Needlework

See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is looking for creativity  in crafts, fabric art and textiles

Man's informal cap (Satin with embroidered pattern and silk tassels)

There was once an advertising slogan from the days when people always wore hats that said "If you want to get ahead get a hat" and this one worn today would certainly get you noticed. A postcard from an exhibition of 'Imperial Chinese Robes from the Imperial City' with objects loaned from the Palace Museum in Beijing.

Detail of costume for the Prince in L'Oiseau d'or worn by Nijinsky

Of course ballet is all about the bling and here the tunic worn by Nijinsky in 1910 when The Firebird was first performed in Paris (June 1910). Designed by Leon Bakst it is a short sleeved tunic of old gold silk, embroidered with ovals and silk circles, with jersey inner sleeves set with metal studs and a cream panel embroidered with flowers and rose ending in a drop pearl. Created in St Petersberg. When Baskst settled in Paris in 1910 he found his preferred costume maker Mme Muelle with whom he worked with on his productions for Diaghilev and Ida Rubinstein until his death in 1924. Bakst created vibrant stage sets so he would appreciate

Detail 'Trojan War' tapestry, Turnai, 1475-90 Wool and silk woven tapestry

one of the most spectacular examples of those Medieval tapestries which survive, The War of Troy was created in Tornai, a place that has experienced many wars and has been part of  France, Southern Netherlands and recently Belgium.  A huge tapestry, the postcard shows a detail of Queen Penthesilea and King Priam.

Shepherd and Shepherdess (1741) Lady Lever Art Gallery - Embroidered in silks and seed pearls

On a more domestic scale, and unlike the unknown makers of the Trojan war tapestry the card says this was "worked by Eliz. Tole" I'm guessing she wisely embroidered her name somewhere.