passion4food4fashion

Pistoia & its territory , especially  in Casale & Casalguidi area, have been considered since the 17th century a centre of excellence and top quality handmade embroidery  first made by convents & enclosed orders for the ecclesiastic pomp and later for noble families .

The “Whitework” it is how they call this kind of embroidery , white on white , started to receive a great demand of it in 19th century even for the most powerful families that wanted to have elegant lingerie & household linens to show their high status. At the end of the 19th century  until the 20th century  a flourishing  craft & then industrial production  started too.

In each house women  were able to create great masterpieces with their hands, brain & good eyes!

I remember my best friend’s grandmother Elisa , always working with her glasses on her nose on beautiful white linen table cloths for her grand-daughter wedding trousseau – but we were just 10 years old ! – because  all this needed many many hours to be finished…

A real art made with love , as they were thinking about their family , their loved ones while they were working on them: it was a real treasure to hand down to the new generations.

Unfortunately nowadays ladies of my age cannot do this anymore & my daughter didn’t see a neel in all her life!

Fortunately a women association from Pistoia called MOICA ( housewifes ass.) founded & run this museum –  free entrance – to preserve & to not forget what we did for century with our hands with passion & dedication.They also invented a new stich called : Pistoia stitch .

Have a look to the stunning items I found here.

So precious  , so lovely , so authentic Tuscan !

https://www.google.it/amp/www.turismo.intoscana.it/site/it/amp/Museo-del-Ricamo-Pistoia/