Deb Fuller - The Thread Blog

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Traveling the Silk Road – The History of Silk

April 24, 2015 by Deb Fuller 10885 7

A painting depicting women inspecting silk, early 12th century, ink and color on silk, by Emperor Huizong of Song For hundreds of years, China tightly controlled the production and manufacture of silk, making it the most prized of all fabrics.’ The desire for silk created thousands of miles of trade routes as well as advances in…

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A Brief History of Wool – Domestication, Breeding, and Economics

April 16, 2015 by Deb Fuller 13095 1

The Fair Isle Jumper by Stanley Cursiter, 1923 Nothing says warmth like a cozy wool sweater but it took’ thousands of years of selective breeding to get it.’ Ancient’ sheep bear little resemblance to today’s wool sheep, selectively bred for their fine coats. Like other domestic animals, humans bred sheep for different traits to develop the breeds we…

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The History of Cotton – Trade, Politics and Industry

April 10, 2015 by Deb Fuller 13725 16

Robe Ã la franÃ§aise, France, block-printed cotton, c. 1770. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) Next in our history series is cotton. The history of cotton is the history of trade and industry with a lot of politics and economics thrown in. Now the most prevalent fabric in the world, it’s humble beginnings…

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A Brief History of Linen

April 2, 2015 by Deb Fuller 23900 19

This will be the first in a series of blog posts where we will take a closer look at natural fabrics such as linen, cotton, and wool, and their journey through the ages. Today, natural fabrics can be found in all shapes, styles, and forms from basic undergarments to high end fashion. In decades past,…