Two Wonderful French Boutis Online Videos
The French textile art of making a boutis goes back as early as the mid 17th century. It is enjoying a revival in France today. These two videos demonstrate how to make a boutis. The result of this intricate work is truly amazing.
The first video is all in French but it is incredibly lovely and I suggest you view it first. The video shows Francine Nicolle demonstrating how a boutis is done but it also shows you much more. First of all the boutis she shows is an incredible work of art. She estimates she it will take 2500 hours to finish it. Then to add to the charm the video is filmed in a delightful provençal setting. To find this video visit "Le boutis" and click on the link below the small picture that says, "Voir la vidéo haut débit".
The second video is in English and simply shows the techniques used in making a boutis. It does not show a full boutis as in the first video but it has a very clear demonstration. Go to "Video Tip: Boutis Provençal" to learn how to do a basic boutis motifs. Marie Yolande is the teacher in the video.
My friend Isabelle Etienne-Bugnot told me about the first video. Be sure to read her article, "Quilting in France: The French Traditions", to learn about the history of the boutis.