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Antique Fabric, antique French pelmets, antique wallpaper, Ceil de Lit, Ebay Finds, Flea Market Style, Lit a la Polonaise, Loodylady, The Textile Trunk, Vintage eiderdown quilts, Wendy Lewis
I stumbled across Wendy Lewis of The Textile Trunk several years ago on Ebay
while looking for sources of vintage hand-woven, homespun linen and hemp yardage.
I had just found my 19th century French canopy chair here and couldn’t imagine it
reupholstered in anything else. Known as “loodylady” on Ebay, she had a huge variety
of antique and vintage European textiles: primitive linen and hemp grain sacks,
mattress ticking, mangle cloths, French floral and printed fabric, French linen and hemp
sheets, an occasional rough linen chemise, and passementerie trim from all over Europe.
I found and bought this amazing bolt …about four yards of nubby flaxen linen…
with thistle woven in. I washed it, rerolled it, played with it. I couldn’t bear to cut it.
My bolt in above photo and below…similar upholstery yardage here
I always check the “Loodylady” store on Ebay here to see what Wendy’s up to…
All her items are “buy it now”…a stress free way to buy on Ebay…
Amidst all the loveliness there are always a few stand out treasures…
Just a few weeks ago she sold this incredible Ciel de Lit that I had put
a watch on…just to drool over and torture myself.
Ciel de Lit is French for “sky of the bed” and is the basis for a classic
French Lit a la Polonaise. I asked Wendy recently about this piece…she said
that after maneuvering about France with it on her last buying trip, she carried
it home from with her on on the plane rather than wait for it to be shipped…
…the ruckus that it caused to get on board, but well worth it!!!!!!!!!!
Wendy’s responses to a string of off the cuff questions I emailed her the other
day were so lovely, I asked her if I could share them with you…
How often do you go to France, how many years have you been going? I travel to Europe about every 2-3 months. I travel by myself~ It is truly the only way to really source the best of the best! ~ I have to be there myself! ~ We lived in the UK for 12 years and my children were born over there. In the mid 90’s, I was heavily into researching my family history, so my links to family history really tie in well with my passion for textiles…..they are very connected for me. Stories of past lives, people, their experiences…has always been very important to me, and the connection with textiles, is very special. There is so much that these textiles can tell us about the day to day lives of people from the past, one has to just be more open to the detail, in order to really understand what the textiles are telling us. Anyway…living in the UK.. France was on our doorstep! My first experience with these wonderful textiles was in the 90’s. We used to go over to France and rent Gites ( small cottages in the mountains, and countryside) and I came across little pieces now and then in little brocantes……..I didn’t really understand them then……they just spoke to me, loudly! I started to gather small pieces, not really knowing why……..and they mesmerized me. I found some amazing early, printed panels of linen, very early on….. I couldn’t stop thinking about them……they really started this drive to understand textiles……and my research began then. I traveled to Museums in the UK and France regularly to research and understand these amazing pieces of history……..and this is how it all began.
Did you take those shots? Are you into photography? Yes……..I take all of the photographs myself. My passion (before textiles) was and is Photography. I was a photographer using medium format in the 90’s……….I used to photograph children also. And, in a similar way of trying to capture the essence of a child, the same applies to the textiles. I really feel that the textiles have to be understood, in order to really be able to photograph them well……..very similar to photographing children! (although the textiles are usually far better behaved and sit much more still than children!
These are my gardens! ~ like the colors and patterns in the
textiles, they inspire me regularly!
Wendy has over a 1000 items listed in her Ebay store…
How does she have time to tend this gorgeous garden!?
Do you live on the other side of the siding that you photograph your 18th century pelmets against? Do you live in the country…do you have a barn? The photographs of the siding are taken against my barn! ~*~ We live in a 1850’s farmhouse and the barn is just to the side of this! The barn is also c1850 ~ and it is wonderful inside too. We live in town, but it is a small town and the country is right on my doorstep! This is what I love about Vermont, one is never out of the country, no matter where they live! ~*~
What started you off? Was it the linen? The toile? Was this what you thought you’d be doing when you “grew up”? I imagine you must be someone who is very conscious of details…texture, stitches, initials.
I just LOVE that you said this! ~ Yes, I am extremely conscious of details…….again, I feel that THIS is what allows these textiles to speak to us……it is the tiny detail in them that really tell us so much about what was happening in people’s lives………the hand stitches, the hand stitched darns…..the monograms, the fiber content, the dyes used in the printing, the sizes of the garments, the colors, textures, the old hem lines, the fading patterns…..all of these details are what allow the textiles to speak for the people who created them!!! This is what I get so very excited about when I find these textiles. I often sit with them for hours, trying to understand them……looking closely at them, to figure out what they are telling me. There is truly a treasure trove of information in every single piece. I find this extraordinarily exciting. When I was growing up, I always dreamt of becoming an archaeologist, so the connection is obvious! My hands just stay much cleaner exploring textiles ! ( usually!!! )
Antique French wallpaper c. 1800
acquired from a personal collection….
The descriptions of each item are clear, detailed, fascinating….
I can see the archaeologist in Wendy coming out here….
