Two carnations and one country

Olá! Today I bring a story with 40 years history, celebrated last Friday, the 25th April - the 40th anniversary of the Revolução dos Cravos - Carnation Revolution.

"Celeste worked in a Lisbon cafeteria at the time, which on 25 April 1974 was to celebrate its first year of business. The manager had laid on cigars to give to customers, and flowers that happened to be scarlet carnations - "because they were the cheapest", recalls Celeste with a smile.

But when he saw tanks in the street he decided to close for the day and send the staff home, telling us to take the flowers with us.

Celeste was curious to see what was happening, and went to downtown Carmo Street where at 7.30am she came face to face with armed troops who had seized a nearby barracks.

"Do you have a cigarette?" one asked me. Well, in those days it was not usual for a woman to go to a tobacconist. So I said "have a flower" and he took it and put it in the barrel of his rifle. I was happy as I was against the regime, and I walked on and gave the rest of my carnations to other soldiers," she said.

"It was such a simple gesture. I never dreamt it would be something important," "I just did it on the spur of the moment and then I began to see everyone wearing a carnation, and it became the symbol of our revolution." in The Independent, 26th April, 1996

Carnation from Castelo Branco Embroidery

Since those days, the scarlet carnation became the symbol of a people, the Portuguese people, that changed their destiny with a peaceful revolution... And the beauty of the carnations on the barrel of the solders' rifles has inspired many photographers and many artists.

On the left, an image that was hung on the wall of my room when I was a child.
On the right, details of a gift I received at my wedding.

But the carnation has also been, for a much more longer time, an inspiration for other artists... the needle artists from Castelo Branco Embroidery. In the naturalistic imaginarium of this regional embroidery, the carnation is the dominant element. Sometimes it appears flattened, others from the side, with separate petals and cogged edges. In this embroidery the carnation is the man's symbol of love and virility. The silk thread helps to translate the natural beauty of the carnations into art and the stitching, the frouxo stitch and other filling Castelo Branco's stitches, make this nature's representation absolutely unique.

And so we have two representations of the carnation in Portuguese culture, traditions and history... One, the Castelo Branco's carnation, with a long history and tradition that needs to be nurtured and preserved in our days... The other one, the 25th April's carnation, much more recent and that showed that we can choose to change history and that only the traditions we freely decide to keep are the ones that deserve to be preserved...

I wish you all a week full of freedom to make your own choices!

Between Portugal and Scotland on the tip of a needle

 Olá! The Scottish panels are finished and already safe in Scotland!!

Since the beginning, we had in our mind that we should "impregnate" both panels with our Portuguese embroidery soul... And that was the reason why we decided to choose, as much as possible, the stitches that are the most traditional in our regional embroideries... And that ended to be a great decision... 

All the great choices belonged to Méri Almeida and Sofia Amaral M who led this giant effort of many embroiderer volunteers.

At the center of both panels, to fill in the cask, the most popular stitch from Castelo Branco Embroidery was used: "frouxo" stitch (frouxo means "loose), Castelo Branco Stitch or Oriental stitch - different designations for the same stitch profusely used in this silk embroidery but that ended being perfect in wool embroidery. Agulhas da Meri suggests this link about this type of embroidery that can be called laid-work.

But there were many others... Like the Portuguese stem stitch decorating the end of the cask on the Lisbon's panel or the four corners using four different stitches from Castelo Branco's embroidery. 

At some point the embroiderers from Lisbon noticed that the wool yarn would not be enough to finish the four corners as it was supposed to. There would be slight differences in the colors... What seemed to be a problem, ended in such a great opportunity to enrich the panel... And four different stitches ended up decorating each corner of the panel, illustrating the richness and beauty of our Castelo Branco embroidery. Beginning bottom right and going clockwise we have:  rede torcida (twisted net); pé de galo (cocksfoot); velhinhas (old ladies); crivo fingido (pretended openwork) (note: the designations in English  are literal translations and not the real name of the stitches).

It was a very simple pattern, but at the end we had a beautiful panel, so balanced with the stitches' choice for the center and the corners...  

Lisbon's panel and its four Castelo Branco's corners

And the same effort happened in Oporto. The bullion knot, (ponto canutilho) very popular in many Portuguese embroideries from the North of the country and the "soul" of Guimarães Embroidery, beautifully filled in the white wig and one of the Castelo Branco's Stitches brought color and texture to the vine leaf. The choice for the bushy mustache was brilliant: the velvet stitch, from Guimarães Embroidery, was everything George Sandeman needed... And the Grilhão Stitch (Palestrina Stitch), very present in Caldas da Rainha Embroidery (and in so many others...), was perfect to fasten the mast of the Rabelo's boat. 

Portuguese embroidery on a Scottish design, two countries on a panel.

We ended this journey between Portugal and Scotland on the tip of a needle celebrating with Porto Wine... and we are already feeling saudade, such a Portuguese "mood"... 

