A WORK OF ART

I was fascinated to see this piece of sfilato - Sicilian drawn thread embroidery - in a friend's house today. It was worked by nuns.

SFILATO

Whilst looking for a present to send to the UK yesterday, I was shown these beautiful pieces of sfilato, Sicilian drawn thread embroidery. I know that the backgrounds they are displayed upon do not do much for them; nevertheless I think the work is beautiful and wanted to show it to you.

Sfilato embroidery has been traditional in Sicily since the end of the fourteenth century and today you can find many examples in Ragusa. The woman who carry out this intricate work are, of course, figurative descendants of the Arab workers of the tiraz [royal workshop] in Palermo.