The stories of textiles

In what ways could textiles have stories or narratives attached to them?

There are so many ways that textiles can have stories or narratives connected to them. I think because our choice of textiles, whether for our bodies or our homes, is so personal, and so influenced by fashion, there is almost always a story behind textiles.

In order to answer this question, I would ask more questions:

Who designed this material? When? For whom or for what purpose?

Is the original purpose the same as its current purpose?

How does it feel? How does it make the user or wearer feel? Is it comfortable or uncomfortable?

The notion of a tactile memory: remembering what a certain material or garment felt like.

Example of warm woollen socks on a cool summer's evening, when we thought we would have to stay on the island all night. I hadn't realised I was cold, until the warmth of the thick woollen socks embraced my sandy feet, until then only clad in the optimistic summer sandals appropriate for a picnic on a sunny day. The thoughtfulness of the friend who had packed them into a rucksack to send them over to us as part of the our 'rescue'.

The classic 1970s yellow and brown floral curtains in my childhood bedroom immediately bring back the long hot summer evenings of my childhood. Memories of being in bed while it was still light outside - how unfair!

The feel on my legs of a pair of beautiful white linen trousers with a butterfly embroidered design that went up the back of one leg and my heartbreak when I realised I must have thrown them away accidentally!

Who bought this textile? Who made it into an end product? Why did they choose this fabric and not another? What was the process of choosing, trying, selecting, making, selling?

Certain designs have stories attached to them too.

Take tweed, perfect camouflage for the heather of a moorland shoot.

'Sportswear' in different times can mean very different things.

Names of fabric can change down the ages - names of Tudor fabrics compared to what we have now.

New names for new materials.

Certain patterns or designs tell stories: toile de Jouy - have been reinterpreted over time, with designs that look backwards and forwards in time

Who made this? Why?

Artists often ahead of their time - we are all trying to catch up with them and their vision.