Needlepoint Tallit and Tefillin Bags
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| Material: | |
|---|---|
| Canvas, Cloth | |
| Style/Look: | |
| Individual, needlepoint embroidery | |
| Description: | |
| Needlepoint tallit and tefilin bags can be bought as kits or already designed. |
Needlepoint tallit and tefillin bags are generally colorful, often very detailed and illustrated. They are sold as 'do it yourself' kits or as predesigned bags. Some Judaica artists offer uniquely designed needlepoint talit and tefilin bags.
Contents |
Needlepoint
Needlepoint, or canvas embroidery, is an ancient craft that goes back to the time of the Egyptians, and was very popular both the Middle Ages and the Victorian period. Needlepoint uses an open weave canvas as the ground basic material on the top of which a design is stitched using a variety of threads. These threads may be silk, wool, cotton or other combinations. When doing needlepoint for a tallit or tefilin bag, it is important to make sure to use the right types of threads as it is forbidden in Jewish religious law to combine wool and flax (usually made into linen or linen thread).
Thread Count
The type of thread needed also depends on the canvas which comes in a variety of mesh sizes, or what is known as the thread count per inch. An open mesh canvas allows thick wool to be used producing a tallit bag design quickly. For a finer thread design, use a closer mesh size, but it may take longer to make and be more suitable for the smaller tefilin bag.
Needlepoint Kits
Needlepoint tefilin and tallit bags can either be bought readymade or as a needlepoint kits to enable the creative individual to create their own tallit and tefilin bags either for themselves or as a gift. This means that a needlepoint tefilin bag set can be a very unique item, making it easily recognizable amongst many other tefilin and tallit sets in the synagogue. A needlepoint kit for tallit and tefilin may come with all the materials necessary to make the bags: the canvas, the threads, and the design as well as a stitch guide. Some companies prefer to just sell the canvas weave design alone, leaving the embroiderer to choose the quality, type and colors of the threads. An experienced needlepoint craftsperson can even buy all the individual elements themselves and design their own individual tefilin and tallit bag set, using a blank canvas.
Needlepoint Designs
The design is usually preprinted or hand-painted on the canvas so that it is easy for the novice to follow. For the completely inexperienced needle pointer there are online videos, DVD’s, adult education classes, as well as numerous books and needlepoint magazines available.
There is a wide choice of designs for needlepoint tefilin bag kits, from very simple ones using only one or two stitches ideal for someone with no needle-pointing experience, to very elaborate designs using a wide variety of stitches for the expert stitcher. Design themes vary from traditional blue tallit bags with the person’s name stitched in a different color to elaborate views of Jerusalem as well as very modern abstract patterns. Needlepoint tallit bag kits can also be bought ready assembled so that the only thing that needs to be added is the needle-pointing itself, which makes it easier and quicker to complete.
A hand made needlepoint tallit and tefillin bag set is a unique gift either for a Bar Mitzvah boy or for a chatan (groom) for a wedding present.