Wine Port, Portugal and Scotland, a journey on the tip of a needle...

Don't forget to check the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry, once each day new panels are arriving from all around the world with incredible examples of beautiful wool embroidery...

Scottish Diaspora Tapestry - Portuguese Panels

Olá! Two weeks ago I introduced you to the Scottish Diaspora Panel and promised to show the panels that were sent to Portugal.

George Sandeman's panel

We received two panels designed and drawn onto linen, a colored pattern and wool thread. We should choose our own stitches to bring the design to life. Both designs represent the Porto Wine industry. There is a third panel, depicting Sir John Drummond (John of Scotland, Joao Escorcio) in Madeira in the 15th Century, but it is being stitched in Scotland.

The panels are very different from each other, which happened to be a great way of creating different experiences around them.

Port Wine families' panel

There is a panel representing George Sandeman that was sent to the North, the region of Porto wine. The panel has a much more intricate and detailed pattern. The North of Portugal is the region where we find most of Portuguese embroidery traditions...

So we decided to have it embroidered there, in the North, in a more traditional way, using the stitches more common in our regional embroideries.

Méri Almeida from the blog agulhas da méri became responsible for this panel, coordinating a team of volunteers that have been gathering on a daily basis...

Lovely details including the mustache using velvet stitch from Guimarães embroidery

Méri was the best choice I could have ever made... She knows all the details of our traditional stitches, she loves to use embroidery technique at a high level, and puts her heart into each stitch. The photos showing the team working tell us that this is the spirit being lived there... 

The hair is growing day by day with incredible "canutilho"stitches (bullion knots), the soul of Guimarães embroidery

In the North we have the panel of the technique and rigor... But the door is always open and whoever wants to help or see the panel will be welcome.

The grapes are finished and the first vine leaf is almost done...

The other panel represents many of the Scottish families related to Porto wine industry and the design is simpler, not giving opportunity for using many different stitches.

Using "ponto frouxo" or Castelo Branco Stitch to fill the wine barrel

And the simplicity of the design was used with mastery by Sofia, from the blog Tayari, a borboleta serrana. Instead of a very technical panel, in Lisbon, we have one in which many participate.

A group of volunteers, in Lisbon, stitching the outlines using stem stitch.

For several days Sofia received volunteers in a public space in Lisbon, where they gathered to embroider all the outlines in stem stitch. In a weekend she traveled to Sintra in order to work with another group of volunteers, including a Scottish lady. She was in an Embroidery School, where a teacher of the Castelo Branco embroidery began filling the wine barrel at the centre. And she managed to take the panel to a public school where a group of 10 year old students experienced the joy of embroidering for the first time... Next weekend the panel will travel to a rural region of Portugal and there some very skilled embroiderers will also be able to participate.

The panel at the school, where students learned history, geography and embroidery technique

Sofia is coordinating all these different volunteers and at the same time ensuring the quality of the stitching. The stitches that have been chosen are giving the panel such a textured touch... That's not an easy job and Sofia is coordinating it always with gentle words and a smile on her face...

One of the four corners of the Port families' panel. 

This is an incredible experience for all of us... A truly feeling of celebration inspires all the volunteer embroiderers, regardless of their age and experience... We are celebrating our "global village" in this journey between Portugal and Scotland on the tip of a needle! 

Stitches with Portuguese Soul - 2012

Olá! In the beginning of this new year I thought of reviewing "stitches with Portuguese soul, my participation here in feeling stitchy... It has been such an incredible experience...

I loved to know that so many of you already visited Portugal (and loved it...), that others still care for the strong relationship their families have with this country, that some knew Portuguese embroidery, and even others that have never heard about our "little spot planted by the seashore” are generous and kind enough to read me each week.

Estremoz Flea Market, photo by ZPmoreira

We've started our journey with a very beautiful book, the first from Anchor's book series, Traditional Embroidery of Portugal... Do you remember?

I've been learning a lot... For this year's posts I will never forget the groups of women embroidering rugs sitting outside, in Arraiolos; the beauty of "Pauliteiros de Miranda" costumes beautifully decorated with picado; the young girls from Nisa that began working at early ages on their bridal trousseau and how their work helped them to begin a new life; how a treasure kept in a chest changed so many lives in Castelo Branco; how the natural beauty of the island inspired the first embroiderers from Madeira and the exuberance of these embroideries conquered the all world some years later; how embroidery can be a men's story, too as in Póvoa de Varzim; how a piece of embroidery can be a love letter as in Portuguese fiancé kerchiefs; and how a woman in difficult times was able to innovate by helping to create what we nowadays know as Viana do Castelo Embroidery.

Estremoz Flea Market, photo by ZPmoreira

I've also tried to show you some of my projects... embroidered necklace, embroidered card stock bookmarks, embroidered notebooks, book cover tutorial, Christmas lacing cards, Christmas memories notebook, 

And there is still so much to know... I will not forget to talk about regional embroidery from Caldas da Raínha, Tibaldinho, Guimarães, Lixa and Azores... I promise! And I'll bring in Portuguese cross stitch, too...

