| Many people would love to know more about the Secrets of Silk. Each talk or seminar is planned specifically to the special interests of the Guild or Group.
They usually include the talk, discussion, demonstration of silk spinning and a small fashion parade and may or may not include slides or a powerpoint presentation as the situation requires. The slides are from my own collection taken from either my silk trips abroad or from paintings and medieval manuscripts.
To arrange for a talk or seminar or discuss the requirements for your group, please contact Priscilla on email: silkroad39@xtra.co.nz
My special interest is Medieval History, and the social history of silk, the development of silk textiles, spinning, weaving and embroidery, the history of fashion and the situation for sericulture in the world today.
Each talk or lecture begins with an introduction. The slides are taken from paintings and illuminated manuscripts and offer a fascinating glimpse into earlier fashions and life styles. Time is then allowed for any questions and discussion.
After this, I demonstrate my methods of spinning silk to give a wonderful high loft and lustre. Sometimes lots of different silk types are included to give a glorious range of fancy yarns. As silk handles quite differently from wool and other fibres, and I usually read while I spin, this always creates lots of interest.
Some ladies are invited to model the handspun, knitted or quilted silk jackets and jerseys and other unique hand-dyed silk garments, and they move around among the audience, where each garment can be examined and discussed.
It is all great fun, and at the end everyone is invited to come and on try the garments and handle the different silks.
| | The Secrets of Silk.: From the Myths and Legends to the Present Day This is a general overview of the history of silk, and traces the way the knowledge of silk traveled from China to Korea, Japan, India, across Europe to England and finally to the New World. It brings up to date the situation for sericulture in the world today. Questions of care and handling, identification of different silk fabrics and their suitability for an end use are covered. This talk is especially suitable where the audience has a large range of interests and where slides are not possible. |  | | Marco Polo and the Silk Route. This talk traces the journeys made by Marco Polo, his father and uncle and the other early travelers during the 13th century. It highlights the conditions of life along the various Silk Routes, and the ancient textiles discovered in Central Asia. It is illustrated with slides taken from Medieval Manuscripts, of the route Marco Polo traveled and also from my crossings of China in his footstep |  | The Medieval Spinners Dyers and Weavers. From my unique Collection of slides taken from Medieval Manuscripts I have drawn together the most magical set of illustrations of the textile craftswomen of the Middle Ages. They include not only examples of many people using different kinds of spindles, spinning wheels and looms but also examples of the Virgin Mary weaving, spinning, embroidering and even knitting.
| | Opus Anglicanum, 1000 years of Silk Embroidery. This illustrated lecture tells the story of the gorgeous ecclesiastical and secular garments decorated with silk and gold embroidery produced in England. It traces the history, symbolism and techniques used to make these garments and highlights the noble women and nuns, the ateliers, agents, guildsmen and women who embroidered and wore these valuable garments, some worth a king’s ransom. |  | | Kimono and the Art of Silk in Japan. Silk has always been part of the life of Japan. This talk follows the development of sericulture and the kimono in particular, highlighting the exquisite techniques used to decorate the fabric, and the changes over time. A beautiful kimono will be displayed and the subtle messages of each aspect of kimono and the life of the Geisha will be discussed. |  | Lace Ruffs and Quilted Petticoats: Silk Textiles, Lace and Embroidery in Fashion This talk is of special interest to everyone involved in fashion, embroidery, lacemaking and quilting. Illustrations are taken from famous paintings and the social story behind the fashions can be clearly seen
| Ancient to Modern: From Socks to Wearable Art Glorious knitted silk tomb pillows have been found in Spain, and exquisite gifts of silk stockings were given to Queen Elizabeth I and fine silk has been knitted into the most precious and costly garments. The development of the knitting machine acclerated the process and is a fascinating story as well. Today, knitting has entered the realm of wearable art.
| ...And the Ladies Wore Silk: The History of Fashion The history of fine dressisng and style can be told through the paintings of the most important people in society. So much can be read about their wealth and status, priorities, class, and taste by carefully examining their clothes. They chose to be painted in their most splendid clothes and that frequently meant the wearing of silk.
| The Wow Factor! Designing your work to win This talk explaines just exactly what it takes to produce a prize winner! It identifies the different types of competition, and then explaines the process that a judge goes through and how one item is perfect for Show and Tell, another for a Regional Day and what makes a Supreme winner at a National Exhibition. There will be examples, time for questions and discussion, no slides.
| The Rise and Fall of the Medieval Silk Spinners and Weavers This talk tells the story of the medieval craftswomen and the pleasures and pressures they were under. They had a fine network of friends and colleagues and the help of their husbands, so how was it that in the end the guildsmen won? A fascinating exploration into the lives of real men and women. As there are no slides it is an ideal talk for a larger group, of mixed interest or after an after dinner speech.
| Old World, New World: Silk around the world This is a review of silk in China, India, Korea, Japan, Thailand, many parts of Asia, America, Europe and Africa. It explores the history of silk and notes the changes, especially since China has been admitted to the World Trade Organization and the effect on all the other silk producing countries. It looks also at the scientific developments and other changes to the future of silk.
| Reading the Pictures, Did you know the Virgin Mary was a Knitter? This talk brings together some of the wonderful depictions of famous people and the Holy Family and shows them to be just an 'ordinary' family, engaged in domestic tasks. The tiny illustrations can be read for their social content, the types of houses and clothes, and you can learn to 'read the pictures' and discover the hidden world in illuminated manuscripts and domestic paintings
| Silk: It's Man's Game Silk is usually thought of as a feminine interest, with the textiles, embroidery, sewing and fashion, but it was the men who were the powerful ones. They handled the bulk of the silk, fibre and fabrics, arranged for its production, finance, transport and signed the contracts. They were the ones who had the adventures, survived the hardships, manipulated and schemed to control this valuable textile. While it was the women who looked after the silkworms, and often wove or embroidered the cloth, it was the men who held the power. This is a great talk for a business or public service group, after dinner speech etc and always arouses a lot of interest and discussion.
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