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2 comments about Reflections From A Flaxen Past : For Love of Lithuanian Weaving.

1. A Flaxen Past - what a romantic Old World ring this has to it. We have all heard the story of Rumplestiltskin where a young girl, overwhelmed by the task of spinning a roomful of flax straw in to "gold" or linen thread, is willing to risk her firstborn child to have the work done by someone else. We have all heard stories in our families about the traditions surrounding the old "linens" handed down through families, revered because they were handmade by someone in the family before our time. Who hasn't at some time or another eaten from a snow white tablecloth, awed by its beauty and at the same time worried about dropping something on it that would cause a stain. "Linen" simply conjures up a vision of pristine elegance and timelessness - and there is so little really good information about it. Here is book for all lovers of fine textiles - whether actively spinning and weaving, or just connoisseurs.

   Kati Meek, introduced to Lithuania in 1982 by following a weaving pattern she was studying, fell in love with a culture long steeped in working with flax and linen - as are so many around the North and Baltic Seas. While there have been other books portraying linen in the last years, this one stands out in the way it places the growing and processing of flax into the cycle of life of the culture. No detail has been left out - from planting the seed to spinning the thread and weaving fabric, to sewing the clothing.

   A Flaxen Past is carefully "woven" of recent experiences, both with Lithuanian weavers in Europe and with weavers of Lithuanian descent living in North America, carefully researched examples of new and old textiles, examples of tools and techniques and, perhaps most charming of all - a chapter of photographs from Lithuanian museums depicting the processes as they fit into the lifestyle. These photographs capture the spirit of how Lithuanian and other European weavers worked linen for a very long time - the faces, the hands and the surroundings.

   Accompanying the rich illustrations is a well written account of Lithuanian culture and Ms. Meek's travels to research this book. She speaks warmly and in detail of her experiences collecting the information, and the people she met along the way. As an experienced weaver, she does an excellent job of describing the textiles and how they are made - interesting for non-weavers yet comprehensive enough to enable spinners and weavers to make their own linen cloth. There is a richness of information about Lithuania, its traditions, and the traditional textiles that surround the linen heritage - in picture, and described in great depth for anyone interested in producing similar pieces. Several active weavers of today are depicted along with lovely examples of their work.

   A Flaxen Past has been made possible with assistance from the Lithuanian Foundation, the Lithuanian Folk Art Institute, the Gilmofe Foundation and the Upjohn Foundation. All profits from the sale of the book are dedicated to the textile collections in Lithuanian museums.




2. Being Lithuanian, and having great pride in my culture, I was amazed by the depth of this book. I would recommend it to anyone who has a love of the culture, as it chronicles not just the past, but gives the reader an appreciation for the present, and all that is being done to preserve these beautiful traditions. Just incredible photos as well. "Looking inside" this book on Amazon does not do credit to the photos in this book.

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