The Textile Research Centre proudly presents its first exhibition in the new TRC home along the Boerhaavelaan in Leiden: Khayamiya: Egyptian appliqués from the Street of the Tentmakers.

On Monday 11 May, H.E. Mr. Emad Magdy Hanna Kamel, Ambassador to The Hague of the Arab Republic of Egypt, will open an exhibition at the TRC in Leiden about khayamiya appliqué panels from the Street of the Tentmakers in Cairo, Egypt.

Khayamiya is a textile form that is omnipresent in Egypt. The word itself is derived from the Arabic word for tent, namely khayma. Originally, this appliqué technique was mostly used for making hand-sewn tents. Nowadays, khayamiya can also be created using other techniques, such as machine-sewing or (digital) printing. Khayamiya tents were used in the past by pilgrims going to Mecca. Nowdays, they are widely used for other occasions, such as weddings and funerals, and they are made in various shapes and variations. Especially before and during Ramadan, khayamiya tents and decorations are ubiquitous in Egyptian streets. The principal place of manufacture is the Street of the Tentmakers in the centre of medieval Cairo.

Examples of historical sewing stitchesThe sewing machine is a 19th-century invention. Before that, people sewed by hand. Textile finds from prehistoric times, the Roman period and the Middle Ages show which stitches the seamstresses used. During the workshop we look at these finds and make a pouch for which we use as many different stitches as possible for the seams and hems, ranging from simple and purely functional to elegant braiding stitches. For a blog about this workshop held in 2020, written by Nelleke Ganzevoort, click here.

Participants do not need to bring anything, except patience and possibly their reading glasses (because some stitches are quite delicate). 

This Wednesday morning workshop is given by Dorothee Olthof, an expert in the field of archaeological textiles and in the reconstruction of medieval and later clothing.

• Date: Wednesday, 13 May 2026.
• Time: 10.00 - 13.00 pm.
• Venue: TRC Leiden, Boerhaavelaan 6, 2334 EN, Leiden.
• Teacher: Dorothee Olthof.
• Language: Dutch/English, as required
• Costs: 45 euros. Coffee, tea and materials are provided. Reading glasses might be necessary for the more delicate stitches.
• Maximum number of participants: 8. Minimum: 4. If the minimum number of participants is reached, confirmation and invoices shall be sent.

Please register in advance: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Spring 2026 issue (No. 227) of the international magazine HALI includes a six-page article, with some splendid photographs, explaining the creation of The Atlas of World Embroidery (Princeton University Press, Febr. 2026). The article and book were written by Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood, director of the TRC. A Dutch version of the book, Atlas van de Borduurkunst, came out on the same date and was published by WBooks.

The article is published on pp. 228-229, 230-231, and 232-233.

HALI Vol. 227, 2026, pp. 228-229.

Fig. 1. Copper and enamel Amsterdam School-style panel, by Marie Kuyken. Photograph: S. Anderson.A recent visit to the Museum Het Schip in Amsterdam sent me scurrying to the TRC ‘s on-line catalogue. Het Schip, in the Amsterdam-West neighbourhood, is a historic, architectural gem in glowing red brickwork. Designed in 1919 by Michel de Klerk, this social housing complex included 102 flats, a post office and a school—made expressly for impoverished, working-class families. It pioneered a new expressionist style of architecture called the Amsterdamse School.

The Amsterdam School’s attention to detail encompassed not just buildings, but also the furniture and lighting inside the buildings—including textile components, from the curtains and rugs, to wall paper and upholstery. Some of the textile designers of this style are the subject of Het Schip’s latest exhibition: “Unseen Talent: Women of the Amsterdam School.”

The Dutch designer Marie Kuyken (1898-1988) was one of the Amsterdam School pioneers. Her father set up an engraving and art studio in Haarlem, where he developed his own style of cloisonné, based on much older Byzantine enamelling techniques.

Marie started working as a designer in his studio as soon as she graduated. Her expressionist style won high praise from critics. One critic wrote in 1918 that in her enamel and copper decorative panels “glows the precious inlay in a beautiful, enchanting splendour of colours” (Fig. 1).

Orenburg is a province in the southeastern part of Russia, along the slopes of the Ural mountains, and close to the borders with Kazakhstan. This is where Europe meets Asia. In this region, at least since the 17th century, there is a strong tradition of lace shawl knitting. This would make the tradition older than Shetland knitting.

Detail of a 'Warm' Orenburg knitted lace shawl. Russia, 20th century (TRC 2025.0751).The shawls are knitted using goat's under hair, or down, from locally bred animals. The yarns are traditionally hand spun, two-ply at a slightly higher twist to create crisp patterns. The fibres of these goats are extremely thin, only 17 microns. This is four times thinner than human hair, and 1.5 times finer compared to angora goats.

The TRC’s agenda is gradually expanding with a wide range of workshops, study days and courses. Here is the current Agenda.

In the meantime, we would like to draw your attention to some new items: 21-22 May: Lefkara whitework workshops; 13 June: Book market; 12-13 September: Open Monuments Days. For more information and registration: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Textile Research Centre, Leiden.From early 2026, the Textile Research Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands, is offering a total of seven junior and four senior fellowships for up to six months each. The first junior fellow has started her work in Leiden in April.

The fellowships are being sponsored by the Gieskes-Strijbis Foundation, Amsterdam. Fellows are invited to carry out research based on the TRC’s extensive textiles and dress collection of some 53,000 objects (click here for the catalogue). The junior fellows are supervised and assisted by TRC staff; senior fellows carry out independent research.

We are now opening the second round of the fellowships that covers:

• Two junior positions
• One senior position

These will be starting in October 2026 (with a degree of flexibility), for a duration of up to 6 months. Applications for these positions should be submitted by email to the TRC by 20 June 2026 (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)  with the reference: ‘Fellowship programme Junior/ Senior' (depending on the position applied for).

Fig. 1. Finishing the move: Group photograph with the lads (and Gillian), 10 April. Photograph by Emilie Lambert.Another busy week at the TRC! The painters, electricians, curtain and security people have finished their work. The builders are doing the last few jobs and making plans for what needs to be done later in the year, especially on the outside.

The last deliveries for now by the removal company have just taken place (Fig. 1) and then, hopefully, there will be a period of a little peace and quiet, so we have time to get used to the building and see and discuss what needs to be done.

We are talking with Stichting Monumentenbezit (the new owners of B6) and others, for example, about having an annex in the garden for the permanent storage of the TRC Collection. Leiden Council and Monumentenbezit have already given their permission for the annex to be built, and now we have to find the funding. As you can imagine, there is much to think about and do on this subject matter.

We have also been discussing what should be done with the 150-200 year old Amsterdam waffle-house (or was it for pancakes?), which since the 1920s has been a feature of what is now the TRC garden, but originates from a bridge in Amsterdam (close to the current Koningsplein). It is a lovely wooden building, but in a poor condition. The romantic in me can see summer events, including lectures, buffet dinners, workshops on fibre plants and natural dyeing, etc. In addition, I know someone close to me who wants to write his memoirs there. But again this is a subject for later thoughts and discussions!