GAYLE WARWICK FINE LINENS

Imagine this - the finest linen from Italy and the softest cotton from a organic farm in Texas arriving in north Vietnam to be hand-embroidered.  Hand-embroidered - as in every single french knot, straight stitch, chain stitch, back stitch, feather stitch, knotted loop stitch, plaited braid stitch, sorbello stitch, diamond stitch, and hemstitch (okay, I am not sure the exact stitches that are used, but they are complex and plentiful) is done by a needle and thread in the hand of a person.  Vietnam has a long history of extremely delicate hand-embroidery, that unfortunately is being forsaken by the younger generations and becoming one of many handmade traditions that are in danger of extinction.

 But back to the linens, last week I had the pleasure of enjoying a glass of wine (okay a few) with several amazing ladies and watching as Gayle Warwick unfolded her hand-embroidered linens and told her story.  Organic before it was hip, an ex-pat living in London, travelling the world in search of the absolute best materials.

Amazing hemstitch linens

These are my favorites - they come in fun colors and if you look closely you can see the sparkle of the contrasting metallic thread.  So perfect.

So yes, these linens have a hefty price tag, but they are made by hand, with the best materials, with love, and I hear they last for years (they have even been put in fancy hotels where you know they get a ton of action).  If you can't afford a whole set of sheets - go for a couple of pillowcases, I am sure that alone will convince you that you need the rest of the set.  Only have $$ instead of $$$$ to spend on table linens?  Go for a set of cocktail napkins - you will probably have them the rest of your life and then your grandkids will be fighting over them, because by then who will hand-embroider anymore?