All I want for Christmas is Santa's Sack

I'll leave the goodies inside Santa's Sack to the little ones.
Just give me the Sack!



I'll bet that it's made from Jute or Flax!
Probably jute, like a Gunny Sack.


Being the Antiquarian that I am, much of
my success hinges on being able to guess
upcoming trends and get into the market
BEFORE the price skyrockets.
Tooting my own horn a bit, I've been fairly
successful at trend spotting. Of course it helps
that I spend so much time in France and we
know that when it comes to fashion, whether on
the runway or in the home, France is Avant-Garde!
Well, on my
French Fashion List for Antiques,
one of my top ten has to be Textiles, specifically
those made from Jute or Flax fibres.

Don't you just love nubby textures? And oh so,
authentically Country!
Somewhere along the line, we Americans started
calling Jute burlap. I think we are the only
country that refers to it as such. In India it is
called the "golden fibre". I prefer to call it
"Toile de Jute".

It's uses are as endless as your imagination.
It's most common use is that of sacks.
Old grain and food storage sacks are becoming
popular. The better weaves such as Hessian
cloth are fabulous for endless decorating
projects. Window treatments, window shades,
lamp shades, upholstery, pillows, etc.
Jute is also Eco-friendly.


Stencil on it, if you like!

These are some French Sac's that I have available.

Kathy Delgado who owns Vintageweave Interiors

in California makes some fabulous home accessories

from Jute. You can visit her website at

http://www.vintageweave.com/

And can a girl actually have too many baskets?

My favorite baskets are the lined boulangerie baskets,

used for bread. I always keep a supply of

these. I have the round and the oblongs.

Wonderful to line them with votive candles and

then fill with cranberries, nuts, greenery and pine cones.

They are also great hanging on the wall.

They are $45 each. Feel free to call us at 502.585.3111

or send us an email if you would like some.

My other favorite fabric is Poplin. Authentic poplin

was actually made from silk and worsted.

Poplin, from the word Popeline, originated in

Avignon, France where there was once a papal

court. The original Poplin was prized in it's day.

Today much of the Poplin is made from cotton.

I always buy bolts of vintage Poplin in France,

when I can find it, and use it for window treatments

and upholstery. Poplin is strong, almost stain resistant

and has the look of luxury!

With all the different weaves and man-made

fabrics now, selections can be difficile!

Did you know there are only 5 natural fibres?

Cotton, Jute, Flax, Silk and Wool.

When you visit a Tapissier in France, you'll

find they are using more Hessian and Flax.

Louis XV Fauteuils

Photo from Country Home Magazine

Louis XVI style Bergere

Louis XIV Fauteuils I had upholstered in

Vintage French Poplin

Love this Bergere !!

Just FYI

Bergeres are upholstered armchairs that are enclosed.

Fauteuils are upholstered armchairs with open sides.

And you don't even want to get me started on

the French linen napkins (serviettes)

The linen gets softer and more fine the more it

is laundered. This is a whole nother post!

But....I do have an assortment of beautiful

monogrammed French linens that are

table ready!

A useful site to learn more about fabrics is

http://www.fabrics.net/

They also have a copy of the Burn Test,

used to determine if a fiber is natural, man-made,

or a blend of fibers.

The best thing about Jute and Poplin, is that

it is affordable NOW.

Many suppliers actually sell used Grain Bags.

I'll be sharing more of whats on my

French Fashion List for Antiques

in the following weeks.

Chow for now