Traditional tapestries graced the walls of castles and churches, to protect from the cold, to add warmth, restfulness and beauty. For centuries tapestry has been regarded as the most noble of decor.

True tapestry is defined by the structure of the weave. In the strict sense, tapestry describes a handwoven material into which the design is woven during the weaving process so that it forms an integral part of the textile. The warp (threads placed on the loom) is a skeletal structure in that it disappears completely beneath the weft (yarns that make up the pictorial weave). The image is made up of numerous discontinuous wefts along each row and the weft threads are woven area by area, shape by shape, as opposed to other woven forms where the weft travels from edge to edge across the width of the warp.

Today there is a revival of this fascinating art form around the world. Although the imagery and weaving looms may have changed, the weaving process has remained basically unchanged throughout history.

Tapestry is a time consuming and exacting hand weaving process which machines have tried to simulate without success. In addition to the weaving itself, numerous hours are spend preparing the loom for weaving, designing the cartoon (life size design which is copied onto the warp) and hand finishing.

Copy of an article in a South Australian Crafts Magazine, approx 1987. Author unknown.
Please contact me if you know, or are, - the author!