Appointment at the V&A East Storehouse to study a selection of Ottoman and Persian coats as part of my ongoing research into historical textile systems and costume.
Bankside Exhibition with the society of Designer craftsmen
What a fabulous exhibition of contemporary crafts: textiles, ceramics, glass, furniture, marquetry, jewellery and mixed media. sense of place Molly Williams MSDC - Felted fibres in the gallery some of my favourite pieces Christine Meyer-Eagleston FSDC Marquetry Sean Evelegh MSDC Denise Jaques MSDC Ceramics Margaret Jones FSDC Woven textiles Julia Desch MSDC Feltmaking The exhibition …
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Ottoman kaftan construction – 2 Child’s Kaftans
The Clothworkers Centre in London have several Ottoman kaftans in its archive and I have visited the centre to examine some of their examples. I was interested to see how the kaftans were cut and details of the stitching. The archive kaftan pieces are typical of work made in the Ottoman court workshops during the 16th …
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Fabric printing project – preparation
I have been making Lino prints ready to experiment printing on fabric with procion dyes with inspiration from Ikat woven fabric and Ottoman textile design I have used fabric paints in the past however as these are pigment based the prints are stiff and change the nature and drape of the fabric. Dyes are permanent and …
Fabric dyeing project
I have never used procion dyes before and have decided to dye and print my fabric for a range of jackets with an Asian ottoman theme. Researching I have found some good tips for using dyes thickened with sodium alginate to paint or print onto fabric by Alyson Provax Alyson Provax - printmaker and experimental dyer in …
Ottoman garment fabrics and patterns 1.
Gomlek The under shirt (chemise) Fabrics Finest, translucent woven cotton or silk fabric was used to make the under garments. There are examples of men's winter gomleks made of fine wool. This garment was very wide and loose and often reached to the ankles, with generously wide, long sleeves. Gomlek pattern Entari The entari was a decorative …
Ottoman 15th C -17th C woman’s costume
Women's everyday wear did not change greatly during this time and comprised of: Underclothes Salvar (trousers) that were very baggy at the waist tapering to the ankles. The salvar were often coloured though did not usually match the rest of the outfit. Gomlek (a chemise) that was mid-calf length and made from a transparent diaphanous fabric …
Ottoman kaftan construction – 2 Child’s Kaftans
The Clothworkers Centre in London have several Ottoman kaftans in its archive and I have visited the centre to examine some of their examples. I was interested to see how the kaftans were cut and details of the stitching. The archive kaftan pieces are typical of work made in the Ottoman court workshops during the 16th …
Continue reading "Ottoman kaftan construction – 2 Child’s Kaftans"
16th century pattern symbolism
Traditional Turkish Ottoman motifs are unique to the history of the Ottoman Empire and have been used to decorate many words of art and clothing including fabrics, tiles, ceramics, carpet and decorative arts since the 13th century reaching their zenith in the 16th century. The motif designs include stylised flower and fruits such as the carnation, hyacinth and tulip. Embroidered …

