Handmade alphabet ABC crewel wall hanging tapestry | Shekdur
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The Shekdur handmade alphabet ABC crewel wall hanging tapestry is meticulously hand embroidered from wool in tiny limited batches, where no two pieces are the same.
A perfectly unique future heirloom gift for a new baby, 1st birthday, or just because!
*Multi-award-winning tapestries by Moppet*
Junior Design Awards 2023 GOLD winner
Project Baby Awards 2023 GOLD winner
The London Mother Awards 2023 WINNER
Made for Mums Awards 2023 SILVER Winner
Marrying the traditional crewel folk art design and technique of Kashmir with a contemporary colour palette and all natural materials, Moppet wall hangings make the most beautiful focal point for a little one’s room.
Designed by Moppet and slowly and sustainably handmade in the Valley of Kashmir, our tapestries pass through many expertly skilled hands and take two months to complete – a one-of-kind craftpiece to be treasured for generations.
⟡ WORLDWIDE SHIPPING
⟡ hand-embroidered by artisans in Kashmir
⟡ one-of-a-kind heirloom gift
⟡ tiny batches
⟡ sustainably & ethically crafted
Critical Acclaim
Moppet tapestries have been celebrated in the press by House & Garden, Sunday Times Style, Hello!, Daily Mail, Domino, Red and many others, and have won Gold in the Junior Design Awards, Project Baby Awards, The London Mother Awards, and Silver in the Made for Mums Awards.
Read the write-ups here.
Specification
100% wool and azo-free dyes on a 100% cotton backing
60cm x 90cm approximately
Due to the handmade nature of this item there will be some small variations from the picture shown.
Design © Moppet
How to Hang
Three loops on the back can be used to thread a hanging rod or to hang directly on the wall.
You can use your preferred style of wall hooks – the weight (approx 800g) will be distributed across the three loops and hooks. We recommend ‘Command’ hooks for customers looking for a no-nails solution.
How it’s Made
Provenance
Moppet wall hangings combine ancient craft and folk art design with a contemporary sensibility to colour and materials. Traditional illustrations are brought to life in a variety of modern colour palettes, created by Moppet, using a local crewel chainstitch (Zalakdozi) technique which has been practised in the Valley of Kashmir for hundreds of years. Our carefully selected craftsmen and women* belong to rural farming communities and embroider predominately during the winter months as their second form of income. Moppet’s materials are sustainably sourced and our pieces are ethically produced in the homes of the artisans who create them, around their own schedules and childcare needs.
Process
Each of our wall hangings passes through many skilled hands as part of the creation process, engaging a different set of expertise at each stage. First, the Naquash (draftsman) interprets our designs using a stencilling process, in which illustrations are traced onto translucent paper and outlined using pin-prick holes. This sheet is then laid onto the Dasooti (cotton canvas) and dusted with pigment which permeates the holes, creating a stencilled pattern for the embroiderer to follow. Our bespoke colour palettes are created using azo-free dyes to hand dye hanks of woollen yarn. These are distributed through the embroidering community along with our stencilled fabrics. Next, the Zalakdooz (embroiderer), will set to work in his or her home, using a hook-shaped Aari needle and adopting the traditional seated Zangvaitth posture with knees up and back against a firm cushion or wall for support. Finally, the completed pieces are collected from the villages and each washed by hand and dried under the warmth of the sun.
History
Crewel embroidery was first brought to Kashmir from Persia and has long since become a signature craft of the area, creating much skilled employment to this day. The local term for Kashmiri embroidery is Kashida-kari, which is derived from the Persian word for free-flowing writing. Kashmir’s embroidery traditions evolved under the patronage of Mughal emperors in the 16th century, when the local textile industry boomed and its pieces gained popularity around the world. As a result, Kashmir embroidery has traditionally served a more decorative purpose than some of its more functional counterparts, and Kashmiri textiles have adorned the walls and floors of Indian royalty for many generations. Traditionally only men were involved in the process and the art was inherited by a son from his father. These days both men and women are respected members of the Zalakdozi chainstitch tradition.