I also would love to show some more recent trends... And I'll begin doing it next week, showing the work of some new (not from old times...) embroiderers... 

Estremoz Flea Market, photo by ZPmoreira

I have to confess mixed feelings... I'm so happy because I know better Portuguese Embroidery and how in the past Portuguese people always felt so "stitchy" :). But at the same time, while trying to find some new embroiderers, I discovered that their number could be counted by the fingers of my both hands (maybe only one...), at least those that show their work in the web. Embroidery is still an industry, like in Viana do Castelo and Madeira... But other arts & crafts, not so traditional in Portugal, are taking the place of embroidery... And I feel said about it it... I truly would love to do something to change it. So... Here come my new year's goal!!

This year I would like to prove (above all to Portuguese people) that Portugal is a living museum of embroidery. In each home  there are so many treasures that we must show and be proud of. I believe that will inspire new embroiderers...

My motto for 2013 will be embroideries out of the drawers!!! I will challenge all of those who have Portuguese pieces of embroidery to show them and take pictures... If you are one of those lucky ones, are you going to join me???

But you can help me anyway... Tell me about what you liked (or disliked) the most in this journey... Or what would you like to read about in the time left... Can I count on your help??

Estremoz Flea Market, photo by ZPmoreira

I can't forget to thank you for being with me in this trip, for your kind comments and your emails... And the interest shown every week in the stitches coming from our small country...

And here you have some Portuguese words I've been talking about...  saudade, livro, obrigada, japoneira, lenço, vestido, bordadeira, enxoval, beleza, sentido artístico, mãe, filha, tapetes, tapeçaria, orgulhosa, inspirador, pai, colchas, monte, pão, taleigo, camisolas, picado, Feliz Natal, amor

Castelo Branco Embroiderers and a treasure kept in a chest

Olá! This week I’m returning to Portuguese traditional embroidery and I’m very happy to get back to my research…

I’ll talk about what inspired the embroiderers of Castelo Branco, one of the most famous and rich Portuguese regional embroideries.

Embroidered colcha, image from Castelo Branco Municipality

In the first quarter of the 20th century, Maria da Piedade Mendes, a Portuguese woman living near Castelo Branco, received as an inheritance from her uncle a house and furnishings. Inside, she found chests with at least one Arraiolos tapestry and chests filled with beautiful colchas (coverlets) made of linen and embroidered with silk thread. Inspired by the silk works she begun reproducing the embroidery techniques and the patterns, which she continued doing her entire life with increasing perfection and creativity. Soon she also mastered the entire production cycle of silk thread and even the art of weaving linen and silk.

At that time this type of embroidery was known as “loose embroidery”, bordado frouxo, owing its name to the type of stitches used, and only later it begun being known as Castelo Branco embroidery.

Working on linen with silk, photo from Castelo Branco Minicipality

A famous Portuguese writer, Aquilino Ribeiro, described what happened some centuries before, during Portuguese maritime expeditions. The lords of Castelo Branco returned from the Orient, bringing their suitcases crammed with textiles. So women, home embroiderers, were offered new inspiration sources and maybe people who taught them too, since it’s plausible to believe that some of the slaves coming from India could be experts in the art of embroidery.

The inspiration and the access to the techniques were there and the necessary materials, too…
There are references to linen embroidery with silk in other places but maybe the tradition of flax cultivation in the region of Castelo Branco, the fact that mulberry grew very well, allowing the creation of large scale silkworm silk, created the special conditions unique to the development of this embroidery art.

With oriental inspiration and the use of flax and silk, the art of embroidering colchas was very common in this region through the 18th century. Although this kind of work was reported since the 17th century it’s difficult to rigorously define when and how this art begun. But we can tell some curiosities about the original use of colchas…

Piece of embroidery being worked on, photo from Castelo Branco Minicipality

As we saw in Nisa and with lenços dos namorados,  the great inspiration for embroidery was love… And getting married!!

The Castelo Branco needlewomen prepared the thread themselves, breeding silkworms and spinning and dyeing the thread with which they embroidered the bridal colchas. The girls at the age of marriage decorated their beds with profusely and colorfully embroidered colchas placed near the window overlooking the street where the boy could see them and possibly be impressed and enamored. The colcha was used in the marriage night and some authors say that afterward it was kept out of use and saved for very special occasions.

Similar to what happened in Nisa, there was a small locality in this region where the bride and groom’s home was opened on the eve of the wedding so that everyone could visit it. It usually ended in a pilgrimage to 'go see the bed' (most faithful possible to the Portuguese words…).

The idea of the colcha only being used in festivities is, however, contradicted by those who argue that they were used in everyday life, which would justify the poor condition in which many were found.

After this period, and without any known reason, in the 19th century there was a decline in this art… And linen and silk colchas were forgotten.

Until the day when a treasure was discovered in a chest…