How do you call some pillows made in Belgium?

Question

I went to Brussels and I saw some pillows like handcrafted, they had many topics. Then I saw the same techniques in pillow, handbags and carpets. Can anyone tell me how this kind of handcraft is called?

I saw a store next to Gran Place where they had tapestry stuff, then I saw another store in the airport.

Answer 1

I beg to differ with the other Belgians. What you are referring to as pillows - and based on the location of the shop behind the Hotel de Ville on the way to Manneke Pis, are probably cushions covered with what used to be wall tapestries. (Gobelins).
This is an ancient craft which has been preserved and the originals of which are among other places stored in the Musée de Cluny in Paris. In medieval times they were made to be hung on the walls of castles. The technique has been preserved and there are still a lot of nice gobelins made like for instance the series "La dame et l'unicorne" (The lady and the unicorn). Alas, for commercial reasons the manufacturers have included "modern" subjects in their product line and we now see gobelins with Bart Simpson, Madonna and Predator. But you can still buy the real medieval gobelin, which at the wall of your living room will make you feel like in a castle.

Answer 2

It's lace. In Belgium we call it "kant" (in flemish) or "dentelle" (in french). It's an ancient technique coming from Belgium or Italy.
It's a lot of work, so it's quite expensive. Especially the handcrafted lace. It's used quite often for underwear and veils, but in the tourist shops they also sell items like pillows and handbags, like you mentionned.

Here are some weblinks where you can check if it's the technique you mentionned:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lace-making
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kant_(textiel) (This one is in dutch, but it has a lot of pictures...)


Add: Well, there's many many different forms of lace, who are all very different, but you told me, it was not lace... Ok.

Another thing they sell over there is that kind of 17th century dense all-over embroidery. It looks a bit like tapestry.
Here's pictures of regular embroidery: (the one in the shops is more dense, I know...) http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borduren
If that's not it, it think it's a form of weaving...

You can find different forms of textile manufacturing here...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textile_manufacturing

Add2: I think I found a website with the answers: http://www.belgianart.com . The shop you mean is on it too. You'll find the tapestry cushions here... I don't think they have a specific name for it. They're being woven, for all I know.
Here's another website that sells tapestry cushions: http://www.millefleurstapestries.com/

Add3: Albert Heger's story is correct. However, the word "gobelin" is only being used for wall tapestry, not for the cushions and other objects.

Answer 3

I am from Brussels but not sure what you are referring to? Do you mean lace? Sorry, that's the only thing I can think of.

Answer 4

Probably u mean Lace= that is made in Bruges