What Can a Tapestry Do for Your Home Decor?





What Can a Tapestry Do for Your Home Decor?

If you watch history programs on television or do much reading in this vein, you may recall seeing some of the beautiful medieval tapestries that frequently depict hunting scenes or well-known figures in freeze-frame motion. Hand-woven by women or perhaps monks with obvious artistic talent, these art forms preserve and showcase the exceptional talent of those who produced them centuries ago.

Tapestries originally were shaped like large area carpets that might be laid on a stone floor to keep it clean and dry. Instead, they were hung on drafty stonewalls of secluded palaces or fortresses to enliven the place and to prevent the damp cold from creeping into residents' bones. Woven with heavy yarn spun from animal wool that had been dyed a variety of shades, the beautifully crafted designs capture the long-ago adventure of battle scenes, treaties, and other monumental events that shaped the course of history. Handed down through a long family line or traded in open markets as well as donated to museum collections, many famous tapestries from Europe and other regions survive today to remind us of the ancient artisans who wove them with great care.

You can get the same feel of history, art, and comfort when you buy a modern-day tapestry. Or, better yet, make one yourself. While you need not shear the sheep to get their wool for your project, you can purchase the wool or silk at any stage of its development that will be needed. Then you can needlepoint a selected design into the fabric to bring long-dead ancestors or family history to life. Your tapestry need not be as heavy or as large as those of old. Instead, begin by making a smaller version that can be used as a decorative wall hanging in your den or used as an accent rug in the family room.

You can get tapestry kits from a craft or fabric store. Choose a ready-made pattern or make one yourself from an old photograph or art piece. Then select the proper type of thread and needle that will be used to imprint the design on a fabric backing. Follow the directions posted in a tapestry guidebook, or enroll in a community college course or fabric store sewing class devoted to tapestry to learn more about this historical art form. No one will be disappointed if your first effort isn't a masterpiece. Just learn from any mistakes and try again until you get the result you want. Your family will love the exquisite designs that you can mold from heirlooms and special mementos.

If time will not permit you to make your own tapestry, visit one of the well-stocked specialty shops that offer this type of home decoration. Compare prices and quality before making your selection. Either way, your guests and loved ones will appreciate the unique look of a tapestry adorning your personal abode.

About the author:

Find the tapestry of your dreams at The Tapestry Cart, located at http://www.tapestrycart.com

Other Related Articles

Choosing a Great Rifle Scope
Finding the best rifle scope for yourself can be nearly as challenging as stalking the prey itself. With so many choices and so many options, it's sometimes difficult to line up a target. This article will help first of all define the options and choices you have, and give you a plan for finding...

The 5 Important Life Lessons I Learned From My Dog
Our son has been on a long, arduous campaign for our family to adopt a dog. I have to admit we are weakening. I have always loved dogs and I can well remember my own beloved childhood friends as well as that desperate desire for my very own canine companion. Plus he is an active child who loves...

What is the largest breed of dog in the world. The Old English Mastiff
The Old English Mastiff is the LARGEST breed of dog in the world . .They can weigh anywhere from 110 pounds to the 343 pounds. Zorba,an English mastuff ,held the world record of the world's largest dog. Most Mastiff males weigh around 160-230 pounds and females around 120-190 pounds. The hight of a...