Pistoia & its territory, especially in Casale & Casalguidi area, have been considered since the 17th century a centre of excellence and top quality handmade embroidery first made by convents & enclosed orders for the ecclesiastic pomp and later for noble families.
The “Whitework” it is how they call this kind of embroidery, white on white, started to receive a great demand of it in 19th century even for the most powerful families that wanted to have elegant lingerie & household linens to show their high status. At the end of the 19th century until the 20th century a flourishing craft & then industrial production started too.
In each house women were able to create great masterpieces with their hands, brain & good eyes!
I remember my best friend’s grandmother Elisa, always working with her glasses on her nose on beautiful white linen table cloths for her grand-daughter wedding trousseau – but we were just 10 years old! – because all this needed many many hours to be finished…
A real art made with love, as they were thinking about their family, their loved ones while they were working on them: it was a real treasure to hand down to the new generations.
Unfortunately nowadays ladies of my age cannot do this anymore & my daughter didn’t see a neel in all her life!
Fortunately a women association from Pistoia called MOICA (housewifes ass.) founded & run this museum – free entrance – to preserve & to not forget what we did for century with our hands with passion & dedication. They also invented a new stich called: Pistoia stitch .
Have a look to the stunning items I found here.
So precious, so lovely, so authentic Tuscan!
