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February 20, 2014

Portugal - a living museum of embroidery part IV

Olá! This week I remembered that I had some photos that I've not showed yet.

So... come with me and accept my invitation to continue our visit to a very special museum... to Portugal, a living museum of embroidery...

As I told you in our first visit it is very common in antiques and flea street markets to find someone selling vintage embroidery. These photos are from a street market in Estremoz, but all around Portugal you'll find the same... from the North to the South of our country... this happens in the street... but indoors it is no different. I believe you'll find a piece of embroidery almost in every single home.

And this makes me think of all the women that embroidered these stitches that lasted until today... Can you imagine so many hours? So many women...


Vintage stitches

Vintage Stitches

Vintage Stitches

Vintage stitches

If it is still possible to have all these in our days, I can't avoid thinking of how different life was those days when these treasures were stitched...

I really would love to know if in your countries it's as easy to find a piece of embroidery as it is here, in this very special living museum of embroidery.

4 comments:

  1. Those are beautiful and inspiring...to have all those handmade pieces last so long is wonderful.

    Thanks for sharing!

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  2. That blue Viana's Embroidery is precious - it is desapearing in our days

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  3. I'm seeing a moderate amount of hand-embroidered tea towels and sometimes table cloths in flea markets. You occasionally see crewel work on very old chairs, but it's hard to find it in good condition. It's not as common to see hand-embroidery in people's homes as it seems it was when I was a kid about 25-30 years ago.

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  4. Sandra Tonti ChidesterFebruary 21, 2014 at 7:01 AM

    I don't really do many flea markets, but I've noticed that these things used to be sold very cheaply. Now they are a little more costly, but still so undervalued. Growing up, I never saw any embroidery. My mother considered this sort of thing 'playing'. I came to it late, but at least I can appreciate it now.

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