The Hidden and Intricate World of Tapestry

by Olivia Bastin

When I say to people that I enjoy doing tapestry, they tend to be surprised. Many of my other hobbies are more sociable, interactive or louder, like singing or learning foreign languages. However, over the lockdown, my mum taught me how to do tapestry one day whilst I was watching TV and feeling a little bit fruitless. She herself learnt how to do tapestry when she was a young girl. Tapestry is a type of sewing that follows a simple back and forth movement with one’s hand and wrist.  

An example of one of my tapestry pillows

Ever since then, I’ve made several tapestries, some of which I even sold at Renaissance, Sustainable Style’s upcycling exhibition and auction last semester. Sustainability is important to me and incorporating it into this hobby of mine was high on my priority list. I normally buy second hand tapestry wool from charity shops, where you can get an interesting range of colours. Otherwise, I buy tapestry wool from sustainable online stores that auction the wool off. I sometimes even buy scrib (the material on which the tapestry is shown) in charity shops too. The process is relatively easy to follow. I firstly design the tapestry and then pick out a colour scheme. I draw the design out and then begin embroidering. For pillows with bigger dimensions, I place the design onto a flat board and hammer in small pins to stretch the pillow out. The pins are easy to hammer in and aren’t too expensive either. Then I rub in glue and leave them out to dry. Once I’ve done that the covers are ready to be made into pillows!  

The tapestry process

This has been my personal experience of doing tapestry; however, I thought I would give you all some background to where the skill and art form of tapestry came from and how it developed throughout the ages. Tapestry is an ancient form of textile art that has been around for millennia. The ancient Egyptians and Incas would use woven tapestries as shrouds to bury the dead. The Greeks and Romans used tapestries as wall-coverings to decorate their civic buildings and temples like the Parthenon. The Chinese used them to decorate garments and for wrapping gifts. Tapestry existed in Europe, but it only truly flourished in the Middle Ages mainly due to the contributions of French and then Flemish weavers from the 14th to the 18th century.  The first European tapestries to be formally recognised were made by the Gobelins Royal Factory of Paris. Other major tapestry producing centres were located in Brussels, Arras, Tournai, and the Beauvais factory in Paris.  

There is a plethora of famous tapestries from all over the globe; however, I do have one or two personal favourites that go as follows. The Apocalypse Tapestry is truly a piece of art. It was commissioned by Louis I, the Duke of Anjou. It depicts the biblical story of the apocalypse from the Book of Revelation by Saint John the Divine. It is 140 metres long and six metres high . It features around ninety scenes woven in brightly coloured thread spread over 6 panels. It was woven in Paris (1377 to 1382) . Many historians believed that this tapestry was publically exhibited outdoors; however, it currently resides in the Chateaux d’Angers in the West of France. My second favourite tapestry would have to be the Hunt of the Unicorn Tapestries. This is a series of seven tapestries made in Paris during the 16th century consisting of naturally dyed wool, metallic thread and silk. The tapestries feature a variety of bright hues and beautiful details. Each tapestry illustrates a different moment of the pursuit, from the “Start of the Hunt” to the “Unicorn in Captivity." Overall, the tapestry portrays a group of wealthy and aristocratic men hunting a unicorn in an idealised French landscape. It is currently housed in the Met Cloisters Museum in New York.  

In conclusion, I can say I productively learnt a new and enjoyable skill during lockdown. Instead of buying new décor, I got to make my own in a sustainable fashion. I got to develop my skills in colour and design, all the while using secondhand wools and buying scrib at local charity shops. I would say my tapestries are more special than machine-made items, as I have personally stitched every row, which is not a quick or easy feat. Overall, if you want to pick up a crafty hobby that is less mainstream than others, tapestry is an excellent choice.