Stitch like an Egyptian 2
Wednesday, August 1, 2007 at 11:27AM I spent a day in Khan Khayamiya on Saturday. With my friend Mohamed Sadek, who will come with me to France as a stitcher, I went from shop to shop to collect the work selected for the Exhibition at Carrefour Europeen du Patchwork in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines.
As an indication of how hot '39 and humid' feels - I drank five cokes, three teas, two coffees and a large bottle of water. I don't much like coke, but it is always safe and hospitality is really a matter of honour so it is hard to refuse anyone.
All the work is painstaking hand appliqué. Some work is finer than others and the sizes vary. All the work is for sale in France. These are in numerical order from shop to shop - numbers allocated as they were collected - but they are not in the order they will be shown in.
And one REALLY big so you can see the details and the stitching - it is actually about 1.2 metres square.
If you have come so far you have done well. I know you will agree that this will be just spectacular.
Just for fun - my household team - the residence staff who helped with the photography on a baking hot roof - for four hours!!
Meet Gamal, Maria, and Ahmed
Reader Comments (31)
each quilt was more amazing than the next. Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful quilts
I don't think there are words to discribe how beautiful those quilts are. I really appreciate your letting me see these. Nothing I do comes even close to those beautiful quilts. What talent. Thank you.
I chose the right moment to look through the archway ... into the intricate, colourful, living history product of the Egyptian Tentmakers. All the sights and sounds come back and the regret that only one small piece can be brought back to Australia when the usual space and finance restrictions apply. We treasure our piece - I think the French will be bouleverse, (with the accent) as they say, by this remarkable collection of work. I'll be sure to show Chris and Georgina on their return. Hi and thanks to your wonderful team at home and to the Tentmakers themselves.
Jenny, this work os magnificent. I was unfortunately unable to see the display of ahmed's in Melbourne so thanks for the second chance! So inspiring and awe inspiring - I drool.
Cheers
Helen in Beaconsfield Vic
Awesome, intense, breathtaking, inspirational!
in MI USA
Thank you so very much for sharing another part of world with us. These quilts are just awesome and inspirational. Lorraine Legler Forster