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Kilim rug quality provides multiple uses

A kilim is a type of rug that originated in Asia, falling into the broad category of Oriental rugs. The earliest known examples were found in China, and the most famous come from western Asia. Unlike pile-woven rugs, which have a thick, tufted texture made from thousands of knotted threads, kilims are flat woven, tapestry style, typically from wool. Their designs are usually geometric and often symbolic. Oriental rugs were introduced to western Europe and America by the 18th century. Thanks to the quality of the weaving and beauty of the designs, they quickly became fashionable luxury ...

THE GRAND HOTEL

NEW ULM - In November 2000, Anne Makepeace and her family bought the building that formerly housed The Grand Hotel at 210 North Minnesota St. for its historic significance dating back to 1956. Makepeace’s great-great-great grandfather Phillip H. Gross built New Ulm’s first hotel, the ...

Decorative charger features lunar new year

The Lunar New Year, as observed in East Asian cultures, occurs on the first day of the first lunar month, not on a calendar date. In 2025, it falls on January 29. It is celebrated in China, North Korea, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and many other countries. Festivities include parades, fireworks, exchanging gifts and, most importantly, family reunions and traditional meals. Each year is associated with one of the twelve zodiac animals. The animals that belong to the zodiac can vary among cultures and are usually based on which animals are native to the region. The most common ...

Recent Reads

Here are few of my favorite recent reads. Library staff would be happy to help you place requests on these or any other titles. If you’d like to place your own request, visit www.newulmlibrary.org and choose Library Catalog. As a Swiftie, I am enjoying the recent wave of books about Taylor Swift, two of which I’ve included here. The first is “The Eras Tour Book,” Swift’s official photography book for her historic concert tour. It’s full of colorful images celebrating the energy and joy of the 3.5-hour show. Although many of the images have been shared widely through social ...

City in NJ had a thriving glassmaking industry

What cities come to mind when you think of glassmaking? Venice, Italy? Waterford, Ireland? Sandwich, Massachusetts? How about Millville, New Jersey? Millville had a thriving glass industry by the 1860s. Many glassworkers were immigrants, familiar with techniques like lampworking and millefiori that had been practiced around the Mediterranean for hundreds of years. Working in the Millville factories, they developed and experimented with new techniques, often by making paperweights. These paperweights were not production items; glassworkers made them on their own time to try out ...