Weaving wise... a thrilling video...

I discovered this video recently and it had me completely spell bound. I think it's an absolute thrill to watch, and I continue to be mesmerized by it--just wish it were an hour long documentary instead of a 2:45 minute clip!

I was at Versailles around the mid '90s for a day trip from Paris where I was spending a week's vacation. It was a glorious trip, one I will never forget and hope to perhaps repeat some day. I was completely taken in with the textiles in Versailles. The fabrics in the King's and Queen's bedrooms were astonishingly beautiful--let's face it, the fabrics throughout the palace were mind boggling. Such riches.

So stumbling upon this video was special. Getting a glimpse of how those glorious fabrics are created is quite special. I would like to investigate further into this type of weaving. I also like the shots of the woman and man using a flying shuttle to weave velvet--it comes towards the end of the clip.



To leave no doubt I was actually at Versailles, I will post 3 pics (of several I took while there:

Post note: Apart from the trip to and fro--I'm not that keen on flying--the trip to Paris was a dream. I stayed at a small hotel on Ile de la Cité named Hotel Henri IV. It was post-season so it wasn't terribly crowded and the weather was cooler. The hotel rooms were dirt cheap (~$50/night) but didn't include tv (I wasn't there to watch tely!), ac (it was September and didn't need it!), and the shower was shared (as I was usually later to rise, it didn't matter!). The location of this hotel can't be beat, it's just down from Notre Dame snuggled inside a quaint little square (triangle, really) on Place de la Dauphine, gobsmack in the middle of Paris! Ah.... lovely memories.