Versailles, Marie Antoinette and a Textiles Journal
I really didn't want to look around Versailles, I wanted to stay in Paris!
All I knew about Versailles was that a group of politicians signed something there.
When I got there I was absolutely amazed by the place! You've never seen somewhere so huge and magnificient in your life. I don't think you can understand fully why those peasants were revolting until you get there!
I only got to stay there for three hours (and I queued for 1.5 hours) which is such a shame because you could spend a week there and not see everything.
Versailles, textiles, women of excess!
About this lens.
This "book", which at the moment is just a collection of ideas and textiles pieces, was originally going to be a fabric travel journal about my trip to Paris. As I've had the front cover and a few pages hanging around for almost a year, I decided I had to use them for something soon. Versailles is the part of my trip that I enjoyed the most and I wanted to find out more about the place and celebrate it in my textiles work.
I'm using this lens to generate ideas and inspiration for making my textiles journal.
- Find out more about Versailles
- Wikipedia entry for Versailles.
7gypsies in Paris
I really wanted to get hold of this book before I went to Paris.
7 Gypsies in Paris (7 Gypsies)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/04/2009)
I'd seen a few images from the 7gypsies in Paris book and I wanted to do something similar with my visit- expect in cloth instead of paper. I started sewing some textiles pieces together that I could use as background "pages".
Broken Sewing Machine
My sewing machine broke before I went to Paris so I had to leave my unfinished "pages" behind. I had planned to sew into them by hand whilst I was sat on the coach.
Ideas for my Textiles Book
Versailles inspired textiles art.
The main textiles piece for the book cover is a red velvet which I then layered up with some other tiny pieces of fabric and covered with organza to keep it all in place. I might carefully melt some of the organza away to make this look like an old book cover and reveal the velvet's texture.
The Gardens
The magnificient gardens of Versailles.
The Gardens. The view from the palace.
The Garden...
...and its problems.
Read about the Machine de Marly below to discover one unsuccessful attempt to keep the fountains running.
Most of the decoration at Versailles is based on the celestial bodies.
- Find out more about the gardens
- Wikipedia entry for the Gardens of Versailles.
- Find out more about the Marly Machine
- Wikipedia entry for the Marly Machine.
Marie Antoinette
Louis XVI's Queen.
Versailles is so huge it has a hamlet inside the Palace grounds! This is Marie Antoinette's hamlet.
Unfortunately I didn't have time to walk around the gardens or see the Hamlet of Marie Antoinette. I'd love to go back again one day and walk around the grounds.
- Find out more about Marie Antoinette
- Wikipedia entry for Marie Antoinette.
Embroidered Gardens
It might be fun to sew a Versailles-inspired garden onto a page spread of my book.
Embroidered Knot Gardens: Using Three-Dimensional Stumpwork, Canvas Work & Ribbonwork
Amazon Price: $17.96 (as of 12/04/2009)
Ever fancied beating the WI entries in your local village fete? Try using this book to inspire sewn mini gardens that will have you winning first prize!
Historical Women
Marie Antoinette-inspired textiles.
I'm working on making four textiles pieces based on female figures from four different eras. Below is the piece based on Marie Antoinette's era- I love the ridiculously tall wigs from that time- waiting to be sewn up.
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Historical Women
-
...depicted in textiles art. I've finally recovered from my aversion to period costume, six years after finishing my Degree in Costume for the Screen and Stage. To celebrate that fact I produced a quartet of textiles pieces based on some of my favo...
Marie Antoinette
Find out more about Marie Antoinette.
Marie Antoinette
Amazon Price: $10.99 (as of 12/04/2009)
Marie Antoinette: The Journey
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 12/04/2009)
Rosanna Marie Antoinette Set of 4 Dessert Plates, Gift-boxed
Amazon Price: (as of 12/04/2009)
Marie Antoinette: A Film by David Grubin
Amazon Price: $17.99 (as of 12/04/2009)
Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution
Amazon Price: $10.88 (as of 12/04/2009)
Vogue Photo Shoot for Marie Antoinette
Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette.
The Orange Trees of Versailles
A novel set at Versailles.
The Orange Trees of Versailles
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 12/04/2009)
A story about 13 year old Marion who blends perfumes that catch the attention of Louis XIV's mistress.
Textiles and Furnishings
Opulent fabrics of Versailles.
Imagine sleeping in this bed! There's so much gold everywhere- I think I'll have to focus on gold and the sun in my textiles book. Also check out the wall paper. It has red flocking on it which was protected with perspex- but I saw one naughty man reach up above the perspex and stroke it!
Versailles Books
Find out more about this enormous and luxurious place!
Versailles: A Biography of a Palace
Amazon Price: $19.77 (as of 12/04/2009)
Gardens of the World VERSAILLES Paris, France
Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 12/04/2009)
Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles
Amazon Price: $40.95 (as of 12/04/2009)
Versailles
Amazon Price: $59.85 (as of 12/04/2009)
Splendors of Versailles
Amazon Price: (as of 12/04/2009)
Furniture and Decoration
The interior of the palace.
I could embroider some of the shapes and patterns from these photos onto my textiles pages with metallic gold embroidery thread. Maybe it would be possible to use fabric glue to stick and seal gold leaf onto textiles.
Madame de Pompadour
Louis XV's Mistress.
- Find out more about Madame de Pompadour
- Wikipedia entry for Madame de Pompadour.
Madame de Pompadour...
...on Amazon.com.
Madame de Pompadour (New York Review Books Classics)
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 12/04/2009)
Doctor Who Micro-Universe S.S. Madame De Pompadour Ship and Woman Action Figure Set
Amazon Price: $20.99 (as of 12/04/2009)
Madame de Pompadour: A Life
Amazon Price: $13.46 (as of 12/04/2009)
Madame de Pompadour: Mistress of France
Amazon Price: $13.68 (as of 12/04/2009)
Madame de Pompadour Mouse Pad
Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 12/04/2009)
Index
Quick links.
Let me know what you think!
Reader Feedback
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Reply
- MeltedRachel MeltedRachel Oct 29, 2009 @ 1:36 pm | in reply to EverythingMouse
- Thank you! :D Versailles is definitely worth visiting!
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Reply
- EverythingMouse EverythingMouse Oct 24, 2009 @ 10:47 pm
- An excellent lens. I visited Paris last year but didn't get time to visit Versailles. But it is definitely going to be the first place that I go on my next visit. Angel Blessings to you
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Reply
- MeltedRachel MeltedRachel Aug 19, 2009 @ 12:15 pm | in reply to Ramkitten
- Thanks for visiting and commenting :D I hope I get to go back there one day too- there was so much I missed.
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Reply
- Ramkitten Ramkitten Aug 19, 2009 @ 11:48 am
- I visited Versailles ... oh, geez, I guess it's been more than 20 years now, when I went on a high school trip to France. The place was amazing! But I never saw that hamlet. I love that! Well, maybe I'll get back there eventually.
Anyhow, I love this lens. I know very little about textiles, but I really enjoyed that perspective on Versailles and seeing the very creative book you're working on.
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Reply
- MeltedRachel MeltedRachel Jul 22, 2009 @ 4:48 am | in reply to WindyWinters
- Thanks so much! :D I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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