The embroidery of boutis

Francine Nicolle was born in Calvisson in the Gard, at the foot of the Roc de Gachonne and its three mills. Her grandmother Rachel Thiers taught her patience with a needle and the love of beautiful things.

Retiring early from National Education, she plunged into the archives in order to understand the fascination exerted by the boutis and to understand its secrets.

The lack of information prompted her to create the association Les Cordelles "Boutis en Vaunage", where she gives lessons to all ability levels and does conferences. She has gathered together the designs relating to this heritage in order to set up a bank of specific illustrations to the techniques of `piquage'. Convinced that this heritage should be preserved, she persuaded the authorities of the necessity of creating the `Maison du Boutis' at Calvisson.

This book traces the marvellous journey of these stitching techniques, originally from abroad. Thanks to the expert fingers of some professional embroiderers and then to the little magic hands of the Midi women, these stitches have given to the decorative art of the boutis, the value of a regional treasure.

Through the course of these pages, the author wants us to discover the history, the technique and the symbols of the boutis through local precious and unpublished collections. Beautiful colour illustrations bring the text to life and enable everyone to appreciate the value of these pieces that have been brought together.

Finally, for those who have succumbed to the charm of the boutis, they can in turn, thanks to the practical exercices at the end of the book, learn to `boutisser' these timeless masterpieces with love and passion.