Blowing in the Wind

Sunday is THE day for the best brocantes - apart from holy days. Nothing better than a good brocante to relieve the boredom, it seems.  Today's was at St. Sauveur, a small village just out of Bellac.  Not very many stalls and not a huge amount of stuff (no tempting typewriters) but I did get what was sold to me as a tablecloth...

But what I now think is a bedspread.  Partly because it only has drawn-threadwork hems on two opposite edges (these would be the sides and be seen when the bedspread was hanging over the sides of the bed)...

...and partly because of the monogramme...

The initials, JC are beautifully embroidered and, although this not unknown for a French tablecloth, it is much more common for a sheet or bedspread.  I think this would have been for the bridal bed - rightly so - as it is beautiful.

The cloth is embroidered in a technique know as Richelieu work, where buttonhole stitch is worked around areas and bars embroidered across (but not on the fabric) the unworked area, which is then cut out with small, pointed scissors.  Not a job to be done after a couple of glasses of red wine!

There are flowers and leaves in the corners and the 'trademark' fleur-de-lys...

...as well as a scattering of butterflies...

The flowers, like the monogramme are heavily embroidered and intricately worked...

...and the whole thing must have taken many months of work.

It is not perfect, of course.  One corner is severely damaged and torn and I'm not sure how I can repair it.  I think the Royal School of Needlework would use fine net or cotton lawn on the wrong side and then rework or mend all the damaged parts. That's a lot of work and a labour of love.  I don't know if I'll ever get round to that.

Although the rest of the cloth is not exactly fragile, there are tiny wear holes scattered about.  Obviously it would not be a good idea to use it but, as they say, a thing of beauty is a joy forever...