The French campaign to Egypt is referenced in drooping reeds between the
cartouches (frames around the pictures). The style of little pictures stacked
one on top of each other is a reference to wall decoration at Pompeii and
Herculaneum; these excavations began in the middle of the 18th century
and were watched and copied avidly in Western Europe.
to view click here
Antique or vintage French Eiderdown feather quilt
This is an antique French Boutis from 1820
More antique and vintage eiderdown, quilts and boutis here
About this incredible antique photographed sideways on her barn Wendy also told me
“that wonderful tapestry panel was ON MY BACK for HOURS!! I simply HAD to have it!”.
Talk about rough luxe…can you imagine this drapery panel hung simply down a
rough gray wall…or swagged theatrically to the side of an inner doorway…?
This textile once hung in a chateau in central France. It is an ENORMOUS textile,
with the most wonderful hand painted floral design. This textile dates 1850-1870…
The fabric on this textile is a very heavy woven pure linen weft and a natural
cotton warp, plain weave. All of the designs on this textile are hand painted
For more photos click here
Matching pelmet here
Would also be lovely used over a bed with simple
French linen or gauze curtains…
This textile would have been used as part of a bedding set ~ This pelmet is hand quilted and
hand stitched with a thin linen trim that runs along the scallop and all 4 sides~there is a light
cotton batting in between the layers~18th century French Toile de Jouy pelmet here
All Wendy’s red toile on Ebayhere
More red toile inspiration from earlier Toile de Jouy Rouge post here
I love how accommodating you are to your customers, love your color matching service. Thank you Trish!!~ I have to tell you , what is more important to me than anything…….is the great happiness these textiles bring to people. I can’t tell you how amazingly moving I find it, when I receive emails from my customers telling me about the way that the textiles have impacted their lives…..sleeping better under their antique quilts, gifts for friends that are cherished, people often say that they find the textiles healing……and I understand this very much….food for the soul….people find a great deal of comfort in these textiles, and THIS is what keeps me focused every single day…and makes me feel a sense of fulfillment , that I never thought possible. THIS is why I feel like the luckiest person in the entire world…….and feel eternally grateful to all of the people who understand the importance of these textiles, and trust me to help them find the right ones for them!
Thank you Wendy…
I am truly inspired!
All photography except for top two photos were from Wendy Lewis of The Textile Trunk
Just had to stop in and say WOW! Love this post and I love Wendy. She has curated an amazing collection over the years. I recently had the opportunity to meet her in person and she is every bit as lovely in person as she is in your interview. I know she is a lone traveler, but what fun it would be to tag along with her! I clicked on over here from Bardot in Blue using the “button” she made for you. She is creating customized buttons for her sidebar “blog roll”. How did we miss the boat on all of this technology stuff? I am going to have to “hire” my kid. ~jermaine~
Trish,
This post, this interview…simply wonderful! Thank you so much for introducing me to Wendy and for sharing her knowledge of textiles, her story and photography. I can always count on you for beautiful and informative posts.
Thank you! 🙂 Laura
outstanding.
Love the tapestry…so big…
Beautiful pictures… almost touchable.
Lee
Wow! I am so glad you did this post on “loodylady!” I have purchased several linens and grain sacks from her and am always checking her Ebay store for inspiration. It is so nice to get to know her–your interview was great. I want to be her! Her home in Vermont, her travels to Europe, being surrounded by linens all day seem like heaven!
Such yummy textiles. I adore fiber and fabric and this is a delicious post. Sea Witch
Lovely and lovingly told.I am fascinated by what grabs the heart and won’t let go. The items that scream or whisper our names, our family’s names, our unknown past. The fabric of our lives and loves told in stitches made by hand. Haunting tales we need to hear. Thanks Trish and a big thanks to the “loodylady”. Anybody who lives in Vermont is my kind of girl. When do we get to hear about her garden?
In Wendy’s words: These are my gardens! ~ like the colors and patterns in the
textiles, they inspire me regularly! Click for large view
Luscious flowers and a standing seam metal barn roof. My heart quivers!
Hi Trish,
Great post on “can’t get enough of” vintage French fabrics..thanks for the lovely interview and photographs of this lovely “loodylady”! Wonderful resource..
a bientot!
Kit
Oh Trish, this was so great to read – what a great interview. I LOVE Wendy. I met her about a year ago, and everything about her is fabulous – her goods, her story, her home, her taste, her kindness – I have a few treasures that I bought from her and not only are they beautiful, they make me think of her. In a world where your money is spent can really make a statement, supporting someone as wonderful as this, makes me extremely happy.
Thanks for this post!
xo Isa
Hi Isa. Alright…am I the only one who hasn’t (person to person) met Wendy?! To those who haven’t (sorry to dispel the myth Wendy) I’ve seen a picture…she’s gorgeous and sunny, with two adorable kids.
Hi Trish, Thank goodness you visited my blog, otherwise I would never have seen this fantastic posting. I think it’s the most interesting and best pictured article I’ve seen on a blog. I’m going off to see Wendy on ebay. You obviously know your subject extremely well. I’m going to sign up as a follower straight away and put you on my blog roll. Many thanks, I look forward to coming back.
