Moroccan Textile

Accession Number: TR8616-18


Label: 12/86, Study, Morocco ?, Conley


This 162” x 33” textile is woven from reddish-orange silk with gold stripes of varying widths. The long edges are selvage, with one having a 1 3/4” wide decorative brocade pattern woven in gold. The short edges have been formed into 5” fringe.

A machete was obtained and measured. A 20” long section was cut from the brocaded selvage. The strip was folded in half with the long edges turned inwards forming a 10” strap. The edges were topstitched. A 22 3/4” x 8 1/4” piece of fabric was cut from the textile, with one end being a selvage edge. The other end of this piece was cut into parabolic curve to reflect the shape of the machete. All raw edges were secured with a zig-zag stitch. The 10” strap was folded in half to create a loop, and then sewn to the back of the 22 3/4” x 8 1/4” piece of fabric just below the selvage end. An 8 1/4” long piece was cut from the brocaded selvage edge and sewn into place just below the selvage end on the front of the 22 3/4” x 8 1/4” piece of fabric. 1/2” of the selvage end was folded over the brocaded piece and sewn into place. The long edges and bottom of the sheath were folded under by 1/4”. The sheath was then folded in half, and the long sides and curved bottom edge were top-stitched shut. To prevent the machete from cutting the seams, four grommets were installed along the bottom edge, with a fifth in the top corner.

The accession number has been embroidered just below the brocade strip on the front of the sheath.