Bell Pulls in Embroider - Arts and Crafts rambling
Challenge accepted, @neptunian-cross-stitch!
*Cracks my knuckles. Starts crying cuz that's uncomfortable. Anyways*
I heavily assume, with bare minimum of research, that the Bell Pull as a concept origin from medieval time. A rope or cloth hanging from the ceiling to be pulled on, making a bell ring, as a means to summon a servant to the room.
As typical show of wealth, these cloths for pulling would be of fine materials and over time decorated with embroidery.
To a point over time that the pull becomes more decorative than useful.
Today a bellpull is more of a small tapestry than anything else, purely for decorative purposes. You can see many a samples of this, just by searching it.
The typical anatomy requites a top attached to a holder, whether of metal or merely a stick, to keep the decorative cloth held up in its full glory. Bottom can either be free hanging or giving a matching pole. As seen above can even be with tassels. Or the irony of a bell at the bottom, instead of the top as its original purpose was.
They come in all sizes and materials. Some just patterns, others images of animals or people. Flowers a popular motive too. But all typically made with embroidery.
I don't know how spread out it is outside of my own home country, Denmark, but at least in Scandinavia in general we have a specific tradition for cross stitch bellpulls.
I've created such from scratch twice before, with my own designs!
Though is easy to find premade patterns of "klokkestrenge" as we call them, where you merely change name and birth details. I prefer the more personal touch of making my own design entirely.
It is a collection of images in theme with the subject of the child, with which you add in name, date of birth, size and weight around birth.
It is for the family to hang in their home in celebration of the newborn and as a lasting memory to enjoy for years.
Another use of this style of crafting is as advent calendars, a big tradition in Scandinavia too.
Of what I've made once before, by own design as well.
Each ring is to hang a small present from, which a child may open on the day of December matching the number above the ring. As a countdown to Yule/Christmas.
Really, there's no limit to the creativity used, to be put on display on a wall for all to enjoy!
This one was a premade pattern I took over from a bag full of old embroidery material given to me. I merely finished it and added my own personal touch with the text, for funzies~
A fun thing to do is to go through secondhand stores and find old bellpulls and small tapestries done generations ago, showing the great creativity through decades. Also perfect place to look for those hangers for your bellpull projects, and with luck you can find some really fancy ones!
I'm member of a facebook group for cross stitch enjoyers, and some members love finding any kind of old embroidery in thrift stores, to give a modern touch with new colourful stitches on top of the existing image.
So yeah, no end to the creativity and fun! I can only recommend looking into it further yourself and maybe give it a try!
I hope your enjoyed this infodumping on a hobby I enjoy!
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