Fil Au Chinois Gloving thread - spools

This fine and resistant Fil Au Chinois gloving thread is used for patchwork and appliqué. Appliqué, or applied work, is the stitching of a motif on a base. Among the most popular are Hawaiian appliqué motifs with their symmetrical forms and bright colours. The story goes that it was the wives of pastors wanting to evangelise the Pacific islands during the 1820's who taught the craft to the natives. However, these native ladies with their joyfulness and imagination, found the puritan quilting too austere for their tastes, and adapted it taking inspiration from the local flora.