The Embroideress

After a recent hospitalization (hopefully the last for awhile) I was released to return home on Veterans Day even though I'd explained to physicians that transportation would be difficult on a holiday. I use Access Ride to toddle around Nashville and they are great but you have to book van rides 24 hours or so in advance and suddenly needing transportation on a holiday when all their scheduling folks are home with their families is impossible.

When the staff at 3North at the Nashville VA found out that I was facing another hospital day or a very expensive cab ride they arranged to cover for one of the nurses to drive me home during her break time. So Stephanie, thank you and all your colleagues for going the extra mile and delivering me at my front door with an added treat of a little fast food in my hand so I didn't have to worry about dinner.

Yes, we hear about the difficulties the VA has in providing care for us vets and they are struggling with budget and with determining the needs of all sorts of vets. There are successes however. We have a great new Women's Health Center here in Nashville that addresses the concerns and needs of women vets and recently I have received medical care that would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in the private sector.

One thing you can do for any vet you know who does not receive care from the VA is urge them to apply for health care benefits whether or not they have a service connected disability. Many more vets can now qualify for care if they find themselves unemployed or underemployed and with marginal or no health care insurance coverage.

Labels: Life the Universe and Everything

I've been reading a bit lately on the various insects used as dyes in the ancient world and wonder if I could dye anything with a mash of our local ladybugs.

We are in the ladybug invasion season and I detest the miserable little beasts. I vacuum them up daily, swat them, blow them out of my keyboard and off my lamps and generally curse them soundly. I think I could easily gather enough to make a trial of the thought. Anybody used ladybugs as a colorant? If so would you share your experience?

Labels: dyeing, Ladybugs

Back at the keyboard my friends and readers. During the past few days I've been luxuriating in a beautiful catalog from the Wien Museum that accompanied their exhibit titled "Grosser Auftritt - Mode der Ringstrassenzeit" ISBN: 978-3-85033-354-2

The Ringstrasse Era was Vienna's Belle Epoque - that unreal, royalty ridden, mauvey twilight sort of period from the 1860's to 1910 or thereabouts. Consumer society was found in abundance and haute couture was covered in lace, embroidery, beads and composed of beautifully manipulated fabrics fitted to a hair's span.

The photographs are outstanding and offer heaps of detail. Yes, it is in German and required my dictionary readily at hand but it is well worth costumers and embroiderers owning a copy or at least having their local library obtain it for inter-library loan.

Thank you MJ for this delicious book.

Meanwhile, I think many of us are sentimentally drawn to this era of embroidery (and even quilting). See Sharon B's plans for a heap of lace if you want to get into the mood as well.

http://www.pintangle.com/journal/2009/11/2/just-look-at-this-lace.html

Labels: Costume embroidery, Costume history, European history