WAAC — OH!

Arawa Guerilla, Issue 19, 1 October 1943, Page 11

WAAC — OH!

2. SCHOOL FOR NEEDLEPOINT Way back in the Middle Ages, when castles were fortress - homes, the womenfolk would. sit weaving warm hangings to keep their draughty rooms warm and cosy. They chose subjects from the stirring events of their times, so that to-day we have a clear idea of not only their dress and customs, but also of the more chatty details of their affairs. These D.O.L.’s (dear old ladies) covered most of the world’s history in wool and threads. They pictured fierce looking gendarmes like Alexander registering passion with the whites of his eyes, Charlemange looking like a big stiff in shining armour mounted upon a snow white charger; Hercules with a horrid looking club standing between a lion that symbolizes Bravery and Cupid who symbolizes love. A patch hides the Cupid scene, which is probably fairly immodest. Even the Homeric Greeks considered it a feminine duty and accomplishment to weave. The prim and proper Penelope is pictured weaving a shroud for Laertes on an upright loom. Each night she would secretly unravel her tapestry for she must remarry as soon as it was finished. Husband Ulysses was already ten years overdue from battle, so if she really believed all his excuses when he finally did show up she must have been covering up on a few odd moments when she hadn’t stuck too closely to her weaving.

They wove on large upright looms strung with hundreds of strong warn threads, using bobbins of silk, wool, gold or silver thread. The picture or cartoon was marked on the threads and worked from the wrong side. To see what they were doing they had to run round the front. Slits or holes were left to. strengthen straight and curved outlines and give the impression of shadow. This gave the tapestrya. fine lacerlike quality - — .

Tapestry as Furniture Coverings. In the eighteenth century two Frenchman named Oudry and Boucher set the pace, in the designing of furniture tapestries. Oudry based his designs upon the fables of La Fontaine. They contain only animal and floral patterns, which are indescribably rich in’ colour and unsurpassed in design. Even his cows are said to have striking character . and individuality.

Instead of using the older method of working with the loom,' modern day workers copy the old Babyionion method of embroidering on fine linen. From this has developed the needlepoint upholstery, consisting of loosely woven linen or canvas worked in gaily coloured silks, wools or cottons, with a blunt needle, in a slant over one thread. This is called the petit point or tent stitch. If in a rush use the Beauvais or Florentine stitches worked upright over two or four threads of canvas.

Do you wish to leave a stool or picture to posterity? Tell your U.E.O. about it. In due time she will produce the materials. Most W.A.A.C.’s show a marked preference for pink roses, large and cabbage-like, or cottages ringed with hollyhock. So be original, have purple petpnias or puce portulacca! If you find the ground work tedious give it to r the boys on sentrygo. They’ll finish it up or off in absolutely no time. ! So join the school of needlepoint now.