Rooms and costumes really work best when they mix methods of textile production. Georgian male tunics from the Khevsureti region juxtapose elaborate embroidery with appliqué geometric shapes of colored cloth. Central Asian chapans with their woven ikat exteriors, printed linings and embroidered trims are a perfect example as they combine all techniques. As Matisse conveys in his roomscapes, fabrics are the background of our interior life. They bring pattern and color to our surroundings and also interpret our relationship to the outside world, often with botanical or animal references. These can be realistic or symbolic and reflect tastes of different civilizations at different periods.

We can chart cultural influences though fabric. Nothing exemplifies this more than the story of the pattern known as Paisley. Originally a Persian motif called boteh, or shrub, it was woven in Kashmir into elaborate shawls that were admired throughout the world. The design was so popular in Europe during the 19th century that it spurred the burgeoning textile printing industry. Over the course of human history, a painstaking amount of skill, patience and creativity has been devoted to textile production. As a heritage that unites us all, it is important that we keep these traditions alive and preserve the tools and know-how so that we can conserve documents but also continue to enjoy living with ancient designs.