Classic Collector’s Conference speaker Olivia Headley will be giving a four-part lecture series at the Los Angeles Public Library starting in July. It will be kicked off by an “Introduction to Vintage Textiles” on July 9th, “Embroidered Samplers” on August 13th, “Quilts” on September 10th, and “Beaded Bags and Sewing Tools” on October 8th. She will offer a new insight into the use of heritage linens, explain how to collect and preserve heritage linens, and confirm the value of these. Not only has she given hundreds of lectures on these subjects, she has been amassing a collection of these items since 1991. She now has 1,000 linens, 200 vintage bags and purses, 100 embroidered samplers ranging from the late 1800s to the 1950s. Call the library at (213) 228-7000 for hours and details. Parking is available at the 524 South Flower Street garage. Metro Blue Line and Metro Red Line both have stops near the Central Library, and most buses coming downtown, stop near the Central Library.
Category Archives: Textiles
Acosta keeps it green
It would probably surprise people to discover that there is a raging controversy over the humanity of silk production (sericulture) because it requires the annual death of billions of silkworm larvae. While polar bears and elephants are preserved, insects are routinely destroyed with no remorse at all. Even Ghandi, famous for spinning his own cotton clothing, was well known for his opposition to silk production. Audrey Acosta, much like vintage ivory traders, sidesteps the entire issue by exclusively handling vintage and recycled silk. The fashion designer and seamstress has a hand in every step of the creation of the brightly-colored silk blouses, skirts and Soho dresses in her Rose Bowl space. ”I decided I could be poor as a teacher or poor as a small business owner and work for myself,” said Acosta, who takes vintage silk and turns it into amazing eco-friendly summer dresses, skirts, scarves, and handbags. She recently started her own clothing line after giving up her career as an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher in the Bay Area. The Rose Bowl virgin unveiled her brightly-colored collection at the April Flea Market for the first time, and plans to make an appearance at Alameda Point next month. Her fanciest Soho oversized dresses are priced at $110, but she has garments for only a fraction of that price. All of her garments are made using 100% recycled vintage silks, and each piece is one-of-a-kind and is designed to showcase the magnificent artistry of the vintage silk, she explained. Acosta is so committed to her silk designs that she has a hand in every part of their production. She starts by handpicking each piece of fabric. She travels to Rajastan, India where she picks out beautiful examples of vintage silk. She imports the fabric from India, which then travels by boat to the port of Oakland, where she loads up her 2001 Toyota Camry with heaping piles of colorful vintage silk. When it comes to making her party dresses and fairy skirts, she does some of the sewing herself, but since her business has grown, Acosta does need some help in that department. However, she is there in every step of the garment’s production until it is boxed up and sent to retailer, she explained. Prior to becoming a fashion designer and seamstress, Acosta was a liberal political economy student at U.C. Berkeley. She completed her master’s in English at San Francisco State. For more information, Acosta can be contacted at (530) 574-5042. History of silk in India Indian silk goes back to around the time the pyramids were built. Despite the common perception that China is the leader in the silk industry, India is the largest consumer of silk in the world. Indian silk is traditionally hand-woven and hand-dyed and usually has silver threads woven into the cloth. Silk cultivation Silk moths lay eggs on specially-prepared paper. The eggs hatch and the caterpillars (silkworms) are fed fresh mulberry leaves. After about 35 days and four moltings, the caterpillars are 10,000 times heavier than when hatched, and are ready to begin spinning a cocoon. A straw frame is placed over the tray of caterpillars, and each caterpillar begins spinning a cocoon by moving its head in a “figure 8″ pattern. Two glands produce liquid silk and force it through openings in the head called spinnerets. Liquid silk is coated in sericin, a water-soluble protective gum, and solidifies on contact with the air. Within 2-3 days, the caterpillar is completely encased in a cocoon. If you were to take a cocoon and unravel it, the filament would stretch to be about five times the length of the Titanic. The silk farmers then kill most caterpillars by heat, leaving some to metamorphose into moths to breed the next generation of caterpillars. Controversy While Indians are famous for allowing cows to roam the streets of New Delhi because of their reverence for all life, many of them have no reservations in the mass genocide of millions, if not billions, of the helpless larvae that killed during the harvesting of silk.
Quilt mystery solved
Bonnie and Lisa Ackerman of A&P Antiques in Orange transformed into super quilt sleuths to help identify a mystery pattern for a collector. The gold and white mystery quilt was identified as both a simplified version of the “Blazing Star” pattern and a more precise match for the Starry Heaven pattern. Bonnie, Lisa, and several other quilt enthusiasts help track down the patterns on the International Quilt Study Center & Museum website and Google’s BlockBase, which features more than 4,300 quilt patterns. The pattern on the mystery quilt uses two layers of 8-pointed stars and the remainder of the pieces are white muslin.
Ethnographic meets pretty lace
Although they specialize in very different textiles, Lise Thomas and Patty Hubbard are fated to be close Vintage Fashion friends. They met at Caskey & Lees Clothing and Textile Show in Burbank when their spaces were facing each other, and they reconnected at the Santa Monica Vintage Fashion Show, when once again, they were situated across from one another. ”I instantly loved her pretty lace things,” said Thomas, a specialist in ethnographic costumes, especially china poblanas from Mexico. The blondes were fast friends and have even shared war stories. Hubbard’s tales are far more tragic. She was one of the dealers who stuck with the Cranberry House to the bitter end. ”I was there from beginning to end,” lamented Hubbard, who was unwittingly part of the biggest antique industry debacle of the 21st century. Nobody faulted Cranberry House owners Jessica LaMar and Monica Wheat when they announced they had to close their doors. It is the action they took after that which left many dealers boiling mad. Even though they had every intention of filing bankruptcy and running off with the dealers’ money, they urged their dealers to bring in more merchandise, claiming that the “store closing” signs were bringing in customers in droves. Many dealers, excited by the upswing in business, brought in their best stuff, only to be jilted of the money once they closed the mall. Many of them were not just loyal dealers, but friends, like Hubbard. She was out a little over $1,000 when they filed bankruptcy and quickly shut their doors. She was never paid what she was owed, but since she was very close to LaMar and Wheat, she does not hold a grudge. ”I stayed in good terms with them,” she said. After Cranberry House closed its doors, Hubbard moved into Maria’s Agoura Antique Mart, where she has been ever since. Thomas’ story is a bit more uplifting. She was raised by a violin-playing Hungarian gypsy and after 25 years in business had her best year as a vintage clothing dealer in 2008. She even had the best day she ever had at a show; it was the April Vintage Fashion Expo in Santa Monica. ”I grossed $6,000 that day, which is really good for me, since I have very eclectic customers,” she said. CAPTION Presentation serape with a name woven into it. Roses are unusual. 1940s or ’50s. $800. 1940s Romanian costume blouse made by Hungarians. From Transylvania. She bought it from a smuggler, who smuggled it out of Romania. $1,200.
Snowflake quilt
Just in time for the wintery weather, Down Home dealer and employee Ally McDormand bought a snowflake pattern quilt from fellow Down Home dealer Eileen Johnson at the mall’s Holiday Open House in November. McDormand specializes in “fun and cozy” country-themed antiques in space #44. Down Home is located at 200 E. Chapman Avenue in Orange. Call (714) 288-9208.
