For my ongoing theme of ‘Taking Back Red’, here’s an old fiber art project that is calling for a reboot, possibly as a book art sculpture:
1994’s ‘Southron Sampler’, a small 14×9″ (ish) fiber art wall hanging donated to an Arizona science fiction convention charity auction to benefit a local literacy group. If this piece still exists, I hope someone is enjoying it.
Even in 1994, I was playing with constructed fabrics: layers of silks, satin, cotton, and linen appliqued down to a lightweight base fabric, then beaded and embroidered.
Here is the ink-and-watercolor first sketch with my scribbled notes:
Here is the final (1994) version. Please excuse the image quality: I was limited to photocopying pieces at the time.
Here is the inspiring scene from Jennifer Roberson’s 1991 fantasy SWORD-BREAKER, describing an astonishing garment. I really hope someone, somewhere made this thing in real life. It might be hard to wear, but pure drama can be worth it. Can you imagine it archivally framed, folded out in display on a wall? Maybe not a full cloak/burnoose, but a reversible shawl icy white on one side and vivid red patchwork on the other?
Umir caught cloth abruptly and pulled the burnous open with a skilled flourish, draping it inside-out across his left arm like a cloth merchant showing off wares. The severe white burnous was abruptly something else; something incredibly more: a lurid Southron sunset awash in morning light. All the yellows, and the oranges, and all the lurid reds–and everything in between–of a simoom-birthed sunset boiling out of the Punja’s horizon bloomed against costly samite, and an even costlier woman.
Umir spread a hand across the brilliant lining. “Beads,” he whispered softly. “Hundreds and hundreds of beads, colored glass and gold and brass…and feathers, all the feathers, from a hundred thousand birds not even known to the South…” […] Beads glittered, rattled. Delicate feathers fluttered.
I even liked, in a later passage, how the female protagonist lamented the necessary destruction of the garment, as a waste of ‘work-womanship’, acknowledging that unknown women likely crafted it, and the despot Umir only hoarded…and lost…it. A central motif in R.B. Lemberg’s fabulous THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES, which I recently reviewed.
In our throwaway First-World cultures, it’s refreshing to be reminded that fabric itself can be a treasure.
For historical flavor, here is an image of Napoleon’s famous Red Burnoose, taken by the British as a war-prize, and a link to learn more about it.
I love the idea of contrasting winter-white heavy silk with sunset-colored applique, beadwork, and feather dangles. For the new version, I’ll probably avoid real feathers as too fragile, brass as too reactive, and gold-plated charms as, well, too cheap-looking. I’ll go with carved shell and beadwoven feathers, just for extra glimmer.
For the color base I can cheat a little: I still have pieces of a silk-applique Chico’s jacket in vivid red and orange shades.
For the white I’ll avoid polyester satin this time and go with Silk Baron’s arctic white silk taffeta.
Welcome to ongoing project number…what…274?