Dear Lacemakers, This will be just a general overview. Beads of various types have been used to "protect" for many centuries. Some have old tales attached to them. Subject is well covered in bead books. >From "The Shining Cloth" by Victoria Z. Rivers --- "Paleolithic Western Asia may have been the point of origin connecting beads, eyes, and protective magic, for the earliest reference to the evil eye came from Sumerian clay tablets of the 3rd millennium BC." When I list the types of books in my library, it includes "related subjects". That includes beads, which seem to have had a much higher survival rate than textiles. And then, there are books about Goddess embroideries, and the symbolic meanings of them. Also, what has been exhumed from ancient burial sites in various parts of the world. Some books tell of the meanings of embroideries, such as symbols for snakes, stitched around all openings of womens' clothing: neck, sleeves, bottom hem -- to protect. During the 20th C. when various eastern European nations suffered so much cultural destruction, books began to come out that would describe patterns as "traditional (name of nation) embroidery". The truth is that the origins and meanings of the individual symbols are known. When you see a traditional middle eastern rug or embroidery or tapestry with what looks like symbols, know that those designs are ancient and did/do have meanings. When you use such design elements for inspiration when designing lace (per recent correspondence) they are called adaptations. Off the top of my head, I am reminded of some embroidery and lace -- very similar designs -- in older "ethnic" books. Lace is attached to an embroidered cloth that you can see was deliberately designed to go together. If the embroidery design told a story, so does the lace. All this, because of discussions about spangling beads for bobbins! It is complex, but magical. Unlikely to be found in most lace libraries, but definitely better for some of us to know about than not. I hope you appreciate all the creative people who have left evidence of their heritage to us, whether you agree or not with their beliefs. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center (It is one degree above zero fahrenheit as this note is being written in snow-covered Maine.)
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