now by applying today!

Course Structure

As of September 2021, the BA Hons Creative Arts course will deliver 3x 40 credit units in each Level of the course.*
Level 1
Units at this stage introduce students to distance learning and undergraduate study. Special consideration is taken to support students who have not participated in formal education for many years and learners with a range of abilities, guiding them through the fundamentals of academic study.

Students are introduced to experimental and exploratory textile sample making, its importance in the creative process and the development of meaningful outcomes. They develop, hone and personalise technical skills, develop a knowledge of colour theory and explore its applications along with understanding the importance of consideration and sensitivity to materials and techniques.
Level 2
Students at this level are supported in the transition from novice undergraduate to skilled, knowledgeable and independent learners, putting into practice skills acquired at Level 1 and developing a personal approach to their textile practice. The units at this Level expose students to a range of current themes and practices, the aim being to encourage the development of a practice that is personal yet located within contemporary or emerging creative ideas. The topics and projects have been selected and designed for distance learners studying within their own communities, these can be virtual and/or in real spaces.
Level 3
This stage of study equips and prepares students with knowledge, understanding and skills for continuing personal development and professional practice. The units provide a framework for the learners to generate and carry out projects based on personal vision and ambition. The aim is to strengthen individual textile practice and inform creative development through rigorous and challenging intellectual enquiry, resulting in a distinctive body of work.
*For current students enrolled to a Level of this degree prior to September 2021, existing units across all levels will remain available as 'teach out' units to ensure no students are disadvantaged due to the changes. Once enrolled to a new level, students will follow the new degree pathway.

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Textiles Accessibility Statements

Accessibility statements give an indication of the type and format of content, teaching, and learning activities on the course, and how these are ordinarily delivered.

Review Accessibility Statements here

UK 2022/2023

Total approximate undergraduate fees

Outside of the UK 2022/2023 Fees

Total approximate undergraduate fees

Breakdown of costs...

OCA's Level 3 (HE6) course units hold differing amounts of credits depending upon the given degree pathway, and therefore are varied in cost. For individual pricing, please see the individual course unit pages on this website. Two 40 credit units are studied concurrently and the deposit for these two units is £1,120 followed by 11 monthly instalments of £300.

More Information

With the OCA, you can study a BA (Hons) degree in our flexible online learning model at approximately one third the cost of a degree at a traditional physical university.

Students study and pay for the course on a unit-by-unit basis, so you only pay for the course as you enrol to each unit.

This course is eligible for a part-time tuition fee loan from Student Finance England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or you can self-fund the course and break down costs even further through the deposit and instalment option. Find out more about your funding options here.

You will require regular use of a computer or laptop and internet access. Most essential reading materials can be accessed through the digital library services and eBooks.

Students are responsible for sourcing and, where necessary, purchasing any additional software and resources specified. These can be around £400 at Level 1, £500 at Level 2, and £550 at Level 3. Where possible, open or freeware equivalents will be discussed alongside industry standard options.

You may be eligible for any student discounts on computer equipment and software by using your student email, and you can find out more information about student discounts here.

Textiles is an open access degree; this means that there are no formal qualifications or experience required to join the course. All you need is a passion for the arts, and willingness to learn.

All OCA courses require students to be IT literate, have a good internet connection, and have a good standard of English equivalent to CEFR B2. You can review the study requirements here so you're prepared for online study at higher education.

We accept enrolment for our BA (HONS) courses all year round, so you can start at a time that suits you. You don't need to wait for a specific intake month, simply complete the online enrolment form and indicate your preferred start date.

When applying for a Student Finance tuition fee loan, this may take 4- 6 weeks to process, so select a start date reflective of this. If you are also applying for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) and would like this support to be in place before beginning your course, please allow 14 weeks from when you begin your application to your start date.

Our part-time degree courses are completed on average between 6 and 9 years. The degree is structured into three levels (instead of three years) so you're able manage study around other commitments.

Once enrolled, you'll have a maximum of 12 years to complete your degree course. There are unit and level timeframes within the overall degree time frame, and you'll need a minimum of 10 study hours per week to keep on track. To find out more about course duration and managing your time, click here.

Your course materials are accessible online through the virtual learning environment, OCA Learn, where you'll also have access to student forums, a subject space, the student handbook and the online library. You'll work primarily from a set text of course materials and resources, but can also sign up to webinars, workshops and study groups in addition to your core learning.

Once you've completed the required assignments within a course unit and received tutor feedback, you'll submit a portfolio of work to an assessment event. This gives you the opportunity to develop your work before you have it formally assessed to achieve credits towards your degree.

The Academic Regulatory Framework (ARF) regulations are applicable to all taught courses offered by the Open College of the Arts
(OCA), and leading to an undergraduate award of the University for the Creative Arts (UCA).

You can review the ARF through the link below:
Academic Regulatory Framework

To Join

Enhance your textiles skills with OCA today!

