Page 363 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots

356 History and Science of Knots

From the end of the C13th mention is made of networks: inventories of
old St Paul's and Exeter cathedrals refer to cushions of opus filatorium and
opus araneum-possibly the distinction was between darned square meshes
and spider-web patterns formed by working in circles from the centre, and
making the increases at set places , or with differing sizes of mesh.
By the end of the C15th wood- and copperplate -engravings were sold
with patterns suitable for use as surface decoration on fabrics . Artists who
were good enough to merit patrons designed exclusively for them, while others
would sell through workshops , or under the aegis of a famous name (such as the
Academy of Leonardo da Vinci .) Among others , Direr designed many pieces.
It was also at this time that all the Moors were driven from Granada, (and,
her vow fulfilled at long last, Queen Isabella could change her body-linen),
leaving behind their traditions of craftsmanship. One legacy of the Moors was
the silk stocking knitting industry of Spain, which continued to flourish and
to bring wealth to the country.
The traditions of Le Puy in the Auvergne region of France state that
their first lace-making began around this time , the designs being of the style
now known as Cluny. The Lace College at Le Puy still maintains the teaching
tradition, and boasts of more than four centuries ' continuity, though students
today learn more for pleasure than for a trade.

The Sixteenth Century
At the end of the C15th printing with moveable type was established; this
resulted in more people learning to read, as well as in a more `scientific',
less superstitious , attitude towards learning . The Spanish Inquisition under
Torquemada upheld the authority of the Church with grim determination, but
in Germany one Martin Luther was beginning to challenge the teachings of the
clergy. As people moved away from unquestioning obedience to their spiritual
leaders they also began to measure themselves against human achievements,
and material wealth became more important as a result. A show of generosity
for the good of the soul and the benefit of the Church became less fashionable
than a display of wealth for self-aggrandisement. In Italy , the centre of the
Christian world and of trade routes east and west, this was particularly evident
and even today words such as `bankrupt ' and `florin' show the extent of the
Italian influence at that time.
One way of displaying wealth was in the ornamentation of clothing, for
it showed that the wearer could afford to spare the thread used in decoration,
and that the women of the household had the leisure to make (or that the
family had the money to purchase) the trimmings . The fashionable fabrics
at this time were English wool (Staple, the wool-marketing consortium, had
been established for over a century), Flemish linen, cotton from the Turkish