Sharon
Bonsoir Sharon, et merci!
Hi Trish,
this is a really lovely post! thought I was just going to read it and then time for me to go to bed on this side…
no- I’m making a cuppa tea, and will reread your post and visit the links…I allso cannot get myself to cut my old rolls of linen and hemp…every time I decide not to cut….I look for another roll to cut, then when I do find some,it doesn’t get cut…instead it’s just draped on the chair …and hubby cannot understand why I take so long to decide..
bisous
Colette
Goodnight in South Africa, Colette! Our poor mystified husbands.
Hi Trish,
Many thanks for sharing such a wonderful post and was great to hear of Wendy’s knowledge and love of textiles and beautiful treasures.
How lucky that she gets to go on buying trips to Europe every 2-3 months.
Love all the beautiful photographs and what a wonderful house and garden, she has.
Enjoy your weekend
Hugs
Carolyn
I know exactly what you mean about not wanting to cut that lovely looking linen! My wife makes all my 18th century clothing, well the items made of linen. I can’t even bear to watch her cut it! I don’t know what it is about fabrics, and especially linen or Rami, but I just love to own it and look at it.
Hi Trish
I too have had the wonderful opportunity to meet Wendy in person a year and half ago. She is absolutely delightful. She is so happy to share her love for textiles. I can see the passion in her face as she speaks. Each piece she buys is like a special child of hers. I am so amazed at her vast knowledge in the histories of the fabrics, giving each piece their story.
She was the one who encouraged me to follow my passion, telling me I would always regret never having tried. And was happy to email her to say I had done just that. Quit my job and began designing and sewing once again. She was so happy to hear the news. I look forward to seeing her again this summer.
Thank you for sharing her story and pictures.
Rebecca
Hello Trish:
I appreciate your post(s) on vintage fabric(s) wallpapers, etc. it is obvious to me you have put in a lot of care, time , and research in the study of historical vintage pieces. The hunt for vintage fabric can be daunting, at best, and difficult to identify. Some fabrics maybe very tattered and yet they are not throw aways, and still may have significant historical value. You are an excellent resource for us to expand our knowledge of collecting and preserving historical fabrics. Beautiful post!
Joanny
Hi Joanny…thank you…but it’s all Wendy! You can tell she know her fabrics inside and out. I’m attracted to the beauty, and then am drawn in by Wendy’s knowledge.
very interesting post. She has a wonderful collection. I love so much textiles. I was born and raised as my dad is an upholsterer and I still love them
Great post, Trish! As you may have gathered(!) -I share your love of linen…I sketched and dreamed and mused on one idea after another before deciding what to do with yardage I brought back from Nice a few years back. In fact, I still have a few small pieces and just recently tacked some on a chair I salvaged. I also interviewed Wendy a few months ago and found her just as charming, as you described. –Immediately warm and generous when I contacted her about the feature. I didn’t get to see photos of her house and garden until your post, -so thank you for sharing those lovely images. ~LeAnn
Oh my….I have just run into your blog (I’ve found your address on “My French Country Home” blog) and I am
so glad I’ve clicked that link. This is an ìncredibly marvelous blog, and those textiles….wow! Thank you for this “full immersion” in beauty. As Dostoyevsky once said: “Beauty will save the world”, I firmly believe that. Fra
Oh, my goodness, this post has me all giddy with excitement!!!!!!! Love EVERYTING in it!!!! That ciel de lit is to die for, I have always dreamed of having one…!!!! And those fabrics, the eiderdown, that tapestry, for goodness sake!!!!!!!! Absolutely dreamy!!!! Thanks so much for sharing, you have put a smile on my face!!!
So beautiful. And I especially love the gardens – English country with a touch of decadence.
Just come across your blog and love it
what a lovely post and those fabrics are just amazing! thanks for the inspiration 🙂
have a great weekend.
Well Trish…I feel like I just had coffee and cake with a new bunch of friends! I too have enjoyed visiting with Wendy. Warm, generous and her enthusiasum so contagious! As a designer, shop keeper and italian decorative artist, I find so many elements that drive our passions so similar. You know..that certain intangable but so physical something that makes our hearts race when we touch or see beauty. Aren’t we so blessed to be able to experience this! I’ll look forward to your blog and another cup of coffee with all of you! Pam
yum. gorgeous. gorgeous.
she’s always been so sweet to me – always.
Wauw, I just love your blog.
Thank you for all the beautifull treasures you showing us.
My friend Johan Atelier de campagne gave me the name off your blogg and I come and visit it every day since than!!!
Please go on like this!!!
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What a beautiful blog you have!
It’s so nice to see people from all around the world interested in French linen. I’m really impressed by your knowledge and interest.
I’ve run across ‘Loodylady’ on ebay and always lose 45 minutes in her world. Thank you for sharing some of her story. Makes me want to drop what I’m doing and play with my fabric/linens collection!!! (I can’t seem to cut into any of my fabrics either to actually MAKE something out of it!)
Such luscious fabrics!
Love Wendy’s textiles. I have purchased from her in the past on Ebay. It is so nice to learn more about her and see photos of her garden.
Thank you
Lana