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Home / Degree Courses / BA (Hons) Textiles Our BA (Hons) Textile degree offers a rich exploration of textiles in its broadest context, from surface, pattern, texture, material and colour, to design, print, knit and weave, to fashion, interiors, manufacture and product.

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Learn from watching documentaries.

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The story spans the turbulent years, from Egypt's 25th January 2011 revolution through to the June 2014 election of Abdel Fatah al Sisi as President of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Filmed, Produced & Directed by Kim Beamish

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A documentary filmed over three years, 'The Tentmakers of Cairo' tells the story of Egypt's struggle with democracy through the lives of a community of artisans whose craft has remained largely unchanged since Pharaonic times.

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Maybe it was the colossal dinosaur fossils at the Museum of Natural History, or perhaps it was an original Picasso at the Guggenheim. Whatever the experience that sparked your love of museums, a museum internship is the gateway to a lifelong career of education and engagement. In addition to interning at a museum, you can find internship opportunities at historical sites and societies, at colleges and universities, and in government. As an intern, you can get hands-on experience while giving tours, organizing the museum's collections, and assisting with new exhibits. Interns also get behind-the-scenes access while conducting research and writing copy for visitor materials and/or marketing.

Once you've spent a semester learning the ropes, you can pursue a career as an archivist, curator, educator, conservator, or historian. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs for archivists, curators, and museum workers is expected to grow by 9% over the next decade, which is faster than average. The median annual pay for these occupations is $48,400.

Ready for a blast from the past? Search for museum internships below.

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Maybe it was the colossal dinosaur fossils at the Museum of Natural History, or perhaps it was an original Picasso at the Guggenheim. Whatever the experience that sparked your love of museums, a museum internship is the gateway to a lifelong career of education and engagement.

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random ideas

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When I was 12 I went into hospital to have a lump removed and came out sporting a rather fancy set of stitches under my chin. I was pretty grumpy about looking like a mini- Frankenstein for a week - and never could figure out why I had two beads sticking from either end of the wound.

But this week I got the chance to find out, when surgeon Akan Emin offered to give me a masterclass in suturing or wound stitching. The lesson was ahead of All Stitched Up, an event at the Hunterian museum in London where medical professionals and knitters are being brought together to swap their stitching skills.

Having patched up jeans, darned socks and mastered all kinds of embroidery, I assumed I could have a good stab at stitching up a body. But when I was given a small, neat wound on a fake arm to practise on (made of red sponge and a sort of leatherette), not fainting is my first challenge. As someone who passes out during blood tests, I like to pretend there's a complex system of robotics inside us rather than admit we're packed with a squelchy, bloodied mess of organs and muscle.

Luckily, crafting served me well and instinctively I stick the needle into the fake arm at 90 degrees, close to the edge, but just far enough away so it won't rip - just as I would with fabric. The skin - albeit fake - is thick, and I have to push the needle much harder than I'd imagined; like sewing leather. "Skin is much thicker than most people realise," Emin explains. "But it's different on different parts of the body. The sole of a foot, that's very thick and callous, and harder to do than, say, an arm. The face is, of course, delicate, and very challenging, because it's so important it scars neatly."

The next problem is holding the needle. It's considered very bad form to use your hand - instead needles are manoeuvred using a holder and forceps. "It's more sterile," says Emin. "Plus, you can easily cut yourself if you're holding the needle in your fingers." With these new tools, I'm far clumsier than I thought I'd be and I squirm, thinking about what a slip of the forceps would mean had I been given free rein in A&E.

I've been handed a silk thread today - it's easy to use, and best for beginners - but for every wound or surgery there is a combination of threads, needle and stitches to suit. Sutures can be absorbable - left in to be broken down by the body; non-absorbable and taken out after a period of time; synthetic or non-synthetic; braided or non-braided. "Each material has a different property and glides through the tissue differently," says Emin.

Nylons, for example, are difficult to handle and hard to knot - but are routinely used for skin wounds as they slip out easily, and are less painful to remove. Polyesters are the standard for cardiac and vascular surgery, because they are non-absorbable and, unlike silk, don't react to moisture, fragment or lose their strength. If your sternum is being closed you can expect to come home with a stainless steel suture inside you, and if you need a bout of neurosurgery, braided silk will probably be the thread of choice.

Needles come in all shapes and sizes too: tiny, near-invisible ones are used in microsurgery, blunt ones stitch delicate, easily-damaged tissue such as the liver, and specialist needles that are super-sharp and spatula-shaped have been developed to make eye operations easier to perform. "There are no hard and fast rules though," says Emin. "We make decisions on a case-by-case basis."

As with crafty sewing, the method you use differs depending on the task in hand. There's interrupted stitches where the thread is cut and tied after each one, or continuous, where one piece does the whole job. Each has benefits - continuous is quicker, leaving fewer foreign bodies in the wound, but not as secure as infection can travel down the thread rather than being confined to one stitch.

Mattress is one variation Emin shows me. These stitches are made either side of the wound, then the thread is brought across it and either tied, or a second stitch made; it's used when tension needs to be minimised. Subcuticular is another, and it turns out to be the one used under my chin. The needle doesn't puncture the surface of the skin but the layer inside it, making scarring much neater.

But why the beads? Continuous subcuticular stitches can be tied to keep them secure, but some surgeons prefer threading beads on the end of the suture, which are held in place by little metal clamps. Although the stitches are surprisingly hard to master Emin tells me that in the past pig's bristles, kangaroo tendons and catgut were used. In South America, large ants were used to pinch wound edges together, their bodies being twisted off to leave their heads stuck to the patient. Suddenly those beads don't seem so bad.
*The lesson was ahead of All Stitched Up, an event at the Hunterian
museum in London (part of this weekend's nationwide Museums At Night
festival) where medical professionals and knitters are being brought
together to swap their stitching skills. Find out more at: culture24.org.uk/museumsatnight

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When I was 12 I went into hospital to have a lump removed and came out sporting a rather fancy set of stitches under my chin. I was pretty grumpy about looking like a mini- Frankenstein for a week - and never could figure out why I had two beads sticking from either end of the wound.

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Creative & Economic Development - Multicolores

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Creative & Economic Development Multicolores believes in the transformative power of artistry Creative and economic development is the foundation of Multicolores. Our association is made up of groups of Maya women artists who practice two different contemporary textile art techniques: embroidery and rug-hooking. To support artists, Multicolores offers ongoing creative education opportunities, fair and immediate [...]

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work with your community

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Different types of embroidery can be found in every culture across the world and the practice has been around for a very long time. Whether it is used on clothing, home goods, or as a display, this art form is an essential piece to our material culture.

Even if someone isn't familiar with the term, they most likely have seen embroidery in their lives at one point or another. To simply explain it, embroidery is the practice of decorating fabric using a needle and yarn/string. Almost anyone can pick up this hobby since, besides time-consuming, it doesn't take much effort to learn or do. Like most things, as one's skills develop, they can begin to master advanced techniques, making more intricate and detailed designs as they learn. In embroidery, people usually start out learning basic stitches such as back stitch and french knots and then advance on to satin and fishbone stitches. The appealing part of embroidery for many is the creativity involved. The embroiderer gets full liberty to decide their patterns, types of stitches, and colors. They can combine multiple techniques to create different textures, looks, and depths.

Not only is embroidery an enjoyable way to pass the time, it also has a multitude of benefits. Ozment Media has done research on the pros of embroidery and have found that it helps the brain in many ways. By having to create the designs and add finishing embellishments, it gives the artist a boost in developing creativity. Doing the actual needle and thread work can have benefits in discipline and brain function. Since it takes a lot of patience to plan, thread the needles, and make each and every individual stitch by hand, one teaches themselves discipline while working on their project. Having to thread needles and poke it through specific points on the fabric has been found to improve brain function and keeps people sharper mentally. Besides these benefits, embroidery is also a great way to relieve stress. It gives a person something to focus their attention to when there is too much happening all around them.

Overall, embroidery is a fun, easy, and beneficial hobby to pick up. I personally have been learning the art for a month now and have really enjoyed making patterns and expressing myself through my projects. I have noticed feeling more relaxed and less attached to my electronic devices. I would recommend this hobby to anyone who wants a way to express themselves on something other than paper.

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Different types of embroidery can be found in every culture across the world and the practice has been around for a very long time. Whether it is used on clothing, home goods, or as a display, this art form is an essential piece to our material culture.

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help a community

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Palestinians & allies of all ages are welcome to join the Tatreez & Tea community.

Lectures, classes, private events, tutoring, apprenticeships, and university classes are some of the many ways to learn Palestinian embroidery and art history.

Currently, Wafa teaches at the Smithsonian Museum as well as museums, galleries, and universities around the world. She researches textiles at The Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as consults with museums across the United States. She serves as an Artist in Residence at the Museum of the Palestinian People, leads a group of apprentices, and is currently working on her second publication.

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Lectures, classes, private events, tutoring, apprenticeships, and university classes are some of the many ways to learn Palestinian embroidery and art history. Currently, Wafa teaches at the Smithsonian Museum as well as museums, galleries, and universities around the world. She researches textiles at The Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as consults with museums across the United States.

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Learn to move and idea and community forward, empowering a community to work for themselves.

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Embroidery as a Cradle of Economic Empowerment for the Women of the Tribal Areas

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Dated: 6-Feb-2014 Women are integral part of human civilization. They play a vital role in the socio-economic development and mainstreaming of the society. Specially in the modern world of today denying women of opportunities means waste of human capital and is certainly a bar to economic prosperity and mainstreaming.