Traditional hand crafted Tote bag in beige with green, yellow and blue crewel work that stands out from the crowd. These are must have items for the summer. Brightly coloured, indian inspired and large enough for daily needs.
Bag contents are easily accessible either open or closed. With strong staps you can carry them in the hand or over the shoulder. Colourful, versatile and inexpensie, ideal for all purposes – including the beach.
As well as this tote bag in pink with purple, yellow and blue crewel work, see the other available at Abrahams Store here.
Historical Crewel Work
Perhaps the most famous example of crewl work is the Bayeux Tapestry, which is not actually a Tapistry at all.
Without doubt an iconic historical document, The ‘Tapestry’ was made in the late 11th centrury possibly by Queen Matilda and her ladies in waiting. Recording the events of the Norman Conquest, Matilda has first hand knowledge. After all she was the wife of King William the First whom we remember him as William the Conqueror. It is proabably a good job he won the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and gained that name. His parents weren’t married when he was born so he was known as “William the something else” at the time.
That’s also possibly not true. Although the French describe it as Matilda’s Tapestry it may have been made by English craftsmen or women, for Bishop Odo, William’s brother. The crewel work embroidery is on display in Bayeux, capital of Normandy. Measuring about 70m in length, it is a fascinating document and you really need to look at every scene. A bit of latin may also be useful. Apparently “hic harold rex interfectus est” doesn’t mean harold died from alcohol poioning, even though it looks like he’s ‘swigging’ from a bottle during the battle in the ‘restored’ panel to the right. History is written from the victor’s point of view and this is true of the ‘tapestry’, even if my addition is not. There are alternaive interpretations of the events of 1066, however, one indisuputable fact is that Halley’s comet makes an appearance, some 500 years before it was so named.
Learn more about the Bayeux Tapestry here.
You can learn more about the art of crewel work embroidery here.
