Dear Friends,
I arrived home yesterday after a month in Vietnam with the usual load
of stories and adventures.
However, with regard to lace, I found no sign of bobbin lace, tatting
or even crochet at all. In Saigon, I did see examples of Hardanger
and Roman Cut Work - all of similar design and possibly from China.
Silk is a major industry in Vietnam and there are the most wonderful
embroideries and fabrics to be purchased throughout the entire
country at remarkably inexpensive rates. The main centre for the silk
industry is the small town of Hoi An - about 30km south of Da Nang.
Whilst most of my Vietnamese language skills returned after a week or
so there, I was having great difficulty trying to get folk to
understand that I wanted to see where the silk fabric was actually
made. Eventually I found a fabulous lesbian motor scooter rider who
understood when I told her I wanted to see the silk fabric when it was white.
She then kindly took me about 30km inland from Hoi An on the back of
her bike at 7:00 A.M. to the village of Duy Trinh - Duy Xuyen in
Quang Nam Province. In a small house I met a couple of about 60yrs of
age who had 2 antiquated looms running. Now while I can never
remember which is warp and which is weft, the woman explained that
they were currently making a fabric which had the vertical threads of
cotton and the horizontal threads on the shuttle were of silk.
I asked if it would be possible to buy a spool of the fine white silk
thread - not knowing whether she was under contract or how she
obtained her thread, She assured me it was OK and so I got a large
spool (about 12" [30cm] long and over 0.5cm thick) - more than enough
for a lifetime or two, for the exorbitant price of US $2.50!!!
I shall write a story or two for lace-chat
Bye for now
David in Ballarat
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