Tiny tapestries

How do you preserve your memories of your time in the emirates? With guide books, photographs, postcards or other souvenirs? For one lady in Abu Dhabi memories are preserved using needle and thread.

Rowena Paterson first began making tapestries in New Zealand when she made one from a kit as a present for a friend. Attracted by the contemporary designs she saw, she continued using the set kits in Abu Dhabi where other people were equally enthusiastic.

Arabic designs

She said, "Friends began asking me if I had Arabic designs. I hadn't, so I began designing some myself. I really enjoyed it. It was fun.

"I call them Arabic tapestry as a means to describe them, but really they are tapestries of Arabic influenced designs; things that I have seen in the UAE, its architecture and environment, such as wind towers, old doors, sand dunes and palm trees."

That was 18 months ago. Now she has designed, sewn and framed many different tiny tapestries, from detailed doors, streets against a backdrop of sand dunes to coffee pots and Omani khanjars in silver coloured metallic thread.

Paterson begins a design by sketching, relying on photographs and memories.

"It could be a combination of things: something on one house, something from another. I make the drawing the size of the finished tapestry and then begin sewing," she says. It may take several attempts to obtain the required result.

"Some develop quickly. Others need more time, for example, the door designs took longer to get the proportions right."

Once the tapestry is satisfactory, she transfers the design to computer, noting the thread colours and amount used.

Limitations

"People ask if I design camels or dhows," she says, "but these are tricky because the stitches can only go at a certain angle. If a picture has a lot of curves, you cannot get an accurate representation on a canvas this small."

A finished tapestry is about 7cm by 5cm. Patreson says, "Many people who do needlework crafts start big projects, become overwhelmed and do not finish them. Many years ago I started a large cross-stitch design kit that I never finished.

"These small tapestries can be finished over a few evenings. They're easy to carry around, so you can sew while on a plane or by the pool.