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Posts Tagged ‘Bohin Factory’

Le Projet Fou or "Crazy Project"

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2016

Bohin France, you cover it with a gigantic handmade quilt of course!!!Giant Quilt from France Patchwork7 Bohin, France’s last needle maker, has been a popular vendor at Road to California the past few years. President Didier Vrac and Marketing Manager, Jerome Doussard, have become familiar faces to Road’s guests who never tire asking these two gentlemen questions about their needles and scissors, just to hear their French accents. At the Bohin Factory in Normandy, France, they recently opened a beautiful museum. While the museum is “amazing,” the entrance outside was just a “very big white wall,” noted Catherine Bonte, president of the French quilt guild, Association French Patchwork, an organization with over 12,000 members!! Catherine was very close to the museum project for several years and let it be known that she was not very fond of the huge blank entrance. So, Didier told Catherine to do something to improve it.Giant Quilt from France Patchwork6 Catherine invited all the members of France Patchwork to work on a “nice block with curves,” using the colors of their guild’s logo—white, black and beige — and the color red for Bohin. At the guild’s office in Paris, near the Eifeel Tower, more than 3,500 blocks were sent in!! A team from the guild assembled the blocks to cover the wall. In fact, they could have covered 6 walls with all the blocks they received!!Giant Quilt from France Patchwork3 In addition to the quilt blocks, the group also  pieced together a portrait of Benjamin Bohin and put it in the center of the giant quilt. Benjamin is the founder of the Bohin factory and they wanted to honor him that way. “Le Projet Fou” was turned over to Didier Vrac on May 21, 2016 and work began immediately to get the quilt up on the wall. People have come from all over France to see it.Giant Quilt from France Patchwork Catherine and her guild know that the giant quilt will not be there on the factory wall forever. But for the time being, all of the visitors to the museum have “completely” fallen in love with it.Giant Quilt from France Patchwork2]]>

Did You Know? Seven Fun Facts About Needles And Pins

Monday, April 28th, 2014

Didier Vrac, President of Bohin France, gave a lecture on the history of needles and pins during Road 2014. Part of Road’s new $5.00 Lecture Series offering informative sessions in a classroom setting, Mr. Vrac spoke to a room full of interested guests, giving them fun facts of these sewing essentials. Here are some of interesting tidbits he shared:_i4c3203pg

What were the first needles and pins made of? Bones and ivory.

Which country first used steel in making pins and needles? China. From there, steel was used in Arabia, then Europe.

When were pins used for more than just sewing? In the 1500’s, ornate pins were given to women as gifts._i4c3190pg

What great world event did pin manufacturing play a large role in? The Industrial Revolution as well as the unionization of factory workers.

What are some of the specialty needles designed for? Leather working, quilting, embroidery, and clothing manufacturing. 

Where does Bohin France get the glass for their pin heads? Murano (Venezia), Italy

What makes Bohin needles and pins different from other brands regarding shape and sharpness? Bohin’s fine pins are made from piano chord wire which is known for retaining its shape when it is flinged. The lasting sharpness of Bohin’s pins and needles is due to their being polished individually on antique machines._i4c3186pg

Who knew there was so much to learn about needles and pins!!!

 

 

  

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