The History of Each Place Written with .... a Needle

This is the title of the newspaper article, from the Kathimerini newspaper, announcing the exhibition of Greek needle lace at the Benaki meseum. I managed to go one Thursday evening.

There weren't many pieces, but there were unusual and very old pieces of kopanelli (do you remember my post a few months ago?) and bibila lace. Most of them came from the islands and mainly from Creta. Among the bibila pieces, were two smal handbags, presented as a gift to Queen Victoria, and two samplers with a variety of small flowers, trees, grass.... You can see part of one in the picture of the article. They were magnificent and - of course - reminded me of the book you gave me!


It was written that the name "bibila" comes from the turkish words "bir biri", which mean one next to the other. Is that the meaning? If so, it is most intersting to know that the greek term for this lace comes from the turkish words, because the turkish name for this lace "oya" probably comes from the ancient Greek word "ouyia" (still used today) which means the edge of the fabric, as the bibila usually decorates the edges of fabrics. We must add this topic to the list of issues to investigate when we start our research project for our book on lace.

Other important pieces in the exhibition were shoulder covers from Creta, made from thin linen, embroidered with colourd threads, in filtiré, with inlaid motifs. Very ellegant and very artistic! You would have loved them!

Another important note in the exhibition was the influence of the Greek lace tradition on the italian reticella lace. There are some excellent examples of reticella lace in the lace file I sent you with the Pandora's email some time ago - the one I had to break in three parts.

The exhibition was one of the events of the Coference of the International Lace Organization (OIDFA http://www.oidfa.com/), which took place in Athens in May.

Well, that's all for today. I am tired and will go to bed early, as I was travelling from yesterday afternoon till this afternoon. I flew over the Aegean - MOST beautiful at this time of the year! I hope you are enjoying the sea and the vacation life, and that's why I forgive you for not writing often!

Greetings from Moscow!