If you didn't see it last night, do try to watch the latest in the Fabric of Britain series, The Wonder of Embroidery. It looks at the skill of medieval embroiderers and the staggering work they produced, known simply as Opus Anglicanum.
Coming right up to date, our own Great Tapestry of Scotland will be going on tour soon, but 40 of its panels will be on display from tomorrow until the 13th. of October in Cheltenham Town Hall as part of Cheltenham Literature Festival, and on Sunday, 6th. October, there will be a special event on the work featuring Alexander McCall Smith, whose brainchild the tapestry was, and fellow project trustees James Naughtie and Alistair Moffat. That will be both entertaining and informative, I'm sure.
I have a particular fondness for embroidery and the skill involved. You must have been thrilled to have your groups work included as part of this fantastic project. I clicked over to the previous post to see the different panels and am in awe of what has been achieved.
Posted by: elaine | 03 October 2013 at 06:52 PM
Elaine, I think we were all thrilled to be involved in such a project, and when you see the finished piece and look closely at the very creative responses to the subject matter and design and to the high standard of work that has gone into it, that involvement becomes even more special.
Posted by: Cornflower | 03 October 2013 at 07:40 PM
Just caught up with last night's programme on iplayer; far and away the best of the series (even my husband was rivetted).
My favourite medieval embroidery, though, is a clerical garment in the treasury of Upsalla Cathedral (Sweden); it depitcts (among other things) Mary and Elizabeth, both pregnant and with the happy, smiling foetuses of John the Baptist and Jesus in the womb. I'd never have spotted it if the young woman at the entry desk hadn't tipped me off about it!
Posted by: Rosie | 03 October 2013 at 10:52 PM
Quite fortuitously I'm going to Cheltenham tomorrow. I'll endeavour to visit the exhibition if time allows
Posted by: Liz Davey | 04 October 2013 at 10:29 AM
It was an excellent programme (much better than the knitting one), and it did exactly as your Swedish desk lady did, Rosie: got the viewer to look, understand and appreciate what they were seeing.
Posted by: Cornflower | 04 October 2013 at 03:35 PM
Oh, good! I hope you'll manage to see it, Liz.
Posted by: Cornflower | 04 October 2013 at 03:36 PM
Wasn't the fabric of Britain series wonderful! I enjoyed the other programmes too - even the wallpaper one which my family laughed at me for watching.
It is wonderful that you were asked to work on the Great Tapestry of Scotland - it must be a real thrill to have been involved. I wish I could see it in the flesh so to speak.
Posted by: Juxtabook | 04 October 2013 at 06:24 PM
I agree; this was far better than the knitting one, which felt rather magazine-like (very watchable but no depth). I enjoyed the wallpaper one tremendously but the embroidery was far and away the best.
Posted by: Rosie | 04 October 2013 at 07:56 PM
I haven't seen the wallpaper one but I must watch it!
Being involved with the Tapestry was an enormous pleasure - and a privilege. I'll be sure to post the tour dates when they've been finalised, and I hope everyone who would like to see it will get the chance to do so.
Posted by: Cornflower | 04 October 2013 at 08:00 PM