In a message dated 7/2/04 12:26:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Hello Beth, > Is the bedspread in squares? Then you could make very modern sleeves for > a blouse or a dress, take it with one of the corner in the middle of > the shoulder and sew on the two sides going from this point and ready > is it. > Greetings > Ilske > Dear Ilske and Others who might be interested in the evolution of sleeves, Just today, I was reading about sleeves in women's clothes, and when they seemed to have developed. The article was actually about those Eurasian sleeves that are ultra-long and extend well below the fingertips. From "Folk Dress in Europe and Anatolia" edited by Linda Welters, a chapter by Elizabeth J. W. Barber: "Our very earliest evidence for the sleeve anywhere in the eastern hemisphere comes from purportedly First-Dynasty tunics from Egypt, circa 3000 BC, now in the Petrie Museum in London, although quite so early a date for those pieces has been questioned. Clearly there could be no ultra-long sleeves until there were sleeves. "If, then, the sleeve itself began to take hold in earnest in Europe only around 2000 BC, the Zakro (on Crete) sealings of about 1650 BC suggest not only that the ultra-long sleeve cannot be much older than that, but also that this curious variation on the sleeve became part of women's ritual apparel almost immediately. Many people today perceive clothes as being first and foremost for warmth and protection from the elements, but once again, just as with the string skirt and the squared back-apron, our evidence suggests that prehistoric European clothing developed originally as a means of promoting women's fertility through ritual and charms. Only later did other aspects of clothing, such as warmth or modesty, become important. Perhaps the use of garments as a new way to get the gods' attention, or avoid the demons' attention, constituted the only reason strong enough to induce the conservative early farming cultures to adopt such newfangled items." Jeri's observation: We have now, of course, evolved to attaching lace sleeves to our garments - a development that provides little warmth or modesty, and much to think about! Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
