PieceWork Winter 2021

The Closure Issue

With textiles as our frame of reference, we often understand the term “closure” to mean fasteners of every sort, from buttons and zippers to hook-and-eye closures. However, textiles can also symbolize cultural closure, say, marking the transition from childhood to adulthood for example. In the Winter issue of PieceWork, we look at the ways closures serve as both embellishment and function. Susan Strawn looks at the history of closures and self-dress. Rebecca J. Martin reveals the intricacies of Japanese obi. Heather Vaughan Lee uncovers a needlework publication written for young women moving from childhood to married life. Plus, discover who is credited for the invention of the bra strap!

• Crochet a nineteenth-century boudoir jacket with frog closure

• Use embroidery to replicate George Washington Carver’s burlap doily

• Knit a set of 1